It was a cold night in Davenport, Iowa when the Saint Xavier Cougars came into town to play the Saint Ambrose Fighting Bees.
#24 ranked Saint Xavier entered the game fresh off of a 41-6 victory over Trinity International University.
Saint Ambrose entered the game coming off of a 0-52 loss to #3 ranked Marian University. The game kicked off at 6:00 with the Cougars getting the ball to kick things off.
After the Cougars marched all the way down to the Saint Ambrose redzone, SXU quarterback Justin Hunniford threw an interception to Saint Ambrose, ending a potentially successful drive.
Neither team did much of note besides the Fighting Bees coughing up the ball and SXU recovering it to end the quarter.
To start the second quarter, the Cougars kicked a 50 yard field goal to put SXU up 3-0. Saint Ambrose failed to respond to that field goal and were forced to punt the ball away.
The Cougars were able to block the punt and nearly returned the ball for a touchdown.
Two plays later, Justin Hunniford threw a seven yard touchdown pass to Nick Czeszewski to put the Cougars up 10-0.
Neither team were able to much of anything before Saint Xavier got the ball back halfway through the second quarter.
SXU were able to march down the field and eventually Justin Hunniford threw a five yard touchdown pass to Vance McShane to put SXU up 17-0.
Saint Ambrose immediately responded when Saint Ambrose quarterback Jake Romani threw a 29 yard touchdown pass to make it 17-7 in favor of the Cougars.
SXU got the ball back just before the end of the quarter and after a long drive, Justin Hunniford threw a 14 yard touchdown pass to Elliot Pipkin to put the Cougars up 24-7.
With that, the first half was over. The second half started with neither team getting much offense in.
With three minutes left in third quarter, Saint Ambrose running back Isaiah Hawkins ran for a 41 yard touchdown to make it 24-13 in favor of SXU. With that touchdown, the third quarter came to an end.
The fourth quarter started with Saint Ambrose quarterback Jake Romani throwing a nine yard touchdown pass to make it 24-20 in favor of SXU. After a failed Cougars drive, the Fighting Bees had a chance to take the lead.
However, Romani was sacked and fumbled the ball, leading to SXU defenseman Jaleel Holloway scooping the ball up and returning the ball for a touchdown to put SXU up 31-20.
After a failed Saint Ambrose drive, SXU got the ball back, marched down the field, and kicked a 40 yard field goal to put the Cougars up 34-20.
Saint Ambrose failed to respond on multiple drives and the clock hit zero, ending the game with the Cougars up 34-20.
Saint Ambrose fell to 4-3 on the year and now must rebound and prepare for their game next week against Robert Morris University.
Saint Xavier improved to 6-3 on the year and will face Saint Francis University (IL) next week at Deaton Field at 1:00.
Chris Leonchik
Sports Editor
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