SXU Athletics
Nearly Perfect
Almost all of the starting offense was off the field after halftime Saturday.
That is because the Saint Xavier football team got off to a 31-3 lead over the Trinity International Trojans through 30 minutes.
The Cougars went on to take the game by a final score of 45-23.
In his limited play, sophomore quarterback John Rhode was 12-of-20 for 126 yards and three touchdowns, all despite dealing with a nasty wind in Deerfield, Illinois.
Sophomore receiver Stephen Simms was the leading beneficiary of Rhode’s efficiency, but Rhode was an equal opportunity passer just the same.
Simms caught six balls for 83 yards and a touchdown junior Randall Wells made three catches for 27 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
After halftime, redshirt freshman Mark Strbjak took the reins at quarterback. He only had five pass attempts, but one was a 62-yarder to junior receiver Austin Feeney for a score.
Senior running back Khary Ferguson punctuated the Saint Xavier scoring with a third-quarter plunge from two yards out. He picked up 18 yards on six carries.
Freshman Mike Ivlow continued to get the bulk of the carries out of the backfield. He handled the ball nine times and gained 56 yards. All of those carries came in the first half of play.
But the scoring did not come just from the offense.
Late in the first quarter, senior receiver and returner Nick DeBenedetti fielded a 36-yard punt and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown to make the score 17-0.
It was not DeBenedetti’s only good return of the day. He had two punt returns for a total of 101 yards and three kickoff returns for 109 yards. Coupled with his 16 receiving yards, DeBenedetti led the squad with 251 all-purpose yards.
Saint Xavier’s defense did not disappoint, especially when the starters were on the field.
Senior Danny Lombardo picked off a pass in the third quarter and took the ball back 29 yards to the two-yard line, which set up Ferguson’s rushing score.
Rhode’s counterpart, TIU junior Stephen Anderson, could not deal with the wind quite as well. He completed 11 passes on 21 attempts for 135 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Anderson’s difficulties were largely the result of Cougar defenders being in the backfield seemingly as the ball was being snapped.
Saint Xavier defenders combined for nine tackles for a loss. Senior interior lineman Tom Hitz led the way with three, while sophomore defensive end Alex Hamilton was not far behind with two.
A Little Room for Improvement
The Cougars gave up their fair share of yards on the ground. Anderson had 91 yards on 14 carries and junior running back Chris Elliot finished with 134 yards on the ground.
The Trojans had their most success when Anderson and Elliot were running the zone read.
Saint Xavier defensively has given up yards and often scores to mobile quarterbacks who can run the option. Derek Fulton of Grand View torched the Cougars for a 78-yard score and finished the game with 118 yards and three touchdowns.
They gave up 39 yards and a score to Brandon Beitzel of Marian, 158 yards to Trace Wanless of the University of Saint Francis (Illinois) and 49 yards to Wesley Hunsucker (negated by 43 yards lost on sacks).
The Cougars gave up 46 points to William Penn University largely because of the threat of WPU running the option.
As the playoffs approach and the Cougars intend to make a run, they will have to tighten up against mobile quarterbacks.
One More to Go
Saint Xavier has one more game before entering the NAIA playoffs, a home contest against Olivet Nazarene University.
The Tigers come into the game with a 2-8 record. They are giving up 26.2 points per game and scoring just 15.
The Olivet Nazarene game will be a 1 p.m. start Saturday at Deaton Memorial Field. The game will be broadcast on the radio over WXAV 88.3 FM Chicago.
Tim Carroll
Senior Sports Editor