Axemen fall to Mounties to open 2024 season

SACKVILLE, N.B. - The Acadia Axemen headed to Alumni Field on Saturday for their first regular season action of the year against the Mount Allison Mounties football team.

Mount Allison would take the early lead thanks to a Graeme Maither rouge point and would tack on a 33-yard field goal from Beynon McKeen to lead 4-0 with 7 minutes left in the first quarter. With under a minute to play, the Axemen would get on the board with a 2-yard touchdown round capping off a 12-play, 75-yard drive to give the visitors a 7-4 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

Both teams traded scoreless possessions throughout the second quarter, but the home Mounties mounted a 13-play, 69-yard drive that ended with a 25-yard field goal from Beynon McKeen as time expired in the first half, as the teams went back to the locker rooms deadlocked at 7. 

After a scoreless third, the Axemen would regain the lead early in the fourth off a 1-yard run from Reiven Salen to take a 14-7 lead. Kirk-Jean Baptiste caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from CJ Valenti with 7:51 remaining to bring the game back to even. With under a minute to play, a missed field goal granted the Mounties a single and a 15-14 lead which they would hold onto to get to 1-0 on the season. 

Mount Allison (1-0) now enter their bye week and will be back on the field September 7 at Alumni Field in Sackville to take on the Saint Mary's Huskies. Kick-off is set for 2 p.m. Acadia (0-1) return home to Wolfville to take on the Saint Mary's Huskies on August 31, with kick-off set for 2 p.m.