Both Xavier and Prairie displayed offensive fireworks in their respective games during the opening week in high school football a week ago.

When they got together for the second game of the season on Friday night, the first half looked as if they were going to go out with a sizzle.

The two teams went back and forth, holding each other scoreless for almost two complete quarters. Then Xavier tailback Carter Valentine took his torch and started the show.

With nearly three minutes remaining in the first half, Valentine scurried for a 44-yard touchdown run that helped the 10th-ranked Saints defeat Prairie, 14-0, in a Mississippi Valley Conference game at Saints Field.

It was Xavier's second straight shutout, following a 28-0 conquest of Kennedy in Week 1.

Although Valentine was a workhorse and displayed tenacious running, he praised his offensive line for some of the school-bus size holes they were giving him.

“The offensive line did a great job making a huge hole for me to run through and I just followed them up and it was really a credit to them,” he said.

That first touchdown seemingly opened the floodgates for the Saints. With less than a minute left in the half, Valentine ran for another long score, sprinting 56 yards to put Xavier up 14-0.

“I just looked for the holes my guys up front made me and that is really all there was to it,” he said.

Valentine ran for nearly 150 yards in the first half alone, adding the two lengthy touchdown runs for the game's only points.

Xavier came out in the second half and dominated the line of scrimmage.

On the first drive of the third quarter, Xavier was in a punting situation facing fourth-and-four on its own 25-yard line. In the punting formation, the upback took a direct snap from the long snapper and lobbed a pass to a receiver downfield, gaining 24 yards and a critical first down.

The Saints then proceeded to shave a solid nine minutes off the clock with a punishing 15-play drive.

“We just tried to fire off the ball and stay on our blocks and just execute,” said Xavier Coach Duane Schulte. “They (Prairie) played really tough tonight and were stuffing the box so it was kind of hard to execute inside but we found a way.”

Prairie got the ball only once in the third quarter and was forced to a three-and-out by a stout Xavier defense.

“They are a reflection of our defensive coaches,” said Schulte. “They just play hard-nosed football and try and execute and do their job.”

The Prairie Hawks were a mere yard away from scoring a touchdown early in the second quarter when quarterback Jace Hannah dumped a shovel pass to Tristian Breyer. Breyer broke free and was scampering for the end zone when Xavier’s Jordan Weber chased him down from behind and stopped Breyer on the 1-yard line.

Three plays later Prairie fumbled and the Saints regained possession.

Prairie’s passing game was fairly effective throughout the night, with Hannah completing 11 of 20 for 210 yards, but the Xavier defensive backs made several key pass breakups.

Valentine left the game in the third quarter with an apparent cramp, but nonetheless finished with 163 yards and two scores.

Xavier travels to Dubuque Hempstead (0-2) next Friday and Prairie hosts No. 1 Cedar Falls (2-0).

XAVIER 14, PRAIRIE 0

CRX    CRP

First Downs                     17       8
Rushes-Yards              40-240    18-40
Passing                     12-19-0   11-20-0
Passing Yards                 87        207
Punt-Ave                     2-35      4-38
Fumbles                        0           1
Penalties                     1-5         8-50

Prairie      0   0   0   0    -    0

Xavier     0  14   0   0    -   14

CRX - Valentine 44 run (Chad Gilmer kick).
CRX - Valentine 56 run (Gilmer kick).

Individual Stats

Xavier
Rushing- Valentine 18-163, Cal Stovie 6-35, Matt Hansen 6-18, Nick Ball 4-12
Passing- Reggie Schulte 12-19-0 87
Receiving- Corbin Woods 4-22, Jack Boland 1-20, Kevin Hosch 2-18, Jordan Weber 2-16, Hansen 2-12, Jordan Hoffman 1-5, Valentine 1-4

Prairie
Rushing- Hannah 8-12, Breyer 5-19, Peyton Wagner 2-8, Gunner Nesbit 3-2
Passing- Hannah 11-20-0 207
Receiving- Breyer 1-75, Wagner 1-25, Cameron Rathje 2-20, Drake Brunscheen 1-12, Zach Witte 2-8, Caleb Davison 1-15, Nesbitt 1-8, Carson Goodale 1-5