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Saint Xavier Gets the Best of SAU Again

CHICAGO -- Every time the St. Ambrose football team has hooked up with Saint Xavier the last few years, everyone has been treated to an epic battle. This year was no different, as fourteenth ranked SXU handed the number four ranked Fighting Bees their first loss of the season, 38-31 in overtime, moving into a first place tie atop the Mid-States Football Association.

The game was a back and forth battle between the two MSFA heavyweights, with Saint Xavier (6-2, 3-1) landing the first blow, when Juaq Rodriguez ran 37 yards to pay dirt and a 7-0 lead just five minutes into the game. Running back Adam Norland would tie it up for SAU (6-1, 3-1) later in the quarter, scoring from three yards out, and Tyler Driscoll gave SAU their first lead of the ball game on an 11-yard score early in the second period.

With all the early rushing scores, it appeared that the top two passing offenses in the MSFA may be taking the day off, but they were just delaying the inevitable. Saint Xavier quarterback John Perryman finished with 415 yards on 32 of 56 passing, and three touchdowns, including a 39-yard strike to Andy Ricca to take a 17-14 lead on the final play of the first half. Ricca also had an outstanding day, finishing with 171 yards receiving on eleven catches.

St. Ambrose regained the lead in the third quarter, on a 13-yard reception by Brandin Smith, who had the best game of his SAU career, catching ten passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns. That first TD was the 39th of quarterback Jeff Kietzman's outstanding career, which moves him into second place on the SAU career TD pass list.

Kietzman extended the Fighting Bee's lead early in the fourth quarter, hooking up with Smith again for a 29-yard score and a 28-17 SAU lead. Kietzman finished the game with 300 yards through the air on 27 of 44 passing and two touchdowns, while also throwing his first interception since week one. After an Evan Gutierrez field goal, SAU led by 14 points with six and a half minutes remaining.

That's when SAU experienced a bit of deja vu. The Fighting Bees blew a nine point fourth quarter lead in last year's game against Saint Xavier in Davenport, which was their first loss of the season, but were hoping a two touchdown lead would be enough to hold on this time. It wasn't.

Jarrod Nowman caught a 31-yard touchdown from Perryman just one minute after Gutierrez's field goal to cut the lead in half. Saint Xavier then got the ball back with 3 minutes and thirty-one seconds remaining, promptly marching 66 yards down the field to tie the game with 24 seconds left in the game on a one yard run by Luke Schillo, sending the game to overtime.

Saint Xavier got the first chance to score in OT, scoring on their second play on a Perryman to Jim Doherty touchdown. St. Ambrose had their chance to send the game to another extra period, but receiver Chris Burhans was stopped one yard short on a 4th and 3 play from the seven yard line, ending the game and the Fighting Bee's hopes for an undefeated season.

SAU will try to get back on the winning track and keep themselves in the running for a playoff berth next weekend as they'll return home to do battle with William Penn. Game time is set for 1:00 on Saturday at Brady Street Stadium.

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