LENNOXVILLE, Que. – St. Francis Xavier kicker Keiran Burnham booted through a 31-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining to lift the X-Men to a 12-11 victory over the Bishop's Gaiters in AUS Football action on Coulter Field on Saturday.
 
The win clinched second place in the conference for StFX and gave them the Bigg Bowl for the second consecutive year while Bishop's season ends at 0-8.
 
How it Happened
StFX tallied 12 points without scoring a touchdown.  Burnham was 2-for-2 on field goal attempts, connecting from 24 yards in the third quarter and again on the game winner.
 
Game winning Field Goal

 
A Bishop's conceded safety was the only score in the first quarter. Things heated up in the second. After StFX conceded a safety, Gaiters' pivot Mathieu Demers (Lévis, Que./Cégep LImoilou) connected with receiver Melvin Palin (Quimper, France/Cégep de Victoriaville) for a 37-yard touchdown.
 

 
Bishop's conceded another safety but held a 9-4 advantage at the break.
 
Burnham's 24-yard field goal was the only points in the third stanza.
 
The X-Men gave up another two points early in the fourth frame and Bishop's led 11-7, then crunch time provided fireworks.
 
With 1:40 remaining, Bishop's defensive back Jordan Ngantsi (Ottawa, Ont., Cumberland Panthers) broke-up a pass in the back of the end zone and the Gaiters took over.
 

 
Bishop's was not able to move the sticks on the ensuing drive and they made the decision to give up another two points. They held an 11-9 lead.
 
The X-Men turned to their all-Canadian receiver Kaion Julien-Grant and he made the Gaiters pay on a 33-yard catch and run that set-up the eventual 31-yard field goal winner.
 
Game MVP's
For Bishop's, linebacker Keagan Hughes (West Kelowna, B.C./Okanagan Sun (BCFC)) was named Subway Game MVP. He recorded 10.5 tackles.
 
Jordan Sochnolotiuk earned player of the game honours for StFX.  He rushed 22 times for 105 yards.
 
Bigg Bowl
The Bigg Bowl was donated in 2002 by the family of H. R. Bigg and is awarded after competition between the StFX X-Men and Bishop's Gaiters in university football competition. With the Gaiters' move to the AUS, one of the annual matchups between the team is designated as the Bigg Bowl game.
 
All time StFX now holds a 4-1 mark over the Gaiters when the Bigg Bowl is on the line.
2002 – StFX 22, BU 7
2004 – StFX 50, BU 17
2009 – BU 33, StFX 12
2017 – StFX 27, BU 14
2018 – StFX 12, BU 11
 
Bishop's is 1-7 against StFX all-time.
 

Mr. & Mrs. Brian McA'Nulty present the Bigg Bowl to the 2018 winners, StFX.
 
Coach Cherif's Corner
"I think our guys fought hard against a very good team, we just didn't have enough to finish," said Gaiters head coach Cherif Nicolas. "What's important now is to get on the recruiting trail and start looking ahead to next year."
 
Social Corner
Stay up-to-date with everything Bishop's Gaiters at www.gaiters.ca or on social media using @BishopsGaiters and #GaiterNation.
 
-30-