PRICE HILL — The St. Xavier offensive push allowed the running back tandem of Charles Kellom and Luke Vrsansky to total 131 yards and three touchdowns on the ground and key a 38-24 victory at Elder. 

In a match up of GCL South foes, Vrsansky's 36-yard dash with 1:01 to go in the game served as the final blow in a 21-point fourth quarter comeback that pushed St. Xavier's record to 2-1 and 2-0 in the conference.

"They didn't quit," head coach Steve Specht said. "This is the 19th anniversary of 9/11. People gave their lives for that. We just told them, 'You get one shot at this. You never know when it's going to be taken away from you. Deal with the rages of the gods and persevere'."

After totaling a mere 23 total yards in the 24 minutes, St. Xavier changed its approach and totaled 138 yards on 23 carries in the second half.

Down 24-17 going to the fourth, St. Xavier went to the ground game.  Kellom delivered an eight-yard touchdown run to even the game at 24-24. The St. Xavier scoring drive consisted of 13 plays over 75 yards and consumed 4:11. Kellom finished the night with 14 carries for 71 yards.

Kellom's 33-yard run on the ensuing possession set up the Bombers' 18-yard passing score across the middle from Brogan McCaughey to Lucas Cates with 5:09 remaining to take their first lead of the night, at 31-24.

Once again, it was Matthew Devine leading the Bombers defense.  The linebacker totaled eight tackles, including a quarterback sack and two tackles for loss.  Along with his 23-yard kickoff return, Giovanni Albanese collected seven stops, one sack and three tackles behind the line.

The St. Xavier defense forced a punt after another short possession.  The second errant long snap of the night resulted in a one-yard punt by Elder and gave the ball to St. Xavier on its own 39.

Nursing the lead, Vrsansky was trying for a first down with a little over a minute to go, instead, he galloped to pay dirt and set the final tally.

"We were going to center the ball and kick a field goal," Specht said. "All of a sudden that happens. That's the way to get it to the middle of the field!"

Max Bonner capped the night with a fumble recovery at the Elder 25 to seal the victory. It was the lone turnover in a tightly contested game.

After missing on six of his first seven passes, McCaughey finished 18-for-28 for 206 yards passing with two touchdowns through the air for St. Xavier.

Terrell McFarlin's 33-yard touchdown reception tied the game at 17-17 with 2:27 to go in the third quarter.  McFarlin finished with five catches for 70 yards.  Jalen Patterson led the St. Xavier receiving corps with six receptions for 48 yards.

St. Xavier fell behind early, allowing a 26-yard touchdown pass from Ben Hambleton to Scott Nieman on Elder's opening drive.  Elder (1-2, 0-2 GCL South) extended the margin to 10-0 on a 28-yard field goal with 23 seconds to go in the first quarter.

The Bombers needed Mason Rohmiller's 37-yard field try with 7:42 to play in the second quarter to cut the deficit to 10-3.  Rohmiller is 3-for-3 on the season and has been perfect on point-after tries through three games.

After forcing a punt on the ensuing Panther's possession, they marched 58 yards on nine plays capped off by Vrsansky's six-yard run to knot the score at 10-10 with 1:09 remaining in the first half.

St. Xavier returns to the gridiron next Friday at Cathedral (Ind.).  Kickoff from Indianapolis is set for 7 p.m.