X-Men pick up first win of the season

Antigonish, NS – The STFX X-Men football team picked up their first win of the season with a dominant 34-7 victory over the visiting Mount Allison Mounties on Saturday afternoon at STFX Stadium. The win brings the X-Men record to 1-2, the same as the Mounties at this point in the Atlantic University Sport season.

STFX Gabriel Pizza Player of the Game was Ben Hadley (Halifax, NS), who went 4-4 on field goals, including one from 55-yards out, a record for the X-Men and the second longest field goal in AUS history.

STFX quarterback Silas Fagnan (Bonnyville, AB) went 25-41 for 270 yards through the air with a running and a passing touchdown, while running back Caleb Fogarty had 101 yards on the ground and a touchdown. Zachary Houde made 9 receptions for 107 yards.

On Defense, Owen Watrych (Yorkton, SK) and Hunter Mousseau (Sault St. Marie, ON) each had 5.5 tackles, with Mousseau adding a sack. 

For Mount Allison quarterback CJ Valenti (Montreal, QC) went 18-31 for 194 yards, with a touchdown. Mountie player of the game Nolan Cheeseman (Upper Tantallon, NS) caught 9 passes for 123 yards, while Reid MacKay (New Maryland, NB) had eight tackles, and Ben Michel (Weyburn, SK) chipped in with 7.5.

The Mounties got the ball to start, but STFX forced a three and out. Harrington came up big with the return, galloping for 63 yards to the Mounties 18-yard-line before getting brought down. Fagnan finished off the drive with a 17-yard scamper for the major, with Hadley securing the extra point for a 7-0 lead in the first 90 seconds.

The STFX defense again stopped the Mounties offence on their next drive, and STFX started with the ball near midfield. Fagnan completed four straight passes for STFX, before a penalty made it first-and-20 on the Mount A 24-yard-line. The Mounties defense held tight, and STFX settled for a Hadley 34-yard field goal.

The teams traded punts on their next possessions, but X managed a rouge off Capriotti's boot, making it 11-0 with four minutes left in the quarter. The Mounties threatened late in the quarter, and Valenti hit Kirk Jean-Baptiste (Ottawa, ON) in the endzone for a 17-yard strike in the endzone, with Benyon McKeen's (Britianna Beach, BC) extra point cutting the lead to four points.

The teams went back and forth for most of the second quarter, but the score remained 11-7 until Hadley drilled his 55-yard field goal with 3:33 left in the stanza.

STFX took over again late in the half and marched deep into the Mount Allison end before Hadley connected on an 18-yard field goal, making the score 17-7 at halftime in favour of the White and Blue. 

Mount Allison's Curtis Squires (Quispamsis, NB) produced a one-handed pick about two minutes into the half, giving the Mounties possession near the 55, but the STFX defense forced a punt on the drive. A few possessions later, a roughing the passer call on Mount A gave the X-Men the ball on their opponents 40-yard-line. Hadley again came up big with a 37-yard field goal to make the score 20-7.

The Mounties threatened on their next possession, but James McGill (Powassan, ON) made a pick in the redzone, giving STFX the ball back. Fogarty kicked off the ensuing drive with a 28-yard run, and the teams switched ends with STFX in possession on the Mount Allison 10. Fagnan found an open Tyler Ivany (Moncton, NB) in the endzone with a 10-yard pass, and Hadley's extra point made it a 20-point game on the first play of the final quarter.

STFX added to the score late in the game, with Fogarty running one in from the one-yard line. Hadley's extra point made it 34-7.

Prior to the game, STFX recognized its Sports Hall of Fame inductees for 2024, who were honored during a ceremony Saturday evening.

STFX will next see action on Friday night, September 20^th when they travel to Halifax for a 7:00 p.m. game against Saint Mary's. Mount Allison will host Bishop's on Saturday, September 21^st at 3:00 p.m.

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Recap courtesy Matt Draper, STFX Athletics