Linn-Mar High School - Marion, Iowa

Xavier is host site for Metro tourney

Xavier is one of two host sites for the 48th annual Bob Vrbicek Metro Tournament, which kicks off the high school baseball season for the  Saints, the other six schools in the Cedar Rapids Metro and Mount Vernon.

Xavier Coach Bob Cataldo's team, which finished last season at  12-23-1, will host Marion at 7 p.m. on Monday, following the 5 p.m.  contest between Jefferson and Washington at Ken Charipar Field.

Prairie is the other host site. Coach Todd Rima's Hawks, the defending Class 4A state champions, face a tough opener against traditional power Kennedy at 7 p.m. following a 4:30 p.m. contest between Mount Vernon and Linn-Mar.

Semifinal and consolation round games are set for Tuesday. The championship and third-place games will be Wednesday at Veterans Memorial Stadium with the fifth and seventh-place games to be played at Xavier.

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Saints drop thriller to Lions

The Xavier boys soccer team was short-handed Tuesday night with two of its top players unable to play against Linn-Mar, but there was nothing short-handed about their spirit and determination.

The Saints fell to the Lions, 2-1, in a marathon PK shootout that took nine players to decide at Linn-Mar Stadium.

Xavier is ranked No. 2 in Class 2A and Linn-Mar is ranked No. 16 in  Class 3A, but there wasn't much difference between the two Mississippi Valley Conference powers on a drizzly night in Marion.

Thomas Bean, who leads the Saints in scoring, had to serve a one-game suspension after receiving a red card in Xavier's last match against Cedar Rapids Washington when he said something to a friend on the Washington team that apparently was misinterpreted by an official.

Will Hannigan, the No. 3 scorer for the Saints, missed the match with an injury suffered last week against Iowa City West, taking another top player off the field.

The Saints simply shuffled a few players around and came within a whisker of winning the match.

"We stretched as much as we could in the game," said Xaiver Coach Amir Hadzic. "We had as many open looks as Linn-Mar had. Too bad those  shots - Luke's particularly - didn't go in. That's a hard deal."

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No. 12 Xavier girls kick No. 12 Lions

The Xavier Saints won the battle of 12th-ranked girls soccer teams Tuesday at Xavier.

The Saints trimmed Linn-Mar, 2-1, on a goal by Elena Minor with three minutes left in the match.

Xavier is ranked No. 12 in Class 2A and Linn-Mar is ranked No. 12 in Class 3A.

Linn-Mar took a 1-0 lead with about 10 minutes left in the first half and it stayed that way at halftime.

Peyton Sadilek tied the game for the Saints, 1-1, in the 60th minute and Minor provided the game-winner in the latter stages of the match.

Xavier boys downed by L-M netters

Junior Ben Hediger of Linn-Mar clipped Jon Lansing, 6-3, 6-3, at No. 1  singles Tuesday as the Lions defeated the Xavier Saints, 8-1, in a  Mississippi Valley Conference tennis meet at Xavier.

Calvin Ford of Xavier rallied for a 0-6, 7-6, 10-7 verdict over Jackson Eells at No. 5 singles.

LINN-MAR 8, XAVIER 1
Singles

1. Ben Hediger (LM) def. Jon Lansing, 6-3, 6-3
2. Lucas Huffman (LM) def. Alex Hinrichs, 6-2, 6-0
3. Zach Glanz (LM) def. Charlie Esker, 6-3, 6-0
4. Jack Gertsen (LM) def. Blake Magill, 6-3, 6-3
5. Calvin Ford (XAV) def. Jackson Eells, 0-6, 7-6, 10-7
6. Michael McGrew (LM) def. Curt Lengemann, 6-1, 7-5

Doubles

1. Hediger/Huffman (LM) def. Lansing/Esker, 6-3, 6-4
2. Glanz/Gertsen (LM) def. Hinrichs/Ryan Jasper, 6-2, 6-0
3. Eells/McGrew (LM) def. Ford/Wes Johnson, 6-1, 6-1