Xavier High School - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Saints ousted by Norwalk in shootout

Thu - 31 May Written by Jim Ecker

DES MOINES -- Logan Buschette scored a goal for Cedar Rapids Xavier in the Class 2A state soccer tournament Thursday afternoon during the PK shootout, but the Saints lost to Norwalk and his injury-plagued career came to a disappointing end in Des Moines.

Buschette picked up his crutches and went home.

Buschette tore the meniscus in his left knee in a substate match against DeWitt Central on May 23 and needs surgery, but he missed the 2010 state tournament with a torn ACL and wasn't about to skip another one.

He played sparingly during Thursday's game, wearing a heavy brace on his knee, but Xavier Coach Amir Hadzic selected him to shoot first in the PK shootout after the teams battled to a 1-1 draw after 100 minutes of soccer.

Buschette made his goal to give the Saints a 1-0 lead in the shootout, but Norwalk won the shootout 5-4 and captured the match on a chilly, rainy, gloomy day at the Cownie Soccer Park.

"It's not fun," said Buschette, a senior. "This is my last game ever, so not fun at all."

Share

Last Updated on Thursday, 31 May 2012 23:28

Xavier holds off Davenport West

Wed - 30 May Written by Don Taylor

Bases loaded with two outs and the home-team Saints have a one-run lead in the top of the seventh.

Zach Brown is facing Vinny Cannavo, Davenport West’s leadoff man and best hitter. Strike one, strike two, strike three, ballgame.

Xavier withstood three seventh-inning errors to eke out an 8-7 victory Wednesday night at Ken Charipar Field.

“I had only thrown three innings this year until coming in to pitch tonight,” said Brown. “I just had to concentrate on throwing strikes and pitch to contact.”

Brown pitched 2 2/3 innings in relief, giving up no hits and striking out two, none bigger than the final out of the evening.

Cannavo and Nolan Clark had back-to-back doubles off Adam Pick in West’s two-run first inning, but Corbin Woods got one of those back with a solo blast in the bottom of the inning.

Xavier came back in the bottom of the second with a three-run blast by Ryan Meaney and added three more in the third, capped by an RBI single by Meaney. Brown drove in the final run in the fourth with an RBI single.

Share

Last Updated on Wednesday, 30 May 2012 23:36

Martin makes triumphant return for Saints

Wed - 30 May Written by Tom Fruehling

The last time Xavier junior Lucy Martin played a soccer game, her dad, Dennis, carried her off the field while her mom, Pam started the family car to drive her to the hospital.

Midway through the second half of the season opener April 3 against Prairie, the starting middle fielder landed wrong on her left foot during a tussle for the ball and tore a ligament in her knee.

It was feared she would be lost for the season to a team that was depending on her defensive skills to defend the Class 2A state title it has won six years in a row.

Martin returned to the lineup for the first time Tuesday in a Class 2A regional semifinal with Marion. And she showed that she’s not only back to full speed, but she may be better than ever.

Switched to forward for the night by Coach Doug Graham to give her plenty of action with less risk of injury, she scored three goals in the Saints’ abbreviated 10-0 romp over the woefully overmatched Indians at the Xavier field.

She said it’s the first time she’s been in a scorer’s position since she was a little kid in club soccer.

“It just felt great to be playing again,” she said. “I was hoping I’d be able to help the team get back to state.

“They’ve been doing fine without me. And all of my teammates have been so supportive in helping me come back.”

Fellow junior Kayla Anderson, who scored four goals of her own Monday in the lopsided victory, said it was good to see Martin at full strength.

“We’re really happy to have her back for the rest of the season," Anderson said. "All year our whole team has really dedicated themselves to helping each other and pushing each other to get to where we want to be. It’s been a team effort.”

Martin said her injury, though serious, did not require surgery. “It was self-healing,” she said, “with a lot of physical therapy.”

Share

Last Updated on Wednesday, 30 May 2012 11:33

Saints in line for a 3-peat

Sat - 26 May Written by Jake Koolbeck

Defending champion Xavier is kicking it into high gear just in time.

The Saints found their game at the right time, carrying late-season momentum into the postseason.

"It’s huge to get to get a couple wins at the end of the season and keep riding that momentum,” Xavier senior Chad Gilmer said. “Each day we got better and better. At the end is where it counts.”

Xavier has passed part one. The Saints are going back to defend their Class 2A state title after a 4-0 win Saturday afternoon against the 13th-ranked Benton Bobcats.

Share