Axemen defeat X-Men 34-15 in AUS football action
On the strength of a 21-point first quarter, the Acadia Axemen cruised to a 34-15 win over the StFX X-Men Saturday afternoon in AUS football action. More than 400 fans attended the final game of the 2011 regular season at Oland Stadium in Antigonish, NS.
The Axemen opened the scoring on their first offensive possession when wide receiver AJ Durling (3-100-1) took a flanker screen pass from Kyle Graves for a 65-yard touchdown. With the Thomas Blight conversion, the visiting Axemen led 7-0.
Later in the quarter, Graves (14-23-309-3) connected with Taylor Renaud (6-123-2) on a 28-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 14-0. On the last play of the first quarter, Graves and Renaud connected for the second time, completing a 29-yard touchdown pass and catch. After a Jeremy Ford rouge for the X-Men, Blight gave the Axemen a 24-1 advantage with a 35-yard field goal.
The X-Men trimmed the Axemen lead to 21-8 late in the second quarter on a spectacular nine-yard touchdown run by receiver and back-up quarterback Andrew Hickey. He took the snap from center, bounced off several Axemen tacklers before plunging into the end zone with 1:33 remaining.
Midway through the third quarter, Acadia extended their lead to 27-8, with Blight connecting on a 38-yard field goal. That score came on a drive keyed by a third down fake punt call. Graves, who also serves as the Axemen punter, gained the first down yardage on a pass to running back Holden Morales.
In the fourth quarter, Morales rumbled 39 yards for a touchdown, extending the Axemen lead to 34-8. The X-men wrapped up the scoring on a six-yard TD run by Hickey. He helped set up the major score with another 17-yard run.
For the X-Men, quarterback Cory Wensley was 12-for-18 for 116 yards, along with 77 yards on seven carries. Senior running back Aloysius Williams had 39 yards on six carries. Devon Bailey was the top receiver for X with three catches for 55 yards.
With the win, Acadia (7-1) finished the regular season in first place, while the X-Men (2-6) placed third.
The X-Men return to action Saturday, Nov. 5 when they face the Saint Mary’s Huskies (6-2) in the AUS semifinal. Game time is 1 p.m. at Huskies Stadium in Halifax, NS. Acadia will host the winner in the Subway Loney Bowl Saturday, Nov. 12 in Wolfville.
