St. Ambrose Football

Fighting Bees Upend Cougars

With 4th and goal, 25 seconds remaining and two-time MSFA Player of the week Billy Yeo at Quarterback, the Fighting Bees forced an incomplete pass to capture a 35-27 Homecoming victory. The Bees avenged a tough 38-31 loss to St. Xavier a year ago in overtime.

After a St. Ambrose punt, the St. Xavier Cougars began the game with a 6 play, 43 yard drive, capped off by a one yard Jason Banning rush for the touchdown. The extra point attempt was blocked by Chance Jenkins to limit St. Xavier to six points.

On the next Bees possession, Jim DuPage marched the ball 80 yards to pay dirt on eleven plays. DuPage connected with Brandin Smith for fifteen yards and then DeQuinn Watford for another eleven before hitting Brett Van Hove for 23 yards to place the ball at the eleven yard line. Following a face mask penalty on St. Xavier, DeQuinn Watford took the handoff from DuPage for six yards and the score to put the Bees up 7-6.

Following a 42 yard field goal for St. Xavier, the Fighting Bees capitalized on their next two possessions for touchdowns. Adam Norland took a handoff from five yards out for the first score and four minutes later, Vernon Reed scored on a two yard dive to put the Bees up 21-9.

Setting up Reed's touchdown was an interception by cornerback Chance Jenkins. Jenkins intercepted Billy Yeo's pass at the St. Ambrose 15 yard line and ran it all the way back to St. Xavier's twenty-five before being pushed out of bounds by Billy Yeo.

St. Xavier's Shane Longest connected on his second field goal of forty yards or more to bring the half to a close, 21-12 St. Ambrose.

The Fighting Bees jumped out in the second half with an impressive 80 yard drive, finished with a fifteen yard touchdown pass from DuPage to wide-out Tim Turkowski.

The Bees were blessed with one more touchdown on a drive starting on a botched punt attempt. Punter Shane Longest dropped the snap and was surrounded by several Bee defenders. He attempted a pass that was nearly intercepted. Starting the ball at the St. Xavier 18, Vernon Reed broke two tackles to take the ball to the seven and ran it in on the ensuing play to put the Bees ahead 35-12.

The Cougars did not give up, scoring sixteen straight points, but in the end the Bees lead was too great for St. Xavier to overcome as they held on 35-27.

Jim DuPage finished with 298 yards on 25-34 passing, with one touchdown and three interceptions. Vernon Reed rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. DeQuinn Watford had his best game of the year hauling in nine passes for 118 yards and rushed for a touchdown.

The Bees, now 5-0 overall and 4-0 in the MSFA, will remain at home next week for a 1 p.m. kickoff with McKendree.

Box Score