Subway player of the game Cody Cluett (Cole Harbour, NS) threw two touchdown passes to Cordell Hastings (Calgary, AB) and Eugene McMinns (Nassau, Bahamas) had a 94-yard punt return for the Axemen in a game that saw them lead from start to finish.
Axeman Jadin White-Frayne (Calgary, AB) intercepted a Josh Millar (Ottawa, ON) pass and returned the ball 53 yards to the StFX nine-yard line. That set up Acadia’s first touchdown of the day as Cluett found Bradley Vince (Cambridge, ON) in the end zone with a nine-yard pass.
The Axemen held onto the 7-0 lead after the first quarter.
The Acadia defense came up big again in the second quarter as defensive back Garvin Cius (Malden, MA) had a pick-six at 6:33 as he intercepted a Millar pass and returned the ball 46 yards for the major score and a 14-0 lead.
The X-Men finally got on the board with 1:10 left in the second quarter as Jonathan Heidebrecht (Camrose, AB) kicked a 30-yard field goal. The Axemen replied with a field goal of their own with no time left on the clock as Jarrett Saumure (Timberlea, NS) kicked a 24 yarder.
The visiting Axemen held a 17-3 advantage at half time. They increased their lead to 24-3 after Cluett hit Cordell Hastings (Calgary, AB) with a 28-yard touchdown pass at 9:41 of the third quarter.
The X-Men mounted a third quarter comeback with a pair of touchdowns. Dylan Fisher (Elginburg, ON) came in at QB and completed the one-yard touchdown pass for Kaion Julien-Grant (Toronto, ON) for his league-leading third touchdown of the season as the X-Men trailed 24-10.
Fisher then pulled the X-Men to within seven points as he squeezed in for a one-yard touchdown rush with 2:09 left in the third quarter.
With a 24-17 after three quarters of play, Acadia’s Eugene McMinns added another touchdown to the list on a 94-yard punt return for the major.
Trailing 31-17, the X-Men clawed back as Fisher scored another one-yard rushing touchdown at 6:19 of the fourth quarter following a Greg Nugent (London, ON) 32-yard reception leading up to the major.
As they did all game, the Axemen responded with a scoring play of their this time taking it 93 yards to the end zone as receiver Cordell Hastings broke a tackle and sprinted down the sideline scoring the final points of the 38-24 Acadia win.
Cluett finished the game at 13 for 23 with 201 yards, while X-Men quarterback Millar was 23-44 for 273 yards and three interceptions.
Hastings led all Axemen receivers with 130 yards on three catches; while McMinns also hauled in three catches for 29 yards and added 189 punt return yards and 49 on kick-off returns.
Dale Wright (Markham, ON) had 14 rushes for 97 yards for Acadia and Cam Davidson (Kentville, NS) had 80 yards on 16 carries.
X-Men leading rusher Jordan Socholotiuk led the X-men with 96 yards on 19 carries. McDonald was the leading receiver with nine catches for 108 yards.
The Axemen, who improve to 2-1 will visit Saint Mary’s (2-1) Sept. 15 in Halifax – game time is 7 p.m.
