(WOLFVILLE, N.S.) - Twenty-one unanswered points in the final frame gave the Acadia Axemen a 30-1 win over the visiting Saint Mary's Huskies in the AUS football season opener Saturday afternoon in Wolfville.
Rookie receiver Cordell Hastings (Calgary, Alta.) started the final quarter onslaught just under the nine minute mark with a 66-yard touchdown reception from starting pivot Nick Bynkoski (Duncan, B.C.) on a three-play, 75-yard drive that began at Acadia's 35-yard line after a missed 25-yard Huskies field goal for the rouge.
The fourth quarter scoring spree was preceded by three first half field goals by Acadia's Brandon Jennings (St. Albert, Alta.), the longest of which was 44 yards - the second of three attempts.
Fifth-year all-purpose receiver Eli Prochnau (Cochrane, Alta.), who was named the Subway Player of the Game, added Acadia's second touchdown on a 58-yard run with 3:51 remaining in the fourth quarter.
With less than 2:46 remaining, the Huskies' Brock Berglund (San Diego, California) was sacked in a third and seven situation on the Saint Mary's 44-yard line, giving the Axemen a last crack at pushing themselves into a comfortable lead in the closing minutes of the game.
Third-year running back Cameron Davidson (Kentville, N.S.) pulled together a 39-yard drive on four carries including a one-yard plunge into the end zone to end Acadia's final quarter scoring streak.
Davidson bolstered the Acadia running game of 262 net rushing yards with 100 yards on 14 carries. Rookie Daniel Obiang Jr. (Ottawa, Ont.) added 51 yards on six runs.
The Axemen out-produced the Huskies with 369 yards of offence compared to Saint Mary's 224.
In the battle of the quarterbacks, the Saint Mary's Berglund topped Bynkoski with 149 yards passing, while Bynkoski had 10 of 23 attempts for 127 yards in the air. Berglund was the Huskies' top rusher with 63 yards.
Saint Mary's D'Shawn Miller (Brampton, Ont.) had a game-high 119 receiving yards on five catches.
Acadia's Brandon Jennings had three field goals and added two interceptions from his free safety position. The third-year Axeman is in his first season as a field goal kicker and hammered home three field goals that included attempts from 12, 44 and 11 yards out.
"It's always been in the back of my mind and I did a lot of training this summer and stayed here (in Wolfville) in the summer and worked with the coaches and the guys and did the best I could today and it turned out ok," said Jennings.
The Huskies return home for their next matchup Friday, Sept. 16 when they host the Mount Allison Mounties at 7 p.m. in Halifax.
Acadia will head to Antigonish, N.S. to take on the StFX X-Men. The last time both teams met was last season in the AUS semi-finals when the Axemen fell short in advancing to the finals, losing 26-4 to the X-Men.
Source: Acadia Sports Communications