Xavier High School - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

J-Hawks falter without Ollinger

In high-energy sports like basketball, you can compete for only so long on adrenaline alone.

In their first game without their star player Friday night at home, the Jefferson girls played their hearts out in the first half against Xavier.

Then they simply ran out of gas.

Ahead for the opening 12 minutes, the short-handed J-Hawks trailed just 18-15 at the hallway point. But as they sagged from then on, the surging Saints picked up steam and won going away, 50-22.

Jefferson (5-4, 4-2 MVC) managed only five points from center Kennedy Dighton and two from point guard Avery Guy in the second 16 minutes.

They desperately needed 6-foot-2 all-stater Amanda Ollinger, who left the team two days ago and will transfer to Linn-Mar.

“I thought the girls played great during that first half,” said even-tempered Jefferson Coach Jason Edwards. “We were moving the ball, and we knocked down some shots.”

But with just six girls (all juniors and sophomores) facing the relentless pressure of Xavier’s patented pressing defense, they could not sustain the momentum.

Longtime Xavier Coach Tom Lilly said his squad knew what to expect coming into the contest.

“Jefferson came out with a lot of energy and enthusiasm,” he noted. “Missing their best player, they wanted to tell the world.‘Hey, we don’t need her.’

Read more...

Winker leads Saints over J-Hawks

Calvin Winker had 21 points to lead the Xavier boys basketball team to a 71-45 win over Jefferson on Friday at Xavier.

The Saints led 16-9 after the first quarter and 34-19 at halftime. Xavier (2-3) also made nine 3-point goals.

Mitchell Burger added 11 points for the Saints, and Tim Otting had nine points.

Valentino Green had 12 points to lead the J-Hawks (0-6), and Lucas Larson had 11 points.

JEFFERSON (45): Wiederin 0 0-0 0, Galvin 0 0-0 0, McCauley 0 0-0 0, webb 1 1-2 3, Van Oort 3 2-3 8, Davidson 0 0-0 0, Larson 5 1-2 11, Szabo 0 2-2 2, Konigsmark 0 0-0 0, Hall 2 0-0 4, Kramer 1 0-0 3, Furrow 1 0-0 2, Hunt 0 0-0 0, Green 5 2-4 12. Totals 18 8-13 45.

XAVIER (71): Mims 3 0-0 6, Burger 4 3-5 11, Ramlo 2 2-2 7, Klostermann 1 0-0 3, Welch 0 0-0 0, Whitten 1 0-0 3, Downey 2 0-0 6, Winker 7 4-4 21, Stulken 0 0-1 0, Clasen 0 0-0 0, Otting 4 1-3 9, Brems 2 0-0 5. Totals 26 10-15 71.

Halftime – Xavier 34, Jefferson 19. 3-point goals – Jefferson 1 (Kramer), Xavier 9 (Winker 3, Downey 2, Ramlo, Klostermann, Whitten, Brems).

Gerke, Lembeck get pins for Saints

DUBUQUE - Josh Gerke and Clint Lembeck collected pins for the Xavier Saints Thursday night in a 47-24 loss  to Dubuque Wahlert in a Mississippi Valley Conference dual meet in Dubuque.

Thomas Pudil and Camden Chicchelly won decisions for Xavier. The Saints forfeited five matches, giving Wahlert 30 free points.

WAHLERT 47, XAVIER 24

285 - Thomas Pudil (X) dec. Drew Lenz, 2-1
106 - Jeff Vipond (X) won by forfeit
113 - Tristan Birt (W) won by forfeit
120 - Connor Lange (W) won by forfeit
126 - Matt Wigginton (W) won by forfeit
132 - Josh Gerke (X) pinned Doindre Larose, 1:35
138 - Clint Lembeck (X) pinned Anthony Dudek, 2:58
145 - Camden Chicchelly (X) dec. Grant Oberfoell, 7-5
152 - Ike McDermott (W) pinned Brant Charipar, 2:25
160 - Andrew Turner (W) won by forfeit
170 - Myles Wernimont (W) dec. Ryan Williams, 10-4
182 - Riley Hasken (W) major dec. Sam Meyers, 10-1
195 - John Patrick (W) won by forfeit
220 - Dylan Olson (W) major dec. Alex Francois, 11-2

Metro girls teams drop in rankings

Linn-Mar dropped down, Xavier dropped down and Kennedy dropped out.

That was the story Thursday afternoon when the IGHSAU released the new girls basketball rankings.

The Linn-Mar Lions dropped from No. 6 to No. 8 in Class 5A following their first loss. The Xavier Saints fell from No. 13 to No. 14 in Class 4A, and the Kennedy Cougars fell completely out of the Class 5A rankings after being ranked No. 10 a week ago.

Waukee topped the 5A poll and Harlan led the 4A rankings.

CLASS 5A

1. Waukee (4-0), 2. West Des Moines Valley (6-0), 3. Dowling (5-2), 4. Iowa City West (7-0), 5. Southeast Polk (4-1), 6. Johnston (5-1), 7. Iowa City High (6-1), 8. Linn-Mar (5-1), 9. Ankeny Centennial (3-2), 10. Cedar Falls (6-1).

CLASS 4A

1. Harlan (3-0), 2. North Scott (6-0), 3. Western Dubuque (5-0), 4. Ballard (7-0), 5. Sioux City Heelan (3-0), 6. Carlisle (6-1) 7. Perry (5-2), 8. Keokuk (6-0), 9. Waverly-Shell Rock (6-0), 10. Davenport Assumption (3-3), 11. Indianola (5-2), 12. Lewis Central (6-1), 13. Davenport North (6-0), 14. Xavier (4-3), 15. Pella (5-2).