(ANTIGONISH, N.S.) - The U SPORTS No. 4 ranked STFX X-Men turned in a dominant effort on Friday night, defeating the Saint Mary's Huskies 51-21 in front of just over 2000 fans at STFX Stadium to improve to 4-0 on the season.
Player of the game Zachary Houde (Thetford Mines, QC) had two touchdown receptions and X quarterback Silas Fagnan (Bonnyville, AB) was 14 for 25 for 206 passing yards in the victory.
STFX running back Malcom Bussey went 15-178 on the ground.
The game started off as a bit of a shootout, with the Huskies marching down the field on their first drive, with A'dre Simmonds (Cole Harbour, NS) capping it off with a one-yard rush for the major after a 14-play drive that took up half the quarter.
The X-Men responded on their next possession, with kicker Ben Hadley (Halifax, NS) finding the endzone on five-yard run after a faked field goal. He kicked his own extra point to draw the game even at 7-7.
The home team then forced a punt and maintained possession at the end of the quarter. The X-Men continued to take ground from the Huskies, and Fagnan gave his team the lead with a 30-yard pass to Houde for six points. Hadley hit the extra point and added a 25-yard field goal on the next STFX possession, making it 17 straight points for the X-Men.
The score remained that way until late in the second quarter, when defensive back Brandyn Martin (Melfort, SK) picked off a Saint Mary's pass and took it to the house with a 58-yard return.
STFX's Thomas Bentley (Dartmouth, NS) forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, with Dyton Blackett (Canning, NS) recovering. Devaughn Blackwood (Kanata, ON) hauled in a Fagnan pass on the ensuing possession, with Hadley again splitting the uprights, bringing the score to 31-7 at the end of the half.
STFX kept their scoring streak going in the third quarter, with Hadley adding another field goal on their first drive, this time from nine yards out.
The X-Men continued to pour it on, with Houde and Fagnan connecting for a 23-yard touchdown pass at the seven-minute marker, and Bentley picking off a Huskies pass for a 15-yard pick six return a few minutes later. Hadley kicked a 33-yard field goal to close out the third quarter, making it 50-7.
Saint Mary's got on the board again in the fourth quarter, with Zac Montgomery (Knightstown, IND) hitting Brycen Mayoh (Coquitlam, BC) for a 26-yard touchdown pass, and Nagler kicking the extra point with about three minutes gone. Montgomery found the endzone again with about six months gone, connecting on a 15-yard touchdown to Trydell Mintis (Halifax, NS).
He finished 12 for 19 on the night with 93 passing yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, Davontay Conrad-Deleon (Lower Sackville, NS) was the top Huskies tackler with eight in the game.
Jay Turnsek (North Bay, ON) had 4.5 tackles for the X-Men and Bentley recorded four.
With the win the X-Men remain undefeated atop the AUS conference with a 4-0 record. The Huskies drop to 1-3.
The X-Men are on the road next weekend, to take on Bishop's on September 29, while the Huskies wait until October 7 when they will host Bishop's.
Recap courtesy Matt Draper, STFX Athletics