The seniors of Saint Xavier football played their final college home game on Saturday in a 37-20 defeat of Trinity International University.
With the prospects of making the 2013 NAIA Football Championship Series seemingly razor-thin, the 14 seniors honored before the game got strong performances out of their less veteran teammates and competed at a high level themselves. The compelling display of football was no fluke for a group of seniors who led the Cougars to a 44-8 win-loss record in their careers (as of Saturday) and Saint Xavier’s first national championship in 2011.
Senior Joe Gill, playing in relief of injured redshirt freshman John Rhode, played one of the best games of his college career in the 37-20 victory. It only made sense that he would play with as much confidence as he has all year in his final game at Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field.
The Senior Day game went as planned for the Cougars, starting with Gill. He finished the game 26-of-44 passing with three touchdowns and an interception to lead the Cougars.
On the defensive side of the ball, head coach Mike Feminis said there will be at least three senior players for whom the Cougars will have difficulty finding replacements.
“With [seniors Jacob] Ghinazzi, [Dave] Marciano and [Zach] Dolph, those are three special guys that we’re going to have to replace,” said Feminis. “We’re going to need to do that if we’re going to get back to the level that we want to be at.”
Dolph, an outside linebacker, made sure to end his home college career on top. He led the team with 11 tackles and forced a fumble. Even more important to the team win was his two interceptions. He returned the first one for a touchdown in the first quarter, giving his team a 14-6 lead.
Dolph broke the school record for most tackles in a single game earlier this year. In a 12-6 win on Oct. 26 against William Penn University, Dolph recorded 23 tackles. The previous record had been 20. He also broke the school single-season record for tackles with 128 in 2012.
Marciano, another outside linebacker, added six tackles on Saturday. He broke the record for longest punt return in school history with an 81-yarder for a touchdown against the University of Saint Francis (Ill.) on Sept. 28.
Ghinazzi, a safety who is tied for first with two other players for most interceptions in his career with 15, did not add another pick but did force a turnover. He tallied 10 tackles and forced a fumble. He is tied for first in the category of most interceptions in a single season with six in 2011.
“He’s one of the toughest kids I’ve ever coached,” said Feminis of Ghinazzi. “And he’s not a kid that will go run a 4.5 [second] 40 [yard dash] for you. I just term him a football player. The guys love playing with him because of the energy he brings to the defense.”
Back on the offensive side of the ball, Nick Pesek scored in his final college game at home. He finished with 13 carries that went for 63 yards (4.8 YPC) and a touchdown.
Pesek holds a number of school records, including the top two single-season rushing yardage titles (1,048 yards in 2011 and 1,125 in 2012). Coming into this 2013 season, he already held the school record for most rushing yards in his career with 2,383 and he has added to it handily.
Senior kicker/punter Spencer Nolen handled all of the kicking duties this year. He missed a 48-yard attempt on Saturday but made a 27-yarder. He tied the single-game record for most field goals made with five in a win over the University of Saint Francis (Ill.) earlier this season, and he kicked two 50-yard field goals this year.
Senior defensive linemen Andrew Holden and Tim Beyer each had a half-sack against Trinity International. Beyer added another tackle for a loss of two yards on Saturday.
The team also bid adieu to defensive linemen J.D. Barchard, Josh Perkins and Anthony Rispoli, as well as offensive linemen Tim Ladd, Mac Stevenson and Brian Studnicka.
The seniors will look for one last win in next Saturday’s 1:30 p.m. game at Olivet Nazarene University.
Tim Caroll
Senior Sports Editor