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Saint Xavier University

Official Athletics Website of the Saint Xavier University Cougars

Yeazell_action_SHU_10_11_25
20
Siena Heights SHU 2-3
26
Winner Saint Xavier (Ill.) SXU 4-2
Siena Heights SHU
2-3
20
Final
26
Saint Xavier (Ill.) SXU
4-2
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
SHU Siena Heights 7 0 6 7 20
SXU Saint Xavier (Ill.) 8 7 0 11 26

Game Recap: Football |

SXU Football Defeats Siena Heights, 26-20, on Homecoming

CHICAGO – A 75-yard fumble recovery returned for a touchdown by senior defensive lineman Justin Yeazell (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) highlighted the afternoon as Saint Xavier University football (4-2, 0-0 MSFA Midwest) earned its fourth consecutive victory with a 26-20 triumph over Siena Heights University (Mich.) in a Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) crossover game on Homecoming at Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field Saturday afternoon in Chicago, Ill. Yeazell finished the day with six tackles (two solos), two quarterback hurries and 0.5 tackles for loss for one yard. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Kameron Hopkins (Bolingbrook, Ill./Minooka Community) caught four passes for 75 yards, including a go-ahead touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. SXU has won on Homecoming four times in the last five seasons and is 19-13 all-time in Homecoming games at Deaton Field.
  • Senior quarterback Dominic D'Ambrosio (Oak Forest, Ill./Andrew) went 13-for-24, throwing for 161 yards with two touchdown passes, and he was intercepted four times.
  • Senior running back Tyreese Lee (Chicago, Ill./Moraine Valley/Eisenhower) led the Saint Xavier ground attack with 68 rushing yards on 26 attempts.
  • Senior wide receiver Marquel Porter (Calumet Park, Ill./DuPage/Richards) had three receptions for 28 yards. He also completed a pass for 49 yards.
  • Sophomore wide receiver Stephon Gist Jr. (Dolton, Ill./Quincy/Lincoln-Way East) posted two catches for 25 yards with a touchdown, and a punt return for 11 yards.
  • Freshman kicker Christian Casillas (Alsip, Ill./Eisenhower) converted a 28-yard field goal, made an extra point and he averaged 52.2 yards per kickoff with a touchback.
  • Senior linebacker Terry Elias Jr. (Monee, Ill./Crete-Monee) was credited with a team-high 11 tackles (six solos) with two quarterback hurries and 0.5 tackles for loss for one yard.
  • Senior linebacker Chris Swayne (LaSalle, Ill./LaSalle-Peru Township) collected eight tackles (three solos) with a sack for three yards and a pass breakup.
  • Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Nick Naujokas (Chicago, Ill./Western Illinois/Mount Carmel) also made eight stops (two solos) with 2.0 sacks for five yards and two QB hurries.
  • Senior linebacker Carter Wynn (Greenfield, Wis./Whitnall) came away with seven tackles (four solos), 1.5 tackles for loss and a strip sack for 17 yards.
  • Freshman linebacker Ben Bernier (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) posted five tackles (three solos), 3.0 tackles for loss for 11 yards and a sack for seven yards.
  • Siena Heights made its way into the SXU red zone down to the four-yard line; however, Wynn broke through the offensive line and sacked the quarterback, causing a fumble that Yeazell scooped up and rumbled 75 yards for touchdown. Redshirt freshman quarterback rushed into the endzone for a two-point conversion to give the Cougars an 8-0 lead at the 8:52 mark of the first quarter.
  • The Saints scored two possessions later on a five-yard rushing touchdown with 2:08 remaining in the frame to make it 8-7.
  • Saint Xavier went into halftime with a 15-7 advantage after D'Ambrosio connected with Gist Jr. on a 24-yard touchdown pass over the middle that capped an 11-play, 74-yard drive with just eight seconds left in the half.
  • SHU used an eight-play, 49-yard drive that resulted in a two-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter. A penalty forced the extra-point attempt back to the 18-yard line, and the resulting PAT was wide left for a 15-13 score.
  • On its first drive of the fourth period, Siena Heights took its first lead of the game, 20-15, on a 16-yard touchdown pass with 11:55 to go.
  • SXU responded with an eight-play, 65-yard drive on the next possession that ended when D'Ambrosio found Hopkins for a 20-yard catch and run at the 7:05 mark of the final frame. D'Ambrosio rushed into the endzone for a two-point conversion for a 23-20 lead.
  • The Cougars forced a three-and-out and booted a 28-yard field goal after a five-play, 47-yard drive with 3:34 remaining.
  • The Saint Xavier defense came through down the stretch as they kept SHU from the potential go-ahead score.
Saint Xavier (4-2/0-0 MSFA Midwest) begins MSFA Midwest League play when they travel to Joliet, Ill. to play University of St. Francis (Ill.) on Saturday, October 18. The game is scheduled for a 1:00 pm start.
 
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