Xavier Football

No.1 Warriors, No.1 Saints face new foes

The Washington Warriors and Xavier Saints are facing new challenges and new opponents with the advent of district competition for all the Metro football teams this year.

Both squads have fared very well so far and are ranked No. 1 in their respective classes, but more new challenges await both clubs Friday night in home games.

The Warriors entertain Ottumwa in a Class 4A district battle at Kingston Stadium and the Saints host Western Dubuque in a Class 3A district contest at Saints Field.

In other games Friday night, the Marion Indians will be hunting for their second victory of the season at Maquoketa and the Cedar Valley Huskies host Midland of Wyoming at LaSalle Middle School.

OTTUMWA at WASHINGTON

Kingston Stadium, 7:15 p.m.

Records:

Ottumwa 4-1 overall, 1-0 4A District 6
Washington 5-0 overall, 1-0 4A District 6

Read more...

Lions pop back into football rankings

The Linn-Mar Lions climbed back into the Class 4A football rankings Sunday after a one-week absence.

The Lions (4-1) blanked Waterloo East, 45-0, Friday night and are ranked 10th by the Des Moines Register. Linn-Mar visits Kennedy at Kingston Stadium Thursday night.

The Washington Warriors (5-0) kept their No.1 ranking in the Class 4A poll with a 42-21 conquest of Muscatine. The Warriors host Ottumwa Friday night.

The Xavier Saints (4-1) remained No. 1 in Class 3A with a 49-6 cakewalk by Maquoketa. The Saints host Western Dubuque Friday night.

The other top-ranked teams are Clear Lake in Class 2A, Iowa City Regina in Class 1A, Maquoketa Valley in Class A and Fremont-Mills in Eight-Player.

CLASS 4A

1. Washington (5-0), 2. Bettendorf (5-0), 3. West Des Moines Valley (4-1), 4. Dowling (4-1), 5. Waukee (4-1), 6. Sioux City East (5-0), 7. Johnston (4-1) 8. Hempstead (4-1), 9. North Scott (4-1), 10. Linn-Mar (4-1).

CLASS 3A

1. Xavier (4-1), 2. Pella (5-0), 3. West Delaware (5-0), 4. Solon (4-1), 5. Waverly-Shell Rock (4-1), 6. Sioux City Heelan (4-1), 7. Carroll (5-0), 8. Gilbert (4-1), 9. Carlisle (4-1), 10. Newton (4-1).

No. 1 Saints roll by Maquoketa

It may seem simplistic, but Xavier Coach Duane Schulte says you seldom know how a game’s going to turn out until you start to play.

“You never know what to expect,” the highly successful 21-year veteran said Friday night after his powerhouse Saints mauled undermanned Maquoketa, 49-6.

A jam-packed home crowd and a trickling of Maquoketa fans found out soon enough how this one was going to play out when Xavier (4-1, 3-0) scored quickly on its first possession and let never let up.

The Saints also made touchdowns on the next six times they touched the ball and mercifully punted for the first time on a fourth down they could have easily made as the first half ended.

Cardinal Coach Kevin Bowman said afterward he figured the game was lost before his boys even stepped off the bus to face Xavier, which is ranked No. 1 in Class 3A.

Read more...

Warriors jump to top in 4A football

The people who vote in the high school football polls have been keeping a keen eye on the Washington Warriors all season.

The Warriors began the year in the No.3 spot in the Class 4A poll in the Des Moines Register rankings. Then they climbed to No. 2 and now they're sitting all alone at the top of the poll after demolishing then-No. 9 Linn-Mar, 43-3, Friday night.

Washington got some help in the rankings Friday night from the Lombardi family. Rocky Lombardi, the son of former Washington coach Tony Lombardi, passed for 206 yards and two touchdowns as West Des Moines Valley upset Dowling Catholic, 24-21, an outcome that knocked Dowling out of the No. 1 spot in the poll and opened the door for the Warriors.

Read more...