X-Men fall to Huskies in close semifinal game

ANTIGONISH, NS - The Saint Mary's Huskies are headed to the Atlantic University Sport football championship game after a 21-17 semifinal victory over the STFX X-Men on Saturday afternoon at STFX Stadium.

Saint Mary's receiver Brycen Mayoh (Port Coquitlam, BC) was named player of the game for the Huskies, after catching the game winning touchdown, with STFX quarterback Silas Fagnan (Bonnyville, AB) getting player of the game honors for the home team. 

SMU quarterback Allan Young (Halifax, NS) went 20-29 through the air with a pair of passing touchdowns and one on the ground, while running back Reece Wyke (Winnipeg, MB) racked up rushing 74 yards. Mayoh caught 5 passes for 92 yards and a touchdown. 

On the other side of the ball, Max Van Nieuwkoo (Burlington, ON) had eight solo tackles and Zachary Chiarotto (Winnipeg, MB) had six for the SMU defense.

For STFX, Fagnan went 25-36 for 376 yards and two touchdowns, while Zach Houde (Thetford Mines, QC) made eight catches for 133 receiving yards.

On the X defense, Logan Ritchie (Winnipeg, MB) made six solo tackles and 7.5 total, while Owen Watrych (Yorkton, SK) had 6.5 tackles including four solos.

The Huskies struck first in the game, finding the endzone on their first possession, with Young punching one in from the one-yard line for the major at the 8:53 mark.

The X-Men replied on their next possession, with Ben Hadley (Halifax, NS) splitting the uprights from 17-yards out to make the game 7-3 with just over three minutes to play in the opening quarter. 

The STFX defense forced a three-and-out when the Huskies got the ball back, but Saint Mary's returned the favor with Isiah Okoli (Surrey, BC) recovering a fumble with excellent field position. The STFX defense held tight though, and the score remained 7-3 into the second quarter.

Joshua Jack (Brampton, ON) snagged an 11-yard pass from Young for a Saint Mary's touchdown with just over three minutes to go in the half, but Houde replied on the next STFX possession, hauling in a 37-yard pass from Fagnan to make it 14-10 with under three minutes to go. 

The home side wasn't done though, and Fagnan found an open Caleb Fogarty (Moncton, NB) for a 29-yard touchdown pass and catch with 26 seconds to go in the quarter, making the score 17-14 at halftime in favor of the X-Men. 

Neither team was able to put up any points in the third quarter, but the Huskies retook the lead on the first play of the final quarter, as Young hit Mayoh with a 27-yard touchdown pass to make the score 21-17.

The X-Men worked to put points on the board but the Huskies defense was up to the task and wore out the clock in the final minutes to seal the win and punch their ticket to the AUS Loney Bowl championship.

The Huskies will travel to Sherbrooke, Que. next Saturday, November 9^th to take on the Bishop's Gaiters for the AUS banner. The Gaiters defeated Acadia 59-0 in the other AUS semifinal game played this afternoon.

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Recap courtesy Matt Draper, STFX Athletics