The Saint Mary’s Huskies are the defending champs, but they’re also a last-place team fighting for respect.
Humbled by an Atlantic University Sport season-opening loss to the St. Francis Xavier X-Men on Saturday, head coach Steve Sumarah has hit the gridiron this week trying to get his players’ heads back in the game for Saturday’s 7 p.m. road contest against the Acadia Axemen in Wolfville.
“I hate to say it, but I think we were a little bit cocky,” he said, of Saturday’s 24-19 setback to the X-Men.
Tied with the Mount Allison Mounties with 0-1 records, the Huskies — with eight titles in the past 10 years — are looking up at St. F.X. and Acadia in the standings.
That’s been enough to wipe away a lackadaisical attitude that Sumarah said plagued the team last week.
“Way different,” Sumarah said of the focus in practice. “It was a wake-up call as these things are. You get a chance to really learn more about yourself with a loss than a win.”
Sumarah also announced yesterday he has suspended sophomore defensive back Jeff Hecht and rookie linebacker Aaron Crawford for one game for “conduct detrimental to the team” after a couple of on-field incidents in Saturday’s loss.
Although the Axemen went 1-7 last season, they dominated the Mounties in a 58-14 victory on Saturday.
“We’re in for a battle for sure,” Sumarah said.
