On a cool, fall night at Ballaban Field, the St. Xavier Bombers and the Elder Panthers squared off for the 100th meeting between the two schools.  Although St. Xavier lost 31 - 28, the Bombers battled until the very end coming back from a 24 - 7, fourth quarter deficit with a chance at not one, but two onside kicks to try to have a chance to win it at the end.
 
The game began with Elder receiving the opening kickoff.  After a return to their own 27 yard line, the Bomber defense quickly held Elder to a three and out that resulted in an Elder punt returned to the St. Xavier 31 yard line.  The Elder defense followed suit, forcing their own three and out that resulted in a punt that Elder returned to their own 35 yard line.  On the very next snap, senior quarterback, Matthew Leubbe received the snap, faked a wide handoff to the left, and pushed vertically for a 65 yard touchdown run to open the scoring.  The point after was solid and the Panthers took a 7 - 0 lead.
 
The Bombers received the kickoff and proceeded to run six plays only to see Elder junior defensive back, Ben Deters, intercept a Bomber pass at the Elder 27 yard line and return it to the Elder 49 yard line.  The Panther offense picked up where it left off covering 51 yards ending in another Leubbe touchdown run of five yards.  The conversion was good and the Elder lead increased to 14 - 0.
 
After the ensuing kickoff, the Bomber offense too over on their own 28 yard line.  On the second play from scrimmage, senior, Tanner Perdue intercepted a Rueve pass on the St. Xavier 45 yard line.  Armed with great field position and a 14 point lead, the Panther offense went on the attack and threw a vertical pass that was well defensed by Bomber senior safety, Drew Klas.  Five plays later, Klas came up with a big interception on the St. Xavier 16 yard line to thwart another Elder score.  With :56 seconds remaining in the quarter, the Bomber offense mounted an 11 play drive that culminated in a six yard touchdown pass from Rueve to junior, Liam Clifford.  Sophomore Mason, Rohmiller converted the point after and the Elder lead was cut to seven, 14 - 7.
 
With 8:49 left in the half, Elder took over on their own 30 yard line and went on a 10 play drive that ended with senior, Sam Harmeyer converting on a 23 yard field goal.  With the score 17 - 7, the Elder kickoff landed in the endzone and the Bomber offense started on their own 20 yard line.  In three quick plays the Bombers lost three yards and had to punt.  Elder returned the punt to the Bomber 41 yard line and, once again, started with tremendous field position.  After driving to the St. Xavier 15 yard line, the Elder offense had second down and one yard to go.  On second down, senior cornerback, Wiles Dolle stopped the Panther running back for no yardage.  On third and one, junior noseguard, Gio Albanese followed suit and forced a fourth and one.  Elder elected to go for it, but the Bomber defense held strong as senior l;inebacker, Noah Taylor and Klas combined for the stop.
 
Starting with the ball on their own 15 yard line and 1:53 left in the half, the Bomber offense mounted a seven play drive that fell short when a fourth down pass fell incomplete at the goal line.  Elder took over with :17 seconds left, ran one play and the half ended with Elder holding a 17 - 7 advantage.
 
The second half opened with the Bombers receiving the opening kick off.  After a three play drive, the Bomber offense came up a yard short and was forced to punt.  The Bomber punt team came up big with a 53 yard punt that pinned the Elder offense on their own 18 yard line.  Unfortunately, it only took Elder two plays to find Leubbe finding another seam in the middle of the Bomber defense that resulted in an 83 yard touchdown run.  The kick was good and at the 9:18 mark of the third quarter, Elder led 24 - 7.
 
The Bomber offense took over on their own 39 yard line and mounted an 11 play drive that ended on the Elder 17 yard line.  The Bomber defense bounced back and forced an Elder punt that St. Xavier returned to the returned to their own 41 yard line.

The Bomber offense marched down to the Elder 32 yard line but suffered a sack on third and 10 that ended the third quarter with Elder holding a 24 - 7 lead.

The Bomber punt team opened the fourth quarter by pinning Elder at their own six yard line. Although the Elder offense managed to run eight plays out to their own 43 yard line, the Bomber defense held and forced a punt.  With 6:28 left in the game the Bomber offense started with the ball on their own 22 yard line and covered 78 yards in seven plays when Rueve scrambled for two yards and a Bomber touchdown.  Rohmiller's kick was good and the lead was cut to 10 point, 24 - 14.

The Bombers kicked off and stopped the Panthers on their own 18 yard line. After three plays and two Bomber timeouts, Elder punted with 4:35 left in the game.  The Bomber offense took over with great field position, on the Elder 41 yard line.  It took the Bomber offense nine plays to score another touchdown when Rueve found senior, Marshall Lang in the endzone with a three yard pass.  The kick was good and the Elder lead was cut to three point.

With 1:44 left in the game, senior, Joe Sullivan nearly executed a perfect onside kick that unfortunately stopped after nine yards.  The Elder offense took over on the Bomber 49 yardline and ran three plays ending with sophomore, Drew Ramsey's 45 yard run into the Bomber end zone.  The kick was good and the Elder lead was now 31 - 21.

The Bomber offense took over on their own 37 yard line with 1:44 left in the game.  With a no quit attitude, they ran nine plays that ended with another Rueve touchdown pass, this time to senior running back, Kellen Newman.  The extra point was good and the lead was, once again, cut to 3, 31 - 28 with :08 left in the game.

Although the second onside kick was recovered by Elder, the Bombers never give in attitude was exciting and refreshing to watch.  The 100th anniversary of the St. Xavier—Elder rivalry did not disappoint..  The Bombers now move on to week seven and a match up with Football North from Canada.