X-Men win defensive battle over Acadia

ANTIGONISH, NS - In a heavyweight defensive battle Saturday afternoon in AUS football play at Oland Stadium, a last-second touchdown catch by fifth-year senior Randy Roseway (Ottawa, ON) proved to be the difference as the StFX X-Men (4-3) moved into second place with a 7-5 victory over the visiting Acadia Axemen (3-4).

The 12-yard Roseway reception from Tivon Cook (Scarborough, ON), which came with 13.5 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, capped an eight-play, 67-drive in the final minute-and-a-half of regulation time.

The game-winning catch - and ensuing Jonathan Heidebrecht (Camrose, AB) point-after - served as the only scoring of the second-half.

In the final regular season home game for X-Men senior players, fourth-year defensive back Hayden Peters (Inverary, ON) secured the win with an interception of a last-second Hail Mary pass from Axemen quarterback Cody Cluett (Cole Harbour, NS), who finished 20-for-33 for 239 yards and two interceptions.

After the Axemen defense penned in the X-Men offense early in the second quarter, StFX punter Jeremy Ford (Halifax, NS) conceded a safety, which gave the visitors a 2-0 advantage.

Acadia extended their lead to 5-0 on a late opening-half field goal from Jeffrey Beattie (Hamilton, ON) from 24 yards away. The boot culminated a seven-play, 40-yard drive.

The best march of the first 30 minutes for the StFX offence, which started from their own two-and-a-half yard line, ended with a missed field goal from 42 yards by Heidebrecht.

The lone turnover of the first half came when X-Men defensive back Justin Holland (Parksville, BC) intercepted Cluett.

Fifth-year senior tail back Ashton Dickson (Ottawa, ON) was the offensive star of the opening half, amassing 107 rushing yards on 17 carries.

In the third quarter, the Axemen tried to extend their lead, but Beattie missed a 21-yard field goal. The key play of the drive came on a 48-yard pass from Cluett to Eli Prochnau (Cochrane, AB), who led Acadia receivers with seven catches for 123 yards.

Still trailing 5-0 in the fourth quarter, the X-Men special teams gave their team a golden opportunity to break the goose egg, when Ben von Muehldorfer (Calgary, AB) blocked a Beattie punt, which Keon Hughes recovered in Axemen territory. The StFX offense stalled and a Jesse St. James sack - he collected 2.5 in the match-up - pushed the X-Men on the edge of field-goal range, with Heidebrecht coming up short on a 50-yard attempt.

The last-second heroics for Roseway - the Subway player of the game - served as the game-high eighth catch for the wide receiver, who collected 70 yards. Another fifth-year receiver Donald Tabor (Dartmouth, NS) had five catches (54 yards). Christian Ridley (Dubai, UAE) and Dickson notched four catches apiece for 48 and 14 yards, respectively.

Cook finished 23-for-32 for 204 yards.

Dickson finished the game with 20 carries for 125 yards, with his longest scamper covering 22 yards. 

On the ground, the X-Men outgained the Axemen 121-104 in net yards, with Derek Wodz leading the Axemen running attack with 43 yards on nine carries.  

Through the air for the Axemen, Sabastian Robinson (Saskatoon, SK) collected five catches for 46 yards, while Brian Jones (Enfield, NS) and Blake Rennick (Ottawa, ON) caught four balls each for 47 and 30 yards, respectively.

The Axemen had the advantage in net total offense - 348 to 286.

Defensively, Acadia player of the game Drew Morris (Ottawa, ON) finished with seven tackles and one tackle-for-loss, while Brandon Johnston (Orillia, ON), Harland Hastings (Calgary, AB) and St. James made 5.5 tackles apiece, while Hastings (0.5) and St. James (2.5) chipped in tackles-for-loss.

For the X-Men, Peters added a team-best seven tackles to his game-ending interception, while freshman linebacker Adam Kuntz (Camrose, AB) provided six tackles, 0.5 tackles-for-loss and half a sack. Kadel King (London, ON) contributed 5.5 tackles and one tackle for loss, while defensive lineman Kyle Forde (Toronto, ON) added 3.5 tackles, along with half a sack and half a tackle-for-loss. 

The StFX defense has not allowed a touchdown in the past three games, surrendering only five field goals over that span.

The Axemen return to action Saturday, Oct. 31, when they welcome the Saint Mary's Huskies to Wolfville.

On the same day, the X-Men will visit Sackville, NB, to face the Mount Allison Mounties in a battle for first place and the right to host the Loney Bowl - the AUS conference championship game Saturday, Nov. 14.

Both games are scheduled to kick-off at 2 p.m.

To secure first place, the X-Men must defeat the Mounties by at least 11 points.

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