Duane Schulte has gotten a quick education on the Pleasant Valley High School football team the last few days.

Films, phone calls, scouting reports.

The Xavier Saints (5-4) open the Class 4A playoffs at Pleasant Valley (7-2) Wednesday at 7 p.m. in a rematch of a 2009 playoff game.

"Based on what I've seen, Pleasant Valley is very good," Schulte said Tuesday before practice at Xavier.

Schulte has become an expert on "very good" teams this season. The Saints played a string of them in the Mississippi Valley Conference with games against Linn-Mar, Cedar Falls, Iowa City High and Iowa City West, all ranked in the top 10 when they played Xavier.

The Saints lost all four of those games, but perhaps gained something in those defeats. They competed with some of the best teams in the state and have seen just about everything by now.

"To a certain degree it gives you some kind of comfort level. I don't know to what degree exactly," Schulte said. "We stayed with these teams for a half, somewhat.

"It gives you some kind of comfort level, but it's a brand-new season with an unfamiliar opponent, and you have to get on a bus to go down there. Who knows how high school kids will react to that."

Xavier defeated Pleasant Valley, 38-21, in the opening round of the 2009 playoffs at Saints Field. There's a certain amount of familiarity, but almost all of the players have changed since that meeting two years ago.

Schulte said Pleasant Valley runs an option attack, with little passing, and the Saints haven't had to stop too many option attacks this year. "So it's a little different," he said.

The Saints had a light "walk and talk" practice with film study on Saturday, then practiced Sunday, Monday and Tuesday for their playoff game with a Mississippi Athletic Conference foe.

"It's hectic, to be honest with you," Schulte said. "There hasn't been a free minute since Friday night. And then they want you to teach six classes a day, too.

"Literally, there hasn't been a free minute. You sit down and relax for five minutes, then you think 'I should be doing something to get ready.' "

Schulte said Jordan Weber, one of Xavier's top players, is "day to day" with a sprained ankle suffered Friday night against Linn-Mar. He watched the end of that game on crutches.

"He's a little gimpy right now, but we think he can play," Schulte said. "He's a pretty tough kid."