When Jack Creighton threw for 438 yards on Friday, it was an indication of how far the Saint Mary’s Huskies’ passing attack has come in little more than a year’s time.
The sophomore quarterback went 24-of-33 and delivered touchdown passes to Jahmeek Murray, Carl Hardwick and Joe Doherty in a 47-18 victory in Atlantic University Sport action before a crowd of 3,212 at Huskies Stadium.
Although it was against the basement-dwelling Mounties, the Huskies have now totalled 1,252 yards and six touchdowns through the air four games into the season, more than double the totals they had at this time last year.
“It’s no comparison — it’s way further ahead than last year,” said Huskies head coach Steve Sumarah. “The receivers are doing a really good job running routes, catching balls, Jack’s more confident, the pass-pro is outstanding.
“It all adds up and takes the pressure off the run game so the it isn’t our only avenue to move the ball.”
Creighton’s passing yardage was the seventh-best single-game total in AUS history, 63 off the record. He missed the Huskies’ school record by just 15 yards.
The Huskies (3-1) have now won three straight games, and it’s a good thing. They have no room to slip if they want to have any chance of finishing first in the AUS because the St. Francis Xavier X-Men (4-0) remained unbeaten on Saturday after a 60-7 shellacking of the Acadia Axemen.
If the Huskies can keep pace, it looks like their Oct. 23 showdown with the X-Men could decide who finishes first. The X-Men beat the Huskies 24-19 on opening day.
“It looks like X is going to win out,” Sumarah said. “We at least have to give ourselves an opportunity to play them for first.”
The Huskies return to action on Saturday at 7 p.m. against the Mounties again in Sackville, N.B.
