QueenCityHigh.com - St. X Takes Control

September 29, 2012

Dan Clasgens
QueenCityHigh.com Managing Editor

The St. Xavier Bombers moved to 2-0 inside GCL South play by knocking off the Elder Panthers, 35-26, in front of a packed house at The Pit.

St. Xavier (4-2, 2-0) followed up back-to-back losses by storming past Moeller a week ago and would have to do the same to prevail in the contest over a capable Elder (3-3, 0-1) squad.

The Bombers would get out to a 21-0 lead midway through the first half before the Panthers started to claw their way back. Elder would score 20 unanswered points to get within a point, but that would prove to be as close as they would get.

Similar to last week's game against the Crusaders, St. Xavier applied pressure early in the game. Senior Nick Tensing connected with Steven Bruemmer for a 48-yard TD strike in the first quarter and found classmate Kevin Milligan for a 4-yard TD on the first play of the second quarter. CJ Hilliard made it a three-score lead when he punched in another touchdown three minutes later on a 3-yard scamper.

The Panthers finally crossed the goalline as Joe Ramstetter pulled in a 34-yard pass from Jimmy White to make it 21-7 at the half.

Coming out of the locker room, Elder show great resilience on both sides of the ball and the defensive adjustments made a noticeable difference. Chris Schroer was responsible for the only score during the third quarter for either team and he cut the lead to 21-14 with a 9-yard touchdown run seven minutes into the half.

White and Ramstetter hooked up for a second TD-pass on a 10-yard play with just less than eight minutes remaining in the game. Elder opted to try a two-point conversion rather than tying the game with PAT kick, but the pass failed and the bombers maintained a one-point advantage.

Milligan caught his second TD pass of the game on a 37-yard strike from Tensing to take it back to an eight-point edge.

Elder didn't go away though as Schroer capped of the ensuing drive with his second rushing touchdown of the evening, this time from three yards out. Again the Panthers couldn't convert the two-point conversion and the score remained 28-26.

Milligan's third touchdown of the game, a 47-yard break-away run, sealed the deal for the Bombers as he gave them a two-score lead with only 1:23 left in the contest.

The Panthers fell despite having the ball nearly twice as long (34:12 to 16:18 advantage in time of possession) and outgaining St. X with 430 total yards to the Bombers' 386.

Milligan had a night to remember, finishing with eight catches for 109 yards and two receiving touchdowns to go along with 47-yard game winning run. Tensing continued his stellar senior campaign by completing 15-of-24 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns. Ramstetter was impressive in the defeat catching seven balls for 177 yards and two scores for the Panthers.

St. Xavier goes for the GCL South championship next week and a clean sweep in conference play as they head to LaSalle. Elder hits the road for a matchup with Moeller.

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