The Saint Xavier Cougar football team dropped to 3-3 this season (0-1 in the Midwest League) as the team fell on Saturday for the second consecutive week by a lopsided score.
Coming off a disappointing 48-21 homecoming loss to Grand View University, the team traveled to Fort Wayne, Ind., and came up short in a 45-20 loss at the hands of the No. 4-ranked Cougars of the University of Saint Francis (Ind.).
Saint Xavier failed to ruin Saint Francis’ homecoming as Grand View had done to them just a week earlier. Prior to the game, SXU had fallen to No. 10 in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) coaches’ poll. The loss means that Saint Xavier’s ranking will further plummet when this week’s poll is released.
The problem in the Grand View game had been the six turnovers committed. Redshirt freshman quarterback John Rhode threw five interceptions, and senior tailback Nick Pesek put the ball on the ground in the first quarter.
“To beat a really good team, those [turnovers] have got to be at a minimum,” said head coach Mike Feminis. “Certainly when you have five or six, that’s not a recipe for success.”
The Cougars of Saint Xavier did not commit any turnovers this week, but they were still playing shorthanded. Rhode injured his throwing shoulder during the Grand View game and was unable to play against Saint Francis. He will likely be out two or three more weeks, according to Feminis.
Freshman Robyn Pondexter, more of a running threat than a passer, was in at quarterback for the first play from scrimmage on Saturday. Senior Joe Gill was expected to attempt most of the passes, however.
Gill finished the game 21-of-38 for 156 yards and a touchdown. Pondexter was one-for-two with three yards through the air, but he also added 63 yards on the ground over six carries. The team needed Pondexter to run well because of another injury to a key offensive player.
Pesek went down with an ankle injury in the first quarter of the Grand View game and was on the sideline in the second half in a walking boot.
Feminis said before the Saint Francis game there was a possibility that Pesek could dress and play in an emergency situation. He did not dress, but it was encouraging to see that he was not in a walking boot Saturday.
Sophomore Joshua Hunter and junior Khary Ferguson were expected to take most of the handoffs out of the backfield, but the duo combined for just 60 yards on 17 carries. Theough Hunter scored twice, receiver/all-purpose player Stephen Simms proved more effective.
Simms, a freshman who Feminis likened to the Energizer Bunny, earned 119 rushing yards on eight carries. Many of his carries came on reverses and end-arounds from the slot receiver position. He added five catches for 39 yards.
The Saint Xavier defense also felt the absence of some starters. The most controversial player loss of the week was that of strong safety Jacob Ghinazzi. The senior was flagged during the first quarter of the Grand View game for targeting the helmet of a defenseless player.
He was ejected from the game, and that ejection made him ineligible for the Saint Francis game as well. Feminis did not like the ruling, especially after trying to appeal the suspension.
“I think it’s absolutely ridiculous because Jake had no intention of hurting that kid,” said Feminis. “He’s the epitome of what an NAIA champion of character is supposed to be. He’s a two-year captain. He’s everything you’d want of a football player and student-athlete.”
The Saint Xavier team could not blame the loss wholly on the absence of starters, though. Saint Francis was also playing undermanned.
The Indiana Cougars lost their starting tailback, Antoin Campbell, for the season with a knee injury. They also had to make a mid-game change at quarterback due to the ineffectiveness of starter Josh Miller, who came into the game with lingering ankle issues and an injured jaw.
David Yoder came in at quarterback toward the end of the first half and played well against an injury-depleted Saint Xavier secondary. Saint Xavier was already playing without two of the top four defensive prior to the Ghinazzi suspension.
Yoder helped Saint Francis to a 10-7 halftime lead, then came out firing in the second half. He finished the game 15-of-23 for 262 yards and two touchdowns, including a 75-yard strike at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
The Cougars of Chicago should have a less challenging test this weekend when they travel to Forest City, Iowa, to take on the Viking Warriors of Waldorf College.
Waldorf lost to William Penn 65-0 last week, but that does not mean that they are to be taken lightly. With a 1-5 record, they will be looking for someone to beat up on.
If the Cougars are to beat Waldorf, they will need to focus on not turning the ball over and limiting big plays. They have been unable to achieve both of those objectives simultaneously in either of the last two games.
Waldorf should provide the opportunity the Cougars need to practice combining those two goals and get back on track.
Tim Carroll
Senior Sports Editor
About Post Author
