Mounties Defeat X-Men in Preseason Action
(SACKVILLE, NB) The Mount Allison Mounties football team returned to Alumni Field for the first time in 2024 to welcome the St. Francis Xavier X-Men to Sackville for preseason action.
It was a defensive and kicking battle between both teams as the Mounties would lead 4-0 at the end of the first quarter after a missed field goal 5 minutes into the game, and then a converted field goal from 16 yards out at 7:45 left in the first.
Another single gave the Mounties a 5-0 lead with 7:44 to go in the second quarter, but a big play downfield to Ayres Perry set the X-Men up in scoring position, and a 43-yard field goal from Ben Hadley brought the visitors to within 2 points with just under 6 minutes to play in the quarter. After trading possessions, the X-Men would take the lead on the final play of the half with a 29-yard field goal and went to the locker room ahead by a score of 6-5.
Strong kicking from StFX continued in the second half as Hadley would hit from 36 yards away to extend the X-Men lead to 4. An X-Men safety at 6:15 left in the third quarter would bring the Mounties back to within 2, and a big catch from Ryan Brockway would set Mount Allison up nicely in scoring position. A 27-yard field goal would give restore the Mounties lead at 10-9 with a minute to go in the quarter, and the teams would head to the fourth with Mount Allison ahead by 1.
A missed field goal early in the fourth helped the Mounties hold onto their lead before an interception by Sam Lecker-Evans was returned for a touchdown for the first touchdown of the game and an extended Mounties lead as they led 17-9 with 5:21 to go in the game. A single with under 2 minutes to play got StFX to within a score, but the Mountie defense held up late and went into victory formation with a 17-10 win over the X-Men.
Mount Allison will open the regular season at home against the Acadia Axemen on Saturday, August 24th at 2:00pm. St. Francis Xavier open their season on the road against Bishop's on Saturday, August 31st with kick-off set for 2:00pm.
Recap courtesy of Mounties Athletics