CHICAGO – A 13-yard touchdown pass by junior quarterback Stuart Ross (Springfield, Ill./Springfield Southeast) to junior wide receiver Brandt Hixson (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem) in the corner of the endzone with just :38 remaining in regulation and the ensuing extra point by junior kicker Peyton Benes (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) No. 23 Saint Xavier University football (3-2, 1-0 MSFA Midwest) a thrilling 21-20 victory over No. 18 Roosevelt University (Ill.) in the Mid-States Football Association Midwest League opener on Homecoming at Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field Saturday afternoon in Chicago, Ill.

With the win, head coach Mike Feminis earned his 200^th career win for the Cougars and has a career record of 200-77, a .722 winning percentage, since taking over the program in 1999. Entering the 2022 season, Feminis was tied for No. 13 for all-time career wins in the NAIA and is now just the third active head coach in the NAIA with 200 or more career wins, joining the NAIA all-time wins leader Kevin Donley from University of Saint Francis (Ind.) (340 wins) and Steve Ryan from Morningside University (Iowa) (212 wins).

• Ross finished the game with 158 yards passing and was 18-for-29 with one touchdown and one interception, while Hixson had three catches for 29 yards.
• Freshman running back Mario Price (Chicago Heights, Ill./Calumet New Tech) set a new career-high with 118 rushing yards on 21 carries with a long of 27 yards, it was the first time that he eclipsed the century-mark. He also caught four passes for 31 yards.
• Junior running back Matthew Chavers III (Freeport, Ill./Freeport) had three carries for 11 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns.
• Junior wide receiver Kyle Quinn (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) had a team-high 50 receiving yards on four receptions, including a key 34-yard grab on fourth down that led the SXU's first score.
• Senior wide receiver Justin Pringle (Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield East) racked up 104 all-purpose yards with three punt returns for 50 yards, a kick return of 33 yards and three receptions for 21 yards.
• Junior wide receiver/punter Joe Polselli (Evergreen Park, Ill./St. Rita) booted five punts for 172 yards, averaging 34.4 yards per punt, and landed three punts inside the 20-yard line. He registered a long of 53 yards and had one catch for 10 yards.
• Senior linebacker Joey Markasovic (New Lenox, Ill./Providence Catholic) led the Saint Xavier defense, totaling 11 tackles (six solos), 3.0 tackles for loss for 14 yards and a sack for nine yards.
• Senior linebacker Peyton Nigro (Mokena, Ill./Concordia-St. Paul/Lincoln-Way Central) recorded eight tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss for two yards.
• Junior defensive back Kevin Countryman (Morris, Ill./Providence Catholic) continued his stellar play, coming away with his team-leading four interception. It was the third consecutive game that he has had at least one take away. He added seven tackles (two solos) and had two pass breakups.
• Junior defensive back Tyler Barnette (Richton Park, Ill./Joliet West) recorded his first interception of the season and tallied four tackles (one solo).
• Senior defensive lineman Payton Campbell (Round Lake Beach, Ill./Grayslake North) collected his first career interception, had six tackles (two solos) and registered a sack for six yards on the final drive of the game.
• Neither team was able to take control int the first quarter. On their second drive of the period, SXU used over eight minutes off the clock but failed to score after a bad snap on a field goal attempt.
• The Cougars forced a punt on the next possession and scored the first touchdown of the game, a two-yard Chavers III rush, after Ross connected with Quinn on a 34-yard pass on 4^th and 16.
• An interception by Campbell set Saint Xavier up at the Roosevelt three-yard line with 1:44 left in the first half and one play later Chavers rumbled into the endzone for his second score of the game to put the Cougars ahead 14-0 at halftime.
• RU cut the lead in half with a 45-yard touchdown pass with 4:29 left in the 3^rd Quarter after a seven-play, 75-yard drive.
• The Lakers tied the game on their next possession taking advantage of an SXU turnover, they used just four plays before a 21-yard touchdown pass equaled the score at 14-14 at the 1:31 mark of the third quarter.
• The final frame had both teams trading possessions before Roosevelt used a 13-play, 41-yard drive that took over six minutes off the game clock and converted a pair of 4^th downs to go ahead 20-14 on a two-yard rushing touchdown. The extra point was no good, leaving 5:20 left in the fourth.
• SXU had a 'three and out' drive, however Polselli pinned the Lakers deep in their own territory with a 53-yard punt that was downed at the 12-yard line.
• The Cougars forced a 'three and out' and took over at the RU 40-yard line with 1:54 left in regulation.
• Price carried the ball twice for 17 yards, including a 14-yard rush that gave Saint Xavier a 1^st down at the Roosevelt 13-yard line. Ross then found Hixson for the game-tying touchdown and Benes kicked the go-ahead PAT with :38 left.
• The Lakers started their final drive at their own 12-yard line and back-to-back penalties by SXU put them at their 42-yard line. Campbell posted a sack, forcing a timeout with :09 left. RU completed two passes, but couldn't get out of bounce to stop the clock.

Saint Xavier (3-2/1-0 MSFA) travels to Bourbonnais, Ill. to play Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.) on Saturday, October 8. The Mid-States Football Association Midwest League contest is scheduled for a 12:00 pm kickoff.