Cedar Rapids Xavier Coach Amir Hadzic always aims high with the Xavier High School boys soccer program.

The Saints won Class 2A state titles in 2010 and 2011, and Hadzic sees no reason why they cannot compete for another championship this year.

"We go into every year with certain goals, and one of our goals is to go to state and win it," he said after Xavier played in the Metro Jamboree at Kingston Stadium on Thursday.

"That's where playing in the rough-and-tough Mississippi Valley Conference helps a lot," he said. "You play those big teams and a grueling schedule, and when it comes to the state tournament you're always ready.

"I have a good feeling," he remarked.

Most of the MVC schools compete at the Class 3A level, but the Saints are a Class 2A team for postseason competition.

Xavier was ranked No.3 in the preseason poll this week behind Dubuque Wahlert and Norwalk, two other perennial powers. Hadzic does not put much stock in preseason polls, but he thinks No.3 could be a good spot to begin the year.

"I like us to go in a little bit as an underdog and have a chip on our shoulder rather than constantly being No.1," he said. "If we play as we expect and if we stay healthy, I think we'll be there when it matters at the end of May and early June."

The Saints finished with an 8-9-1 record last season and were bounced from the state tournament in the quarterfinals by Norwalk.

Xavier lost key seniors in Chad Gilmer, Logan Buschette, Tom Bales and Josh Steffensmeier, but the bulk of the team returns. "There are three or four guys that we'll definitely miss, but the core is back," said Hadzic.

Hadzic likes his team's depth, experience and leadership. He mentioned Isaac Frisch and Eli Smith as the top offensive weapons on the club.

"They will be the primary targets for us," he said.

He's not sure where the rest of the punch will come from. "That's probably our most unknown," he remarked. "It's up to some other guys to step up."

Hadzic likes the leadership so much that he's named six captains: Frisch, Smith, Bryan Curphey, Colin Gunn, Alex Haag and Daniel Cowden.

Frisch scored two goals in the state finals in 2010 as a freshman when the Saints won the title. "So you know he's kind of ready to go out with a big bang," said Hadzic.

Xavier dominated its 40-minute match against Solon in the jamboree, but the game ended in a scoreless tie.

Prairie blanked Center-Point Urbana (2-0), Jefferson tied Mount Vernon (1-1), Kennedy defeated Marion (5-0), Iowa City West topped Linn-Mar (3-0) and Washington had a scoreless tie with Iowa City High.