Xavier High SchoolSports14

Saints sweepingThe Xavier boys’ soccer team

has been fighting through the weather as the season continues. On Monday, April 8, the Saints played Dubuque Hempstead in a Mississippi Valley Conference game at the Saints’ home field. Senior captains Eli Smith, Daniel Cowden, and Isaac Frisch each scored one goal for the team along with senior Drew McGraw getting one as well. Paul Cavin and Nick Huss each made two saves for the team which helped the Saints come out with a 4-0 shutout. The team competed against Iowa City High on Saturday, April 13 at Xavier. In the 34th minute of the game, Frisch scored off of Cowden’s assist to make the score 1-0. In the last minutes of the game, City High scored to tie the game up at 1-1. The teams went into overtime and in the sixth minute, City High scored to defeat the Saints 2-1.

On Tuesday, April 16, the Saints swept Cedar Rapids Jefferson 3-0. Frisch scored two goals against the J-Hawks: one assist from Cowden and another from sophomore Connor Ramlo. Eli Smith also added one more goal to the scoreboard from a crossed ball

from Frisch. “Our team chemistry is really great this season. We are training well and working hard in practices. However, I think we really need to improve our communication on the field,” senior captain Alex Haag said.

The Saints have been forced to practice indoors several times due to rain and field conditions outdoors. The Saints were scheduled to play Dubuque Wahlert in Dubuque on Thursday, April 18, but the game was postponed and will be made up at a later date. The team was also planning on playing three games on Saturday, April 20 at Tuma Soccer Complex, however, the field conditions were not dry enough and those games were cancelled as well. “The weather has made it quite difficult to get in good practices. Thirty guys in one gym is tough; however, it has definitely forced us to work on our conditioning and get us in better shape,” Ramlo said. The Saints played Iowa City High on Tuesday, April 23 in Iowa City. The Saints are scheduled to play Waterloo West at 4:15 tonight at Xavier.

The Xavier girls’ soccer team, despite battling tough weather conditions, has continued to find success early this season.

“We’ve been having to practice indoors a lot already this season so it’s been frustrating not being able to get outside a lot, but being in a small gym helps us work on our cardio and passing,” senior Sammi Shepard said.

The girls played at Iowa City High on April 11. Senior captain Kayla Armstrong scored the team’s two goals in a 2-1 win. The Saints played at Cedar Rapids Jefferson on April 16. Armstrong and Shepard scored a goal

apiece in a 2-0 Xavier win. Shepard and junior Marisa Berutti had assists.

The girls’ next game that was scheduled to take place on April 18 at home against Dubuque Wahlert was postponed due to weather. The Saints’ game against Bettendorf last Saturday was played at Prairie due to weather damage to Xavier’s field. Berutti and Armstrong each had a goal as the Saints beat Class 3A sixth-ranked Bettendorf 2-0. With the win, the Saints are 4-0 on the year and are on pace for another State title run.

“We’re really working hard to prepare for State this year. We have great coaches and captains who help us highlight what needs work on a game-by-game basis, and then we focus on that until the next game. It’s a great system, and we’ve really seen improvement so far. I’m confident that if we continue to work at this level we’ll be ready for State,” senior Monica Busse said.

The girls played Tuesday at home against Class 3A seventh-ranked Iowa City West and April 25 at Waterloo West.

Saints off to 4-0 start

Rain has not stopped top-ranked girls golfersDespite the rainy start to the girls’

golf season, they are still 8-0 after three meets and currently ranked first in 4A. “As a team we would like to go to State and place first in our division,” junior Grace Winker said.

The Saints played their first meet on April 8 at Jones Park Golf Course. The Saints dominated the triangular, winning by 36 strokes over second place Prairie. Junior Maddie Bertsch was the meet medalist shooting a 42. On April 10, the team competed again in a quadrangular at Twin Pines. Bertsch led the Saints by shooting a 39 and earning another meet medal. This was a closer meet, but the team still won by nine strokes over Dubuque Senior.

Xavier’s most recent meet was another quadrangular on April 16 at Gates Park in Waterloo. Xavier stood on top again, and Winker was Junior Maddie Bertsch takes a shot during a meet. Hailey

Sojka Photo.

Kyle D’MelloSports Writer

Lizzy McWhinneySports Writer

Alex FoxSports Writer

the meet medalist after shooting a 39. “We have started the year off

very well, and we have kept most of our scores in the low 40’s. If we keep this up and work hard we will do great this season,” Bertsch said.

The team was scheduled to golf on April 17 in the CRANDIC meet, but it was postponed due to inclement weather. The meet will be made up on May 1, hosted by Washington High School at Gardner.

The Saints will compete again April 24 and 25 in Linn-Mar’s invitationals at Hunters Ridge. Following that meet, the girls will compete on April 29 in the MVC Super Meet at Pheasant Ridge.

Right: Senior Sarah Dickes advances the ball down field. Megan Lynch Photo.