SACKVILLE, N.S. - The Mount Allison Mounties are headed back to the AUS playoffs for the first time since 2016 and the Acadia Axemen post a 8-0 undefeated season. Despite losing 33-31 to U SPORTS No. 5 ranked Acadia Axemen, the Mounties finished in 3rd place thanks to Saint Mary's loss to StFX on Saturday afternoon.
The scoring came early and often on a wild afternoon in Sackville. Much to the delight of the large Senior Day crowd it was the Mounties who struck first, when kicker James Parker connected from 32 yards out just 5 minutes into the game.
Acadia responded by picking up a safety 2 minutes later to run the score to 3-2. Less than a minute later Acadia picked up the game's first touchdown when former AUS MVP Dale Wright scored from 5 yards out to give the visitors a 9-3 lead.
The Mounties then drove 46 yards on 6 plays to put themselves back in scoring positing for Parker's 2nd touchdown of the day. This time he was good from 14 yards to make the score 9-6. Acadia picked up a single when Ben George's punt rolled through the back of the end zone shortly after. As the first quarter ended, Acadia found themselves with a 10-6 lead.
Two minutes into the 2nd quarter Acadia was threatening on the Mounties side of the field when Matt Watson picked off a Hunter Guenard pass and returned it 90 yards for a touchdown. As the Mounties crowd went nuts the Mounties took a 13-10 lead.
Just two minutes later the Mounties defense went back to work as Graeme Stevens picked Guenard's pass attempt and stormed 44 yards to the Acadia end zone. With Parker's converted point the Mounties lead grew to 20-10. Parker then sailed the ensuing kickoff through Acadia's end zone to run the lead to 21-10.
The score would stay that way for 8 minutes until Parker kicked his 3rd field goal of the day, this time from 27 yards to give the Mounties a 24-10 lead. Acadia would answer back before the half, using a 75 yard drive to score with only 12 seconds remaining in the first half.
The 2nd half started much more slowly that the first half did as neither team was able to add to the score until Acadia's Ben George kicked a 30 yard field goal to draw within 4 points of the lead at 24-20 late in the 3rd quarter. Acadia would retake the lead on the final play of the 3rd quarter when Christopher Cameron-Kogler ran back a 65 yard interception for a touchdown. The Mounties were able to block the extra point attempt, leaving the score at 26-24.
Acadia took their biggest lead of the day when Guenard hit Matthew Gledhill for a 40 yard score with 9 minutes left in the game.
The Mounties would make it close with a late touchdown to Josh Hicks. The Mounties would then get the ball back and drive far enough to give James Parker a 55 yard field goal attempt for the win. Parker's kick landed just one yard short as the game ended 33-31 for Acadia.
Mounties senior Josh Hicks had a monster day, pulling in 16 receptions for 287 yards and 1 touchdown.
Hunter Guenard was 22 of 31 for 289 yards and 2 touchdowns along with 2 interceptions. The Axemen's undefeated season is only the fourth time in Acadia football history that a team has gone undefeated. The first to do so was the 1974 Axemen followed by the 198 National Champion Axemen and in recent history the 1986 team went 7-0 before winning an AUAA championship.
Mount Allison will now travel to Bishop's for the Subway AUS Semi-final game on Saturday, November 2nd. Acadia will host the winner of the semi-final game at the Subway AUS Loney Bowl on Saturday, November 9th.