Xavier Girls Basketball

Saints will be honored Monday at school

DES MOINES - The Xavier girls basketball team that won the Class 4A state title Saturday night will be honored at the high school Monday morning.

There will be a ceremony at 7:45 a.m. in the school gym. The public is invited.

Armstrong lifts amazing Saints to 4A title

DES MOINES - Tom Lilly hugged Kayla Armstrong and Sarah Dickes for so long Saturday night it seemed like he might never let go.

All three of them embraced tightly, smiled some of the happiest smiles you've ever seen and fought back tears of sheer delight.

Armstrong, the All-American girl, turned in another sensational performance and scored the winning basket with nine seconds left as Xavier edged Harlan, 53-52, for the Class 4A state basketball title at Wells Fargo Arena.

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Singing Saints will be swinging for 4A title

DES MOINES - Tom Lilly feels like he's got 13 daughters on the Xavier High School basketball team. He loves them all, but sometimes they drive him to distraction.

Take their singing, for instance. They sing before games, they sing after games, they sing on the team bus.

They even sang in the interview room at Wells Fargo Arena Thursday night after they beat No.1 Heelan in the semifinals of the Class 4A state tournament, but they were urged into that performance by a television guy and should not be held accountable.

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Saints stun Heelan, earn shot at title

DES MOINES - Kayla Armstrong and the Xavier Saints shocked the No.1 team in the state Thursday night.

Now the surging Saints will try to claim the No.1 tag for themselves when they play for the Class 4A state basketball title Saturday night at Wells Fargo Arena.

Armstrong played the game of her life Thursday as the Saints stunned Sioux City Bishop Heelan, 68-57, in the semifinals with a wire-to-wire performance.

Armstrong poured in a career-high 22 points, collected seven assists, grabbed seven rebounds and made five steals with a relentless effort that would have left the Energizer Bunny gasping for air.

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