Stuart Ross in play against Judson University SXU Athletics
Saint Xavier faced off against Olivet Nazarene University this past Saturday the 4, defeating the Tigers 38-21 to improve their track record to 6-3 overall and 4-0 in conference.
On top of the big win, the Cougars hosted ‘Senior Day’ to honor the team’s 23 seniors for their hard work and dedication to the program.Mia Cox and Madeline Kozy, two seniors from the SXU Dance Team, were also honored before their half-time performance.
Three seniors had standout performances that helped lead the Cougars to victory.
Quarterback Stuart Ross completed 16 passes on 27 attempts for 228 yards, two touchdown passes, and one interception.
Running back Amari Venerable had a huge impact on the game, rushing for 156 yards on 24 carries, an average of 6.5 yards per carry, as well as two touchdowns.
Senior defensive lineman Ayobami Arokoyo had seven tackles: four solo, 2.5 tackles for losses, and one sack for a loss of 12 yards.
The key difference between the two offenses in this game was the run game. Saint Xavier finished with 196 rushing yards whereas Olivet Nazarene tallied up a measly 49.
Olivet Nazarene opened the game on offense but did not make much of their first possession which totaled just 11 yards from four plays and under two minutes of possession.
Saint Xavier started their offensive performance drastically differently.
The Cougars’ five minute drive led to the first score of the game when Ross completed a five yard pass to graduate student wide receiver Justin Pringle. Senior kicker Peyton Benes followed up the touchdown with an extra point attempt to give SXU an early 7-0 lead.
ONU did not have good control of the ball in the first quarter. Their second stint on offense was just a one minute possession of three plays for a loss of five yards.
Unlike Olivet, SXU’s second possession led to another touchdown, this time a 19-yard run by Venerable. Benes’ kick was good again, leaving the Cougars with a 14-0 lead.
All the momentum the Cougars held after the first quarter seemed to disappear, and the game saw a complete change of pace. The Tigers found their footing and scored two touchdowns and extra points to tie the game at 14.
Saint Xavier got the ball back at midfield with 14 seconds left in the quarter, hoping for a miracle to regain the lead.
A 16 yard pass and a 12 yard rush got the Cougars to the ONU 22 with four seconds to go, so rather than attempting to score a touchdown as time expired, the Cougars elected for a field goal attempt. As the clock ran out, Benes nailed a 39 yard field goal to give SXU a 17-14 lead going into the half.
Going into the third quarter, the Cougars needed to get back to their first quarter gameplan of getting the Tigers off the field quickly and having quality ball possession time.
Saint Xavier got the ball to begin the third quarter and immediately got to work, just as they did in the first quarter.
A nine-play drive for 57 yards of offense led to another Cougar touchdown and Benes extra point, extending the SXU lead to 24-14. The third score of the day for the Cougars was another Venerable rushing touchdown, this one two yards.
Saint Xavier was not done scoring in the third after the Venerable run. Their next possession, just eight seconds long, resulted in a 44-yard touchdown pass from Ross to Pringle. Another good Benes kick gave the Cougars a 31-14 lead.
ONU responded in their next possession though, closing the gap to make it a two possession game.
The fourth quarter saw no scoring until under the eight minute mark, when senior defensive back Tyler Barnette picked off the Tigers’ quarterback and returned it for a 27 yard touchdown.
Following the Benes kick attempt, Saint Xavier had a 38-21 lead, with neither team scoring throughout the rest of the game.
Saint Xavier has one regular season game left this Saturday, Nov. 11 against Roosevelt University in Arlington Heights. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.