X-Men score 24-17 Homecoming win over Mounties
The StFX X-Men earned their first win of the regular season Saturday afternoon, defeating the visiting Mount Allison Mounties 24-17 in AUS football action. More than 3,000 fans cheered the X-Men to victory on Homecoming Weekend at Oland Stadium in Antigonish, NS.
Freshman running back Ashton Dickson scored a three-yard touchdown with 1:17 remaining in regulation to give the blue and white the margin of victory.
The X-Men opened the scoring early in the first quarter on kicker Anthony Alix’s rouge. Trailing 1-0, the Mounties scored the first touchdown of the contest on a one-yard run by Emmanuel Musanga. With the conversion, Mount Allison led 7-1.
The X-Men regained the lead in the second quarter on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Jahmari Bennett to receiver Andrew Hickey at 10:05. With the Alix point after, the X-Men led 9-7.
After an interception by freshman linebacker Ron Omara, the X-Men stretched their lead to 10-7 on a rouge by Alix off a missed field goal. Omara, the player of the game, also had seven solo tackles to lead the defensive charge. Kyle Grant had two interceptions, while linebacker Brett Hubbeard chipped in 8.5 tackles.
Late in the second quarter, the Mounties regained the lead (14-10) on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Jake Hotchkiss to Ben Stehr. With three seconds remaining in the first half, Alix kicked a 50-yard field goal, slicing the Mounties’ lead to 14-13 at the break.
After a fumble by X-Men receiver Jordan Catterall at his own six-yard line, the Mounties could only muster a 22-yard Alex Curtis field goal, extending their advantage to 17-13 – the only scoring in the third quarter.
The first key play of the fourth quarter came on a 61-yard interception return deep into the Mounties’ zone by X-Men defensive back Charlton Elliott.
Nevertheless, the X-Men could not turn the fumble into points after a fumble on a carry by Dickson.
In a see-saw, turnover filled game, the X-Men cut the lead to 17-15 after the Mounties conceded a safety at 7:18 when they could not advance the ball from deep in their own territory. After a long return by Damone Williams on the ensuing kick-off, the X-Men started their next drive from the Mounties’ 12-yard line. Back-to-back runs by Dickson, who amassed 64 yards on 13 carries, provided the X-Men with a first and goal. But, on the second of two more consecutive runs by Dickson, he fumbled and the Mounties recovered.
Again, the X-Men stymied the Mounties offense, with the visitors conceding another safety, dead-locking the game 17-17 with just more than three minutes remaining in regulation time. With 1:52 remaining, Hotchkiss avoided a sack and safety before airing one out that was intercepted by X-Men defensive back Kyle Grant. From deep in the Mounties’ zone, the X-Men scored their final margin of victory on the Dickson touchdown.
Bennett completed 19–for-31 for 238 yards with an interception for the X-Men. His top receiver was Michael Hopper with four catches for 91 yards.
Hotchkiss was 12–for-31 with 166 yards and four interceptions. Stehr had five catches for 101 yards.
The X-Men (1-3) visit the Saint Mary’s Huskies in Halifax, NS, on Friday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m., while the Mounties (0-4) host the Acadia Axemen in Sackville, NB, beginning at 2 p.m.
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