Xavier High School - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Kara Zwanziger of Cedar Rapids Xavier draws back to fire a shot across the net during a match against Cedar Rapids Prairie on Tuesday night. Xavier won, 3-0. (Photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Xavier spikers enjoy Senior Night

Tue - 15 Oct Written by Tom Fruehling

On Cedar Rapids Xavier Volleyball Senior Night, the eight upperclassmen on the 11-woman squad were determined to go out on a high note.

“This was our last regular-season home game,” outside hitter Kasey Vanden Bosch said after the Saints throttled Prairie, 3-0. “It made it a little bit more special.”

Fellow senior and middle blocker Kara Zwanziger agreed.

“We knew Prairie was good. They've beaten some good teams,” she said. “But we came out with a lot of energy, and I thought we kept up our energy all the way.”

Both girls were solid at the net all night.

Besides taking the brunt of blocks on Prairie's twin tower sisters Meghan and Kaitlyn Busswitz, they picked up more than their usual share of kills. Vanden Bosch notched eight of them for the night and Zwanziger seven.

Share

Last Updated on Wednesday, 16 October 2013 11:09

Cedar Rapids Xavier head volleyball coach Krista Johnson (right) gives directions to Britni Scholtes before she heads back onto the court for a recent match. Johnson, 33, attended Cedar Rapids Jefferson, where she was a star athlete. (Photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Sports opened doors for Krista Johnson

Sun - 13 Oct Written by Tom Fruehling

It's long been a tradition at the all-day Westside Volleyball tournament at Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School for each of the 20-some teams to set up camp on the floor throughout the hallways.

Trophy cases line both sides of the hall outside the old east gym. And it was by sheer coincidence Saturday that the Cedar Rapids Xavier girls spread blankets and stacked supplies right under a display honoring the 1996 J-Hawk volleyball squad.

Behind the glass is a big trophy the team earned by finishing runner-up to powerful Dubuque Wahlert in the state tournament and a large color photo of the smiling players.

Standing tall above the rest in the back row of the picture is Krista Johnson, a star junior outside hitter and now the first-year coach of the Class 4A fourth-ranked Xavier Saints.

The meet on Saturday was a homecoming of sorts for the 33-year-old Johnson, her first time coaching a team from a rival school on the very floor where she started her career.

Share

Last Updated on Sunday, 13 October 2013 23:19

Saints climb one spot to 8th

Sun - 13 Oct Written by Metro Sports Report

The Cedar Rapids Xavier Saints climbed one spot to No.8 in the Class 4A football rankings Sunday in the Des Moines Register poll.

Xavier (6-1) defeated Waterloo West, 40-14, Friday night.

West Des Moines Dowling is No.1 in Class 4A, followed by Pleasant Valley, Ames, Waukee and Iowa City High.

Sioux City Heelan is ranked No.1 in Class 3A, Waukon is No.1 in Class 2A, Iowa City Regina is No.1 in Class 1A, BGM is No.1 in Class A and Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballtown is No.1 in Eight-Player.

Share

Last Updated on Sunday, 13 October 2013 22:54

Saints get revenge against Indians

Sat - 12 Oct Written by Tom Fruehling

In the third match of the year between ranked Class 4A Metro teams, Xavier topped Marion Saturday afternoon in the championship bracket consolation round of the Westside Volleyball Invitational at Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

Powerhouse Dike-New Hartford won the 21-team tournament by going 4-0 and beating Dubuque Hempstead in the finals, 25-17, 25-19.

Along with Linn-Mar, which lost to DNH in the semifinals, Xavier and Marion both went 2-0 in the morning pool play to advance into the championship bracket.

Share