Swain hits 43-yard field goal in walk-off win over X-Men
Antigonish, NS – The Acadia Axemen picked up their first win of the AUS football season with a 24-22 win over the STFX X-Men, thanks to a last second field goal from Nick Swain (Moncton, NB) on a blustery, wet Saturday afternoon at STFX Stadium.
Swain's game winning kick came just over a minute after STFX's kicker Ben Hadley (Halifax, NS) booted a 46-yarder to give the X-Men a late 22-21 lead.
Acadia's record now stands at a 1-2 while the three-time conference champion X-Men find themselves in unfamiliar territory, falling to 0-2 early in the AUS season.
Both teams had some penalty troubles, with the X-Men losing 151 yards, while Acadia lost 84.
On offense, STFX quarterback Silas Fagnan (Bonnyville, AB) went 15-22 through the air, including a touchdown, and picked up another 81 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Zachary Houde (Thetford Mines, QC) had three receptions for 70 yards and a score. Hadley, the STFX Gabriel Pizza Player of the Game went two for two on field goals, while Max Capriotti (Mount Hope, ON) had eight punts for 324 yards.
On Defense, Zechariah Willems (Tony, ON) picked up six tackles, while James McGill (Powassan, ON) had 5.5.
For Acadia, quarterback Riley Naujoks (Winnipeg, MB) went 19-28 through the air for 180 yards and a touchdown. Running back Maximus Ramirez (Fort McMurray, AB) had 21 carries for 95 yards.
Acadia player of the game Swain went 3-3 on field goals, with Riley Comeau (Centreville, NS) having 9.5 tackles, and Graham Nightingale (Ottawa, ON) picking up nine.
The teams traded punts after their first possessions, with Capriotti's kick pinning the Axemen inside their 10-yard line. STFX snagged the ensuing Acadia punt inside the Axemen zone, gaining excellent field position. After a pair of successful passes, Fagnan found the endzone with a one-yard run about halfway through the opening quarter for the first score of the game.
Acadia tried to tie it up before the end of the quarter and kept their drive going with a late 3rd and short run. After a STFX penalty, Najouks hit Luke McMIllan (Winnipeg, MB) with a 21-yard strike to even the score with 16 seconds left in the stanza. Acadia's Swain tacked on a rouge in the following kickoff, taking the lead 8-7.
The teams again traded punts early in the second quarter, but STFX was able to start their drive on Acadians 32-yard-line. The X-Men went for it on 3rd and short, but Acadia stopped them clean and took over on their own 41.
The teams again exchanged possession, and STFX started a late drive in the Acadia half of the field. A Fogarty run brought the X-Men into the redzone, but Acadia held them to a 32-yard field goal from Hadley, giving the home team a 10-8 lead with under two minutes to go.
Acadia tried to reply but the X defense forced another punt, and teams went into halftime with STFX still up 10-8.
STFX received to start the second half, but a penalty meant they started their drive at the six-yard line. Acadia forced a punt, and Swain was able to nail a 32-yard field goal to give the visitors an 11-10 lead with just under 12 minutes to go in the quarter.
The X-Men replied on their next possession, with Fagnan hitting Houde with a 49-yard pass for the major. Fagnan again connected with Houde for two extra points, giving the home team a seven-point lead, 18-11.
Acadia gained solid yards on their next drive but settled for a 37-yard field goal from Swain, making it a four-point game with two minutes to go in the third.
The X-Men added to their lead with a rouge off a Capriotti punt two minutes into final quarter, but Acadia responded on their next possession, with Reiven Salen (Toronto, ON) punching one home off a third and short on the one-yard line. Swain kicked the point after, making it 21-19 for the visitors halfway through the fourth.
STFX got possession with just over three minutes left, and Fagnan led them down the field with a couple of big runs. With just over a minute left to play, Hadley came on to the field with just over a minute left to play and drilled a 46-yard field goal to make it 22-21 for the home team.
With two seconds left, Swain nailed the 43-yard field goal, clutching the win for the visitors.
The X-Men return to action at STFX Stadium on Saturday, September 14th when they host Mount Allison in a 2:00 pm kickoff. The Axemen hit the road to Sherbrooke, QC next Saturday to take on Bishop's.