Rookie Troop named Loney Bowl MVP in 17-9 win over Saint Mary’s
WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The CIS ninth ranked Acadia Axemen will play in the 2012 Uteck Bowl for the second year in a row after defeating the Saint Mary’s Huskies 17-9 in the annual AUS Subway Loney Bowl. The Axemen grabbed their second AUS championship in a row and adding to an undefeated record at home that dates back to October 30., 2010. On a ten home game winning streak, the Axemen posted the championship win in front of 2678 home town fans.
Thomas Troop (Allison, Ont.), named the AUS Rookie of the Year this season, seized the honour as the Don Loney Most Valuable Player of the Game, rushing for 181 net yards on 28 carries. Troop out-gained the rushing total for the Huskies who reached 119 yards on 43 carries.
With a stiff wind making field position the utmost importance, the Axemen were able to hold the Huskies at bay as Saint Mary’s tried hard to establish a decisive run game that they held for the last two weeks of the regular season and into the AUS semi-finals.
Huskie running backs Mike Dawe (Winnipeg, Man.) and Melvin Abankwah (Etobicoke, Ont.) split the running game duty with 18 carries each for 94 and 28 yards respectively.
A scoreless first quarter was erased with a 34 yard Brett Lauthier (Truro, N.S.) field goal to give Saint Mary’s an early second quarter lead.
Just under three minutes later the Axemen nailed in the only major of the day when AUS All-Star Taylor Renaud pulled in a 20 yard reception, capping a six play, 75 yard drive led by Troop’s 49 yards rushing.
Lauther and Ryan Begin (Orleans, Ont.) exchanged field goals in the closing minutes of the half to give the Axemen a 10-6 halftime lead
Lauther would hit his third and final field goal at 7:04 of the third frame to close the gap to one point. Lauther was good for three of four field goal attempts including 34, 49 and 35 yard kicks.
With only a 10-9 lead after three quarters, the Axemen held good field position in the final frame, adding two team safeties and a 28 yard field goal by Begin with under six minutes remaining in the game to hold onto the championship win.
With 321 net yards on offense, the Axemen were unable to score the points to confidently lead the game. Head coach Jeff Cummins was happy with the win but was reserved.
“There is now doubt that it wasn’t our “A” game but give credit to Saint Mary’s in their preparation for this championship game. Our defense got the job done shutting down the Huskies run game and the bumps we hit in trying to move the ball were smoothed over by the desire to win this second championship in a row”, pointed out Cummins.
Defensively the Axemen held Saint Mary’s to 97 net yards and astoundingly only one pass completion. Huskie pivot Jean Legault (Sherbrook, Que.) was held to 1 completion in 11 attempts for -5 yards . 2012 AUS All-Star linebacker Drew Morris, in only his second season with the Axemen, had four solo tackles and 13 assisted while teammate Jesse St. James added five tackles and four assists along with two sacks to lead the Acadia defense.
AUS MVP Kyle Graves was 10 for 24 in passing for only 110 yards – his lowest output of the 2012 season. Taylor Renaud led the Axemen with 40 yards receiving and the lone touchdown.
Cummins took the win and looks forward to playing against the CIS #2 ranked Laval Rouge et Or next weekend in Quebec City. “We will have to work on certain aspects of our game to play against Laval with hopes to improve on our outing against them in September. I think both teams, in preparing for the Uteck Bowl, will see two different teams from those in September. Our defense was exceptional today at times and I hope it can carry over next weekend.”
The Acadia Axemen will head to Quebec City to meet the Laval Rouge et Or in next Saturday’s CIS Uteck Bowl at 1:00 pm (EST). The Rouge et Or hosted Acadia this season in the RSEQ-AUS Interlock weekend on September 15 resulting in a 31-7 win over Acadia. Acadia is winless against Laval since 2002.
Photo: Mona Ghiz
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