Axemen advance to semifinals with win over Huskies

HALIFAX, N.S. - In the last regular season game, the host Saint Huskies football season ended Saturday afternoon with a 10-3 loss to the Acadia Axemen on a tackle one yard short of the end zone as time expired. 

Both teams finish the season 2-6 with Acadia winning the tiebreaker and grabbing the last playoff spot with head-to-head wins (2-0). 

The Huskies had the final possession with 1:22 left on their own 47-yard line trailing 10-3 when quarterback Brock Berglund (San Diego, California) drove the Huskies down the field to the Acadia 12-yard line.  

Two incomplete passes forced a 3rd and 10 from the 12 with three seconds left. 

Berglund found receiver Tristen Giusto (Hamilton, ON) who turned around and was tackled at the one-yard line as time ran out. 

Both teams started the game with turnovers as Acadia threw an interception and SMU fumbled in the red-zone. 

Acadia opened the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run by Hunter Guenard (Calgary, Alta.) for a 7-0 lead with 6:04 left in the first quarter. 

Saint Mary's answered back in the second quarter on a 15-yard field goal by Brian Hope (Port Coquitlan, BC), capping off a 13 play, 77-yard drive with 2:27 left in the half. 

SMU trailed Acadia 7-3 at half. 

The third quarter saw both teams trade punts as Acadia ended the quarter up 7-3. 

The Axemen started the final frame with possession and used a 21-yard field goal by Brandon Jennings (St. Albert, Alta.) with 10:14 left to increase their lead 10-3. 

Both teams managed one first down between themselves the last nine minutes before the Huskies drove 67 yards in 12 plays in their final possession. 

Saint Mary's finished with more total offence (319-255) and rushing yards (134-46) while Acadia threw for more yards (214-192). 

Cody Cluett (Cole Harbour, NS) threw for 204 yards (14-30) with two interceptions in the Axemen win while Dillan Fortune (Brooklyn, New York) rushed for 26 yards. 

Berglund threw for 192 yards (21-35) and paced the Huskies with 57 yards on 11 carries. 

Giusto led all SMU receivers with 66 yards while Eli Prochnau (Cochrane, Alta.) paced Acadia with 88 yards. 

Bailey Feltmate (Moncton, NB) had 10 total tackles for Acadia while Jadarius Ceasar (Tuscaloosa, Alabama) and Emmanuel Agbozo (Surrey, BC) each had 5.5 tackles for SMU. 

The third place Acadia will travel to second place Mount Allison November 5th for a 2:00 p.m. kick-off in the AUS Football semi-final game.