Xavier High School - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Saints snap 3-game losing streak, 19-13

After starting the 2011 season with three straight wins, the Cedar Rapids Xavier football team hit a rut.

The Saints lost to No. 2 Iowa City High, No. 1 Cedar Falls and No. 9 Iowa City West in consecutive weeks. Even though most teams couldn’t win those three games, much less one of them, the Saints wanted to get back to playing Xavier football.

On Friday night, Xavier got back to its style of play with a vengeance.

The Saints pounded the ball between the tackles with tailback Carter Valentine, played stifling defense and topped Waterloo East, 19-13, at Saints Field.

From the opening kickoff, the Saints were in control as they dominated the line of scrimmage.

“Yeah, we definitely wanted to make a statement coming into the game and I think for the most part we executed pretty well,” said Valentine.

That statement was made loud and clear when Valentine posted 170 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. He finished with 225 yards.

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Iowa City West sprints past Saints, 49-19

Someone should tell the Iowa City West football team that the high school track season doesn’t start until the Spring.

Or, maybe not.

Led by quarterback Charles Rogers and speedy wideout Mondo Williams, the ninth-ranked Trojans sprinted past Xavier 49-19 at the West High Field on Friday night.

“Speed was a big factor,” said Xavier Coach Duane Schulte. “They have a bunch of really good athletes.”

Rogers, who recently committed to play football at Iowa State, was stellar. He went 10-of-15 through the air with 239 yards passing and three scores. He also made some big plays with his feet, adding 76 yards rushing and another touchdown.

“Rogers is really good,” said Schulte. “I mean he is a Division I athlete going on a full ride to Iowa State and everybody here tonight saw that he is pretty good.”

Rogers also received some help from his offensive buddies. Williams, a receiver, is almost as electrifying as the bright neon yellow socks he wears at games.

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Xavier claims Valley division golf crown

Xavier boys golf coach Tim O'Brien says the Saints have a championship banner from the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet in 2001, but he's not aware of any other golf pennants at the school.

There will be now.

Xavier turned in a solid performance at Airport National Tuesday and captured the Valley Division title in the MVC by 13 strokes over Cedar Falls.

"We came in with a 13-stroke lead over Cedar Falls and ended today with a 13-stroke lead over Cedar Falls," O'Brien noted. "I was really pleased that we held serve with them."

The Mississippi Valley Conference determines its divisonal golf champions with a series of three meets at three different courses on three different days. The Saints emerged on top.

"I'm just proud as punch," said O'Brien, in his fifth year as Xavier's head coach. "I'm pretty happy.

"It's something we've been working toward. Each year the kids seemed to have gotten a little better."

Xavier placed five of its golfers in the top-9 in the overall standings to dominate the all-conference teams. Jason Beer finished second with a 54-hole total of 212, followed by J.P. King (fourth), Matt Junge (fifth), Rob Thinnes (seventh) and Ben Sagers (ninth).

Beer, King and Junge made first team all-conference, while Thinnes and Sagers were second team all-conference.

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Saints get 1-2 punch to the kisser

There's no truth to the rumor that Xavier High School is going to put the Oklahoma Sooners and Green Bay Packers on their schedule.

Cedar Falls and Iowa City High have been tough enough.

The Saints took another punch to the face Friday night when Barkley Hill and the top-ranked Cedar Falls Tigers socked them, 27-7, in a Mississippi Valley Conference game at Xavier.

The Saints got walloped by No.2 Iowa City High, 52-24, last week, giving them a rough 1-2 uppercut in two straight weeks.

"They're both great teams," Xavier Coach Duane Schulte said. "They've both got great players and they both have great coaches."

Hill slashed for 219 yards and two touchdowns as he continued his remarkable campaign. He's eclipsed 200 yards in all five games this season and has rushed for 1,135 yards and 21 TDs, giving him an average of 227 yards per contest.

"Oh, he's terrific. He's terrific. I think he's got two more years of eligibility!" joked Cedar Falls co-coach Pat Mitchell, engaging in some wishful thinking. "He had a big night again. Super back."

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