For the second time in as many weeks, the Cougars overcame an early 14-point deficit and managed to defeat MSFA Mid-West rival University of Saint Francis (Ill.) Saturday 30-28. The road win improves Saint Xavier’s overall record to 7-1 and 3-0 in conference play.
On a cold, dreary October afternoon, the Cougars weathered the Fighting Saints’ storm and did just enough to take sole possession of first place in the MSFA Mid-West.
Saint Xavier fell behind early after quarterback Alex Martinez threw his fourth interception of the season that resulted in a 50-yard pick-six. Soon thereafter, Saint Francis found the end zone in four plays on its next possession to go up 14-0.
Looking to answer, the Cougars drive stalled at its own 42 yard-line. Senior Joe Bailey managed to pin the Fighting Saints deep, as his 57-yard punt gave his defense 99-yards to defend.
With momentum completely on the side of the home team, Saint Xavier managed to flip the winds of change in their favor. Senior Josh Wallick punched the ball free from the Fighting Saints running back and sophomore Khristian Lett scooped it up to the Saint Francis two-yard line.
Following an Abdul Mahdi field goal to cut the deficit to 14-3, Saint Xavier’s defense stepped up again. This time, senior lineman Jesse Gonzalez forced the second fumble in two drives and junior Brenton Johnson ran it back 63-yards for a touchdown.
The Cougar defense shined throughout the remainder of the half, as the group would not allow another score. The defensive effort allowed the offense to chip away and ultimately grab a lead prior to the third quarter.
In four possessions before halftime, Martinez and Saint Xavier scored on three of them to grab a 27-14 lead. After Mahdi connected on his second field goal of the afternoon to cut the deficit to one, the Cougars quickly marched down the field in three plays for its first offensive touchdown.
With just under four minutes to play before halftime, Saint Xavier forced a three-and-out and gave the ball back to its offense with 1:31. Martinez completed two passes for 34 yards and Jamarri Watson capped the 62-yard scoring effort with a 12-yard rushing touchdown.
The Cougars quieted the Saint Francis crowd by dominating the second quarter, but the Fighting Saints refused to fall quietly.
Down 13 points, Saint Francis managed back-to-back lengthy offensive series that ended in touchdowns. The Cougar defense allowed a 12-play, 73-yard touchdown and a five-play, 65-yard touchdown in 8:17 worth of game time.
Suddenly, Saint Xavier was punched in the jaw and faced a 28-27 deficit. The Fighting Saints may have won the round outscoring the Cougars 14-0 in the third quarter, but head coach Mike Feminis’ group refused to lose the fight.
Martinez led a masterful drive to begin the fourth quarter. The sophomore signal caller took his team 76 yards in 19 plays, but were stalled at the Saint Francis three-yard-line. The result was a Mahdi go-ahead field goal that split the uprights.
Holding a slim two-point advantage, Saint Xavier looked to its defense to bring home a victory with ten minutes to play in regulation. The Fighting Saints drove inside the Cougar 30-yard line on two consecutive drives, but could not turn their possessions into points.
Saint Francis lined up for a 43-yard field goal and looked to take the lead with under five minutes to go. Freshman Kevin Block and sophomore Danny Saracco made the play of the ball game, as the duo managed to block the potential game-winning kick.
The Fighting Saints had one more shot to win, but the Saint Xavier defense forced an incomplete pass on fourth down. The Cougars grabbed possession and ran the clock out for the dramatic victory.
Once again, much of the credit goes to the defense. Overall, Saint Xavier forced three fumbles and two turnovers on downs while holding a talented Fighting Saints offense to 307 total yards.
Saracco, Joe Cosenza, and Dimitri Joe were tied for the team lead with nine total tackles, while Cosenza was credited with a half-of-a-sack. Martinez finished 26-of-47 passing for 291 yards and two interceptions.
Nick Czeszewski hauled in eight catches for 72 yards. Elliot Pipkin stood out for the third week in a row, as the freshman totaled 52 yards on six catches.
The Cougars return to Bruce R. Deaton Memorial field for their final regular season home game on Saturday November 4th against Olivet Nazarene University. The broadcast can be heard through WXAV 88.3 FM and wxav.com.
Mike Rankin
Sports Editor