CHICAGO – On an afternoon that No. 15 ranked Saint Xavier University football (6-3, 4-0 (MSFA Midwest) hosted 'Senior Day,' a pair of seniors shinned as senior running back
Amari Venerable (University Park, Ill./Crete-Monee) ran for 156 yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns and graduate student wide receiver
Justin Pringle (Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield East) had eight receptions for 131 yards and two scores to guide the Cougars to a 38-21 victory over Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.) in Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Midwest League action at Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field in Chicago, Ill. Venerable accounted for 80 percent of the SXU rushing attack as Saint Xavier ran for 194 yards on 42 attempts on the afternoon.
Before the game 23 players were recognized on 'Senior Day' with a pregame ceremony: defensive back
Tyler Barnette (Richton Park, Ill/Joliet West), kicker
Peyton Benes (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew), linebacker
Finn Brandon (Dixon, Ill./Dixon), defensive back
Ron Carroll (University Park, Ill./Crete-Monee), running back
Matthew Chavers III (Freeport, Ill./Freeport), linebacker
Vince Clinite (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin), offensive lineman
Colin Cox (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy), linebacker
Nate Curtis (Plainfield, Ill./Indianapolis/Plainfield North), linebacker
Ryan Fitzgerald (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew), defensive lineman
Marcus Griffin (Chicago, Ill./Grand Valley State/Nazareth Academy), wide receiver
Mike Gundersdorf (Mesa, Ariz./Dobson), wide receiver Brant Hixson (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem), offensive lineman Jourdan Louving (Calumet Park, Ill./Richards), offensive lineman
Matthew Olson (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso), defensive back
Antonio Orozco (Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville), offensive lineman
Alex Pavlov (Park Ridge, Ill./Carthage/Maine South), running back
Jessi Plunkett (Evergreen Park, lll./Brother Rice), punter/wide receiver
Joe Polselli (Evergreen Park, Ill./St. Rita), Pringle, defensive lineman
Kevin Sandoval (McHenry, Ill./McHenry East), long snapper
Nathan Tokar (Naperville, Ill./College of DuPage/Waubonsie Valley), defensive lineman
Nico Uriarte (Oak Lawn, Ill./Oak Lawn Community) & offensive lineman
Gerardo Zuniga Jr. (Chicago, Ill./Solorio Academy).
Two members of the Saint Xavier University dance team were honored on 'Senior Day' as well. Mia Cox (Summit, Ill) and Madeline Kozy (Munster, Ind./Munster) were recognized before their performance at halftime.
- Senior quarterback Stuart Ross (Springfield, Ill./Springfield Southeast) threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns while going 16-for-27.
- Pringle also totaled 83 return yards, collecting 70 off of a pair of kick returns and 13 punt return yards on two attempts.
- Sophomore linebacker Terry Elias Jr. (Monee, Ill./Crete-Monee) led the SXU defense with 10 tackles (seven solos) with 2.5 tackles for loss (TFL) for eight yards, 1.0 sack, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry.
- Senior defensive lineman Ayobami Arokoyo (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg) totaled seven tackles (four solos) 2.5 TFLs and 1.0 sack for 12 yards.
- Barnette posted four solo tackles, a TFL for one yard, two pass breakups and returned an interception 27 yards for a touchdown.
- The Cougars marched 61 yards on 13 plays and used 5:02 off the game clock on their opening drive that culminated in a five-yard touchdown pass from Ross to Pringle midway through the first quarter.
- Venerable pushed the lead to 14-0 on the next possession as he raced into the end zone from 19 yards out at the 4:22 mark of the opening frame.
- ONU cut the deficit in half, converting on fourth down for a 41-yard touchdown pass early in the second period at 14:22.
- The Tigers evened the game at 14-14 midway through the quarter on a 29-yard touchdown pass with 7:24 to go before halftime.
- Benes gave SXU the lead at the break, 17-14, as he booted a 39-yard field goal as the clock expired. The drive was set up after Griffin made a tackle at midfield on fourth and three, stopping the quarterback for a two-yard gain.
- Venerable scored his second touchdown of the contest from two yards out, capping Saint Xavier's opening drive of the second half that took nine plays and 51 yards at 11:16.
- After a shanked punt that went 10 yards, Ross found Pringle for a 44-yard catch and run touchdown on the next play to make it 31-14 with 9:31 left in the third quarter.
- Olivet Nazarene responded on its next possession, going 66 yards on eight plays and finishing the drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass at the 5:58 mark.
- Barnette helped to seal the win when he intercepted a pass and ran 27 yards into the end zone to cap the scoring with 6:36 left in regulation.
No. 15 Saint Xavier (6-3/4-0 MSFA Midwest) travels to Arlington Heights, Ill. to play Roosevelt University (Ill.) for the MSFA Midwest League crown on Saturday, November 11. The game is scheduled for a 2:00 pm kickoff.