CHICAGO – Senior quarterback
Blainey Dowling (Chicago, Ill./Eastern Illinois/Mount Carmel) threw for 403 yards, his second game this season surpassing the 400-yard plateau, on 31-for-50 passing with two touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown in a thrilling 27-24 victory for the Saint Xavier University football team (4-4/2-0 MSFA Midwest) over Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Midwest League rival University of St. Francis Saturday afternoon at Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field in Chicago, Ill. Dowling found freshman wide receiver
Coen Demack (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bishop McNamara) in the end zone from nine yards out on fourth and six for the go-ahead score with 7:23 left in the fourth quarter.
The Cougars looked to seal the win after stopping the Fighting Saints on their next possession and taking over at the USF 39 with 4:38 left in regulation after a shanked punt that traveled just 17 yards. With under two minutes left, on fourth and seven from the St. Francis nine-yard line, SXU went for a rushing play to the left side, however a forced fumble landed in the hands of a Fighting Saint defender on the goal line and was returned near midfield at the USF 44. Driving with under a minute to go, St. Francis reached the Saint Xavier 41 and had a pass land incomplete on second down, but after a challenge by head coach
Mike Feminis that the ball was fumbled, the call was overturned and the Cougars knelt down twice for the conference win.
- Freshman wide receiver Jayden Armstrong (Romeoville, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy) caught eight passes for a career-high 146 yards and a touchdown.
- Demack tied his career-high with 14 receptions and 109 yards receiving. It was his fourth game going over the century mark in receiving yards this year.
- Redshirt senior wide receiver Mario Price (Chicago Heights, Ill./Calumet New Tech) added a pair of receptions for 52 yards.
- Senior running back Caden Brann (Valparaiso, Ind./Monmouth/Wheeling) led the ground game for SXU, rushing for 27 yards on seven carries.
- Sophomore kicker Christian Casillas (Alsip, Ill./Eisenhower) finished 2-for-3 on field goal attempts and was 3-for-3 on extra points.
- Senior defensive back Owen Schickel (Chicago, Ill./Ave Maria/Mount Carmel) forced the fumble of the deciding play, his second of the game, along with a team-high tying nine tackles (seven solos), 2.0 tackles for loss (TFL) for six yards and two quarterback hurries.
- Graduate student linebacker Carter Wynn (Greenfield, Wis./Whitnall) had nine tackles as well (five solos) with a sack for seven yards, a QB hurry and his first career interception that was returned for 18 yards.
- Junior defensive back Zach Norred (Manteno, Ill./St. Rita) came away with eight stops (five solos), an interception, a fumble recovery, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry.
- Senior defensive lineman Semaj Williams (Chicago, Ill./King College Prep) totaled six tackles (two solos) 2.0 TFL for 12 yards and 1.5 sacks for 10 yards.
- Junior linebacker Denym Sykes (Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield East) also had six stops (four solos) with a pass breakup and a QB hurry.
- Dowling gave Saint Xavier a 7-0 lead on a one-yard quarterback sneak after he ran 14 yards the play before to cap a 10-play, 64-yard drive with 6:03 left in the opening frame.
- Casillas put the Cougars up 10-0 on the first play of the second quarter with a 28-yard field goal after a nine-play, 69-yard drive.
- Four plays later, the Fighting Saints got on the board on a flea-flicker for a 54-yard catch-and-run. A Saint Xavier turnover on the next possession put USF at the Cougar 47, and they would use 11 plays before scoring on a six-yard touchdown pass to go up 14-10 with 6:01 remaining before halftime.
- After a three-and-out, SXU punted the ball away but redshirt sophomore defensive back Anas Everette (Burbank, Ill./Quincy/Reavis) caused a fumble on the return and he recovered the loose ball. Saint Xavier was unable to capitalize and they downed St. Francis at the 16-yard line after 34-yard punt.
- On the next play Norred came away with an interception, and Saint Xavier went 57 yards on just five plays ending with a 43-yard catch and run for the touchdown by Armstrong.
- A forced fumble by Schickel that Norred recovered on the next drive put the Cougars inside the redzone at the USF 16-yard line, but their field goal attempt as time expired went wide from 32 yards out.
- SXU went up 20-14 on a 26-yard field goal by Casillas on the opening drive of the second half. Saint Xavier had a touchdown taken off the board after a holding penalty that led to the kick.
- Saint Xavier forced a punt on the next drive; however, the return was fumbled, giving the Fighting Saints the ball on the Cougar 30-yard line. A seven-yard touchdown pass put St. Francis up 21-20 at the 6:10 mark of the third quarter.
- Another SXU fumble on the next offensive play put USF at the 22-yard line of Saint Xavier. The Cougar defense held, resulting in a 40-yard field goal to extend the lead to 24-20.
- SXU's defense came through again midway through the fourth period as they stalled a St. Francis drive by getting an incomplete pass on fourth and five to take over at their own 25-yard line.
- Saint Xavier marched 75 yards in only six plays for the eventual winning score.
Saint Xavier (4-4/2-0 MSFA Midwest) hosts Judson University (Ill.) in MSFA Midwest League action on Saturday, October 31. The game is slated for a 12:00 pm kickoff at Deaton Field.
