Axemen squeeze past Huskies 16-13

(WOLFVILLE, N.S.) - Third-year running back Thomas Troop (Alliston, Ont.), named the Subway player of the game, rumbled for 170 net yards rushing on 24 carries to lead the Acadia Axemen to a 16-13 win over the winless Saint Mary's Huskies.

The Huskies, who drop to an 0-2 record, had a 13-10 lead heading into the fourth quarter but the strong leg of Ryan Begin (Orleans, Ont.) added two field goals of 15 years and 36 yards in the final frame to give the Axemen a narrow victory.

"An ugly football game, but I like to winning ugly as opposed to losing ugly," commented Acadia head coach Jeff Cummins. "We'll have to clean up our play. Fourteen penalties for 162 yards is far far too much," he added. "We didn't come out in the second half but the fourth quarter was better where we moved the ball and kicked some field goals."

The Axemen struck on their first possession in the opening five minutes of the game when Troop scored a two-yard run that capped a 56-yard drive.

Three minutes into the second quarter the Huskies got on the scoreboard when Acadia conceded the two points while deep in their end against the wind. Just under six minutes after the Saint Mary's safety, the Axemen stalled on a 49-yard drive and settled for a 13-yard field goal by Ryan Begin.

The Huskies added a single point on a Chase Kodejs (Bedford, N.S.) rouge in the closing minutes of the first half to make it 10-3 Acadia. A touchback on the opening kickoff of the second half along with a conceded safety by the Axemen four minutes into the third quarter closed the Acadia lead to 10-6.

A 14-yard touchdown pass reception by Mohamed Abdallah (Edmonton, Alta) culminated in a 75-yard drive that sparked life into the visiting Huskies, giving Saint Mary's their first and only lead of the game at 13-10.

The Axemen tied the game at 13 when Troop scampered for 44 yards on one play that eventually led to an early fourth quarter 15-yard field goal by Begin. Begin would finish the day 3-for-3 with his last and longest field goal of the day (36 yards) coming at 11:55 in the final frame to give Acadia the lead and eventual win.

While Troop posted the most yards rushing with 170 net yards on 24 carries, the Huskies' Abdallah grabbed a game-hight six receptions for 76 yards. Saint Mary's starting pivot Scott Borden (Halifax, N.S.) was 13-for-26 for 148 yards passing with one touchdown, while Acadia first-year quarterback Jon Shaw (Stittsville, N.S.) was 12-for-22 for 75 yards.

Brian Jones (Enfield, N.S.), who, last weekend, was one reception short of tying an Acadia most receptions in a game record, pulled in seven catches for 60 yards.

The final statistics were indicative of the score - close. The Huskies posted 239 net yards offense including 202 yards in the air, while the Axemen pulled together 219 yards in total of which 173 were on the ground after yards lost.

The Axemen improve to 1-1 and will face the 1-1 StFX X-Men next Saturday in Wolfville at 2 p.m.

The X-men lost their matchup against the reigning AUS champion Mount Allison Mounties 27-25 after leading for most of the game. The undefeated Mounties will host the Huskies in Sackville, N.B. next Saturday at 2 p.m.

Source: Acadia Sports Information