Gridiron X-Men finish season on winning note

StFX 31, Mount Allison 18

The X-Men football team broke their two-game losing skid as they defeated the visiting Mount Allison Mounties 31-18 in the final AUS regular season game for the two teams. The game was the first one played under the lights at StFX Oland Stadium in front of over 1600 fans.

Two StFX touchdowns early in the third quarter were the difference in the game as the X-Men were able to hold onto the lead for the remainder of the second half en route to their sixth win of the season.

Mounties wide receiver Gary Ross finished off his stellar four-year playing career by breaking two AUS records. With 11 receptions for 156 yards in the game, he surpassed Acadia’s Grant Davy as the AUS all-time career leader in both receptions (172) and receiving yards (2582).

Setting a record for StFX was running back James Green who, with his 109 yards in the win over Mount A, established himself as StFX’s all-time career leading rusher with 2304 yards over the past 5 years. He surpassed the previous career record of 2241 yards set by Marvin McCooty in 2006.

Green led all rushers in the game with his 109 yards on 17 carries and scored a touchdown for the X-Men, who found themselves down by an 8-0 score early in the second quarter. 

After a late first quarter rouge, Mounties defensive back Matt Kenny intercepted a Steve Snyder pass and the Mounties were able to drive back up field for a touchdown. Mount Allison quarterback Jake Hotchkiss hit Adam Molnar for a 26 yarder that set up a quirky TD play. The ball was deflected into the hands of Molnar on the ensuing play, who brought it across the line for the Mounties first major of the game.

The X-Men didn’t take long to cut into the lead however, as on the next drive they pulled to within a point as Steve Snyder snuck across the one yard line for a touchdown. On the drive Snyder found X-Men receiver Akeem Foster for a 45 yard pay, followed by five consecutive rush plays by James Green who ran it to the Mounties one yard line.

Anthony Alix booted a 22 yard field goal with just over five minutes left in the second quarter to give the X-Men their first lead of the game at 10-8. The X-Men had gained field advantage after rookie lineman Tom Nairbaitz picked off a Hotchkiss pass and returned it for 25 yards.

Once again, the lead was short-lived as Olivier Eddie kicked a 31 yard field goal with just over a minute left in the first half to give the Mounties an 11-10 half-time lead.

The third quarter would be the deal-breaker in the game for the Mounties as James Green and Sean Atkins each scored rushing touchdowns within the first six minutes of the quarter, establishing a 24-11 StFX lead.

Nick Riva had an interception for StFX on the Mounties opening third quarter drive, and Snyder hit Peter Giannikopoulos with a 20 yard pass to set up James Green’s 16 yard touchdown.

Atkins’ punched in his 2 yard touchdown after X-Men wide receiver Akeem Foster carried the ball down field on a 63 yard play off a Snyder pass.

Mount Allison continued the fight, however, and Adam Molnar scored his second touchdown of the game on the Mounties ensuing drive. Hotchkiss moved the ball quickly down field with consecutive first down passes to Ben Stehr and Jared Collett for 24 and 37 yards respectively. Molnar caught a 4 yard pass to complete the play, putting the Mounties to within a touchdown at 24-18 going into the fourth quarter.

X-Men second and third string quarterbacks Cory Wensley and Jeremy Joseph Mraovic saw action in the final quarter and Mraovic scored the only points of the quarter with a 1 yard touchdown run.

Steve Snyder was 14 for 18 in the game with 207 passing yards for StFX, while Hotchkiss threw 308 yards at 22 for 43 for Mount A. 

With the 31-18 win, the X-Men close out the AUS regular season with a 6-2 record in second place overall, while the Mounties finished at 0-8 in fourth spot. The X-Men will host the Acadia Axemen (2-6) on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 1:00 pm at StFX Oland Stadium in the AUS semi-final game, with the winner advancing to meet the first place Saint Mary’s Huskies (7-1) on Nov. 14 for the AUS Loney Bowl championship.