Metro Sports Report

The Sullivans - Barb, Dave and baby Genevieve Grace - have had a busy school year so far. Barb coached the Xavier volleyball team to the state tournament last fall. Dave is an assistant football and girls basketball coach. The football team reached the state finals and the basketball team won a state championship. Baby Genevieve was born January 29. (Photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Sullivans cherish miracles from God

Tue - 05 Mar Written by Tom Fruehling

In the past four months, Xavier coaches Barb Sullivan and husband Dave have been to the high school state tournament three times with three teams in three sports.

Meantime, they’ve become the first-time parents of one baby girl.

Taking a team to state, of course, is every coach’s goal. Snuggling a doe-eyed, dark-haired little doll like Genevieve Grace is a parent’s prize.

“Each is wonderful in a different way,” says Dave, the top assistant on the Xavier girls basketball team that won the Class 4A championship last Saturday. “Both are like miracles from God.”

One big and one small, depending on how you look at it.

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Xavier girls basketball coach Tom Lilly demonstrates his victory dance, to the delight of his team, during Monday morning's assembly at the school to honor the Class 4A state champions. The Saints won the title Saturday night in a 53-52 win over Harlan. (Photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Xavier celebrates 25th state title

Mon - 04 Mar Written by Jim Ecker

Don't be alarmed if you walk into the gym at Xavier High School and see a few people hanging from the rafters.

They'll simply be attaching another state championship banner to the ceiling, something they've done many times before at Xavier.

The Saints collected the 25th state title in the brief 15-year history of the school Saturday night when the girls basketball team won the Class 4A championship in Des Moines with a thrilling 53-52 victory over the Harlan Cyclones.

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Christianson living his soccer dream in MLS

Sun - 03 Mar Written by Jim Ecker

Ian Christianson began kicking a soccer ball around when he was a little kid. His older cousins played soccer and it seemed like fun.

"At family gatherings, I'd go out in the backyard when I was 3 or 4 years old and kind of mess around with them," said Christianson, who grew up in Cedar Rapids. "It kind of just took off from there.

"I think I started playing organized soccer when I was 5. It was pretty young."

Christianson, who turns 22 on Wednesday, is still playing the game he loves, but he's come a long way from those backyard games with his cousins. His next match will be as a professional soccer player for the New York Red Bulls in the MLS (Major League Soccer).

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Armstrong lifts amazing Saints to 4A title

Sat - 02 Mar Written by Jim Ecker

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.

A few seconds later after making the biggest field goal of her life, Armstrong tipped the ball away from Harlan's Taylor Wagner with skin-tight defense and Dickes grabbed the loose ball for the biggest steal of their lives.

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Lilly joins elite with 4th state title

Sat - 02 Mar Written by Jim Ecker

DES MOINES - Xavier Coach Tom Lilly polished his Hall of Fame credentials by winning his fourth state basketball title Saturday night.

Lilly ranks third in the 93-year history of girls basketball in Iowa with four state crowns. He trails only Scott DeJong of Ankeny (six titles) and co-head coaches Bob and Sharon Hanson of Dowling Catholic (five titles) on the all-time list with championships in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2013.

"That's pretty cool," Lilly acknowledged in his typically low-key manner.

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