Huskies handle X-Men 41-7

Hicks scores two TDs on interceptions
By Monty Mosher, The Chronicle Herald

They were pretty in pink. And, led by former NFL prospect DeVon Hicks, pretty opportunistic, too.

The Saint Mary’s Huskies, adorned in pink tape in support of breast cancer research, beat the turnover-prone St. Francis Xavier X-Men 41-7 Friday night at Huskies Stadium to snatch first place in AUS football before 4,200 fans.

The X-Men gave the ball to the Huskies eight times, six in the first half, to dig their own grave. They allowed four fumbles and four interceptions overall, with three of the interceptions ending up in the end zone.

Hicks, a defensive lineman who went to training camp with the Green Bay Packers in 2007, returned two interceptions for touchdowns three minutes apart in the second quarter to help the Huskies to their 17th straight home win over the X-Men since 1998. He also had four tackles, forced a fumble and shared in a sack.

"We just did what we had to do," said Hicks. "They are good team. We just game-planned for them. Our coach put us in the right place and we beat them pretty good."

The CIS seventh-ranked Huskies are 6-1 after six straight wins and the ninth-ranked X-Men 5-2 after consecutive losses. There is still a week to play in the regular season and the teams could each end up with identical records, but the Huskies would advance on point differential after losing 29-24 on opening day in Antigonish.

Two-time defending champion Saint Mary’s will be home for the conference championship on Nov. 14 with St. F.X. the host for the semifinal on Nov. 7. The team with the first-round bye and home-field advantage has never lost the title game since the three-team playoff format began in 2002.

"The bye is a huge thing," said Huskies head coach Steve Sumarah. "We get a chance to rest some guys and get healed up. These are tough seasons and that was a physical game out there.

"Defensively, I can’t say enough about the scheme coach (Dan) Laramee and his staff put together. We really put the heat on St. F.X.

"We struggled on offence, but we did the big thing and that was not turning the ball over."

SMU kicker Justin Palardy of Truro had two field goals and five extra points to pass St. F.X.’s Paul Brule for the AUS all-time scoring record. Palardy has 307 points while Brule, a running back, had 306 from 1964-67.

Palardy holds the conference record for extra points, field goals and points. He said he was happy to break the mark against St. F.X., where Brule is a legend.

"I know where I want to be after I’m done here," said Palardy, who will pursue national records in his fifth year in 2010 before chasing a pro career. "For me, being consistent is going to give me these numbers."

X-Men head coach Gary Waterman said his defence played well, but the offence was the issue. He blamed himself as offensive co-ordinator.

"We didn’t execute the way we needed to," he said. "I don’t know how you are going to win a football game when you give three touchdowns to the opponent’s defence."

The X-Men fumbled three times in Saint Mary’s territory in a scoreless first quarter.

The fourth turnover, this one in the second quarter, finally cost the X-Men on the scoreboard. After Palardy’s punt pinned the X-Men at their own six, X-Men quarterback Steve Snyder threw right into Hicks’ breadbasket and he returned the gift four yards for a touchdown at 6:22 and a 7-0 lead.

Lightning struck a second time 3:17 later. Snyder threw straight to Hicks again and the 275-pound Florida native rumbled 18 yards for a second major.

Quinton Meaders added a third interception for SMU in the last minute of the half. The X-Men almost got away with their sixth miscue until they roughed Palardy on a punt, leading to his last-play 45-yard field goal and 17-0 lead at intermission.

Both teams were a train wreck on offence in the opening half with the X-Men awash in turnovers and the Huskies only recording five first downs, one on the ground.

Palardy hit his second field goal, a 25-yard attempt, at 1:41 of the fourth quarter to pad the lead.

The X-Men finally broke through on Snyder’s three-yard strike to Mark Metulynsky at 4:19.

Jeff Hecht ran a tipped pass back 52 yards for SMU’s third interception return for a touchdown for a 27-7 lead at 6:28. Salmon River’s Craig Leger had two short touchdown bursts in the final four minutes to end the scoring.

Notes: The X-Men played without all-star defensive lineman Dave Skillen, who injured a knee last week against Bishop’s. SMU was missing defensive lineman Dan Schutte and receiver Aaron Racioppa . . . Acadia (1-5) visits Mount Allison (0-6) this afternoon. Acadia clinches third with a win.