Huskies advance to Bell AUS Loney Bowl with 37-0 win over Acadia

(HALIFAX, N.S.) The Saint Mary's Huskies will host the 2025 Bell AUS Loney Bowl, after defeating the Acadia Axemen 37-0 in the Bell AUS Football Semifinal on Saturday afternoon at Huskies Stadium.

The Axemen forced a Huskies punt on the opening drive and moved the ball into Saint Mary's territory, but Huskies defensive lineman Romareo Reid (Calgary, Alta.) made a leaping interception, returning the ball nearly 40 yards into Axemen territory.

Wind proved to be a factor, as kicker Adam Johnston (Rothesay, N.B.) narrowly missed a 36-yard field goal, keeping the Huskies off the scoreboard. Acadia receiver Nicholas Welcher (Calgary, Alta.) returned the missed kick 37 yards out of the end zone.

But Saint Mary's wouldn't be denied for long, as Chandler Zinck-Marier (Pleasantville, N.S.) returned a punt 23 yards into Axemen territory. Quarterback Justin Shibley (Ottawa, Ont.) found receiver Kade Smith (Halifax, N.S.) for a 22-yard gain, setting up a nine-yard Shibley scramble for the touchdown. Johnston's convert gave the Huskies a 7-0 lead, 4:49 into the first quarter.

The Huskies defence made another big play with a sack from Reid, but Saint Mary's was unable to add any points before the quarter ended, holding on to a 7-0 lead. Early in the second quarter, Saint Mary's special teams delivered a highlight when punter Cameron Brown (Hammonds Plains, N.S.) laid out Welcher on a return, bringing the crowd to its feet.

The Huskies defence forced another Axemen two-and-out, and the special teams capitalized as Cherokee Robinson (Halifax, N.S.) picked up the ball and bounced outside, turning on the jets for an electric 46-yard punt-return touchdown, doubling the lead to 14-0.

The ensuing kickoff resulted in a rouge, extending the Saint Mary's lead to 15-0. Acadia moved the ball into Huskies territory, but penalties pushed them back and forced a punt. The Axemen defence then got the ball back when defensive back Ryan Duffus (Bedford, N.S.) intercepted Shibley.

Saint Mary's defence continued to dominate, highlighted by a sack from linebacker Matthew Schill (Indian Head, Sask.). The Huskies offence stalled, but Johnston connected on a 46-yard field goal to extend the lead to 18-0 with 5:20 remaining.

As they've done all season, the Huskies' ball-hawking defence continued to force turnovers, with defensive back Kallon Edwards (Toronto, Ont.) picking off Acadia quarterback Nick Kennedy (Calgary, Alta.) for the third takeaway of the first half.

That's when running back Malik Williams (Ajax, Ont.) took over, showcasing his skill set on back-to-back runs. First, Williams rumbled through defenders for a seven-yard gain and a first down. On the next play, he showed off his breakaway speed with a 48-yard touchdown run. Johnston's extra point gave Saint Mary's a 25-0 lead heading into halftime.

In the third quarter, the Huskies forced another turnover as linebacker Markcus Jean-Loescher (Toronto, Ont.) stripped the Axemen ball carrier, with Edwards recovering the fumble.

The teams traded possessions without scoring until another big special teams play saw a fake punt taken by Brown for 26 yards and a first down. That set up a 39-yard field goal from Johnston, pushing the lead to 28-0.

After an Acadia punt, the Huskies drove deep into Axemen territory to end the third quarter, and Williams finished off the 67-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown plunge — his second of the day and 13th of the season — extending the lead to 35-0 early in the fourth.

The Axemen conceded a safety, and the Huskies ran out the clock on a convincing 37-0 Bell AUS Football Semifinal win, punching their ticket to next week's Bell AUS Loney Bowl championship.

Malik Williams was named the Boston Pizza Player of the Game, rushing for 118 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns. Liam Legge (11 carries for 48 yards) and Reece Wyke (seven carries for 41 yards) contributed to a Huskies rushing attack that totalled 244 yards.

Quarterback Justin Shibley completed nine of 16 passes for 76 yards and an interception, adding three rushes for 14 yards and a touchdown. Allan Young went three-for-four for 31 yards and added five rushes for 17 yards. Kade Smith led the Huskies receivers with three catches for 37 yards.

Defensively, the Huskies were led by Romareo Reid, who recorded three tackles, including a sack and tackle for loss, along with an interception. Matthew Schill added eight tackles and a sack, while Kallon Edwards had six tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery.

For the Axemen, quarterback Nick Kennedy completed 13 of 19 passes for 57 yards and two interceptions. Running back Noah Potter carried 10 times for 19 yards and added three receptions for 13 yards, while receiver Xander Matheson caught eight passes for 26 yards.

Defensively, Brandon Kamenz recorded a game-high 14 tackles and two sacks, while Rory Litt added eight tackles, including one for a loss.

With the win, the Huskies advance to the Bell AUS Loney Bowl championship game, where they'll host the STFX X-Men next Saturday, Nov. 8, at 2 p.m. at Huskies Stadium. A trip to the U SPORTS semifinal Uteck Bowl will be on the line. Tickets go on sale Monday at 10 a.m. at SMUHuskies.ca/Tickets.

Recap by Allan April / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics
Photos by Mona Ghiz / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics