Xavier High School - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Saints raise volleyball mark to 15-0

WATERLOO - The Xavier High School volleyball team raised its record to a sparkling 15-0 Tuesday night by sweeping Waterloo East, 27-25, 25-10, 25-18, in a Mississippi Valley match in Waterloo.

Charlotte Richards led the Class 4A sixth-ranked Saints with 12 kills, 10 digs and two aces. Jess Callahan and Lexi Noonan collected seven kills. Emily Jasper, Akeela Jefferson and Olivia Richards had six kills in a balanced attack at the net.

Callahan also contributed 20 assists and 10 digs. Rachel Sodawasser provided 17 assists. Olivia Richards had two blocks and Noonan had two aces.

Saints take 2nd at MVC golf meet

The Xavier Saints placed second at the Mississippi Division conference golf meet at St. Andrew's on Monday.

Linn-Mar won the seven-team meet at 318. The Saints finished two shots behind at 320.

Nile Happel of Jefferson and Drew Brandel of Linn-Mar were co-medalists at 3-over-par 75.

Brad Karpick led Xavier with a 7-over 78.

TEAM STANDINGS

1. Linn-Mar 318, 2. Xavier 320, 3. Wahlert 335, 4. Iowa City West 348, 5. Jefferson 360, 6. Waterloo West 364, 7. Waterloo East 474.

XAVIER: Brad Karpick 78, Ryan Keating 80, Nick Recker 80, Matt Neumeyer 82.

No. 1 Saints roll by Benton, 47-14

VAN HORNE - Schulte pulled Schulte from the game in the third quarter and put Schulte in at quarterback instead.

Confused? Don't be. It was just Xavier rolling to an easy victory Friday night with Coach Duane Schulte and his sons - Bryce and Quinn - helping the Saints stay perfect at 3-0.

The top-ranked Saints dumped Benton Community, 47-14, in the Class 3A district opener in Van Horne with the defense and special teams making it easy for the offense.

Xavier had three touchdown drives - if you can call them drives - of 3 yards, 4 yards and 3 yards. Another drive went 25 yards, with all those easy scores courtesy of two long punt returns and two fumble recoveries.

Maliki Wilson, who led the state in rushing when the night began, broke loose for a 49-yard touchdown in the third quarter, but he carried the ball only five times for 59 yards.

The Saints led 41-0 midway through the third quarter, which allowed Coach Schulte to rest starting quarterback Bryce Schulte and give sophomore Quinn Schulte his first snaps behind center.

Schulte was able to clear his bench in the second half for the only time this season.

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Butkowski assumes big role with Saints

Nolan Butkowski has developed into one of the top multi-sport athletes at Xavier High School in football, basketball and baseball, but he sometimes struggles to keep up with his own mother when they go for a long run.

"I always brag that I can beat her in short distances," Butkowski said with a smile before football practice this week, "but she always comes back that she can beat me in long distances."

Butkowski worked extra-hard to prepare for his final year at Xavier. That included going on four- and five-mile runs with his mother, Cori, who is an attorney and avid runner who sometimes goes nine or 10 miles, which is a little too long for her athletic son.

Butkowski's mother has been known to tease Nolan a little about that. "Yeah, a little bit," he acknowledged.

All that running, along with all his time in the weight room, have helped Butkowski fill some important roles for the Xavier football team, which is ranked No. 1 in Class 3A heading into Friday night's district opener at Benton Community.

Butkowski had a big game last Friday when the Saints defeated Linn-Mar, 45-17, at Linn-Mar Stadium. He caught three passes for 73 yards, made four solo tackles and returned an interception 33 yards to set up a touchdown.

He also caught a long touchdown pass, but the play was nullified by a penalty.

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