March 28, 2013 Sports 15

General DentistryIncluding

Orthodontics

Speedy Saints finish indoor seasonThe Xavier boys’ track team

has started this season on a strong note. The team has participated in two indoor meets and hopes to continue their success from last year. Xavier returns some key athletes including senior sprinters Nick Steingreaber Trey Sampson, and Cal Stovie, junior sprinter Miles Sullivan, and senior discus and shot put thrower Craig Murtha. Last year Murtha placed fifth in State in discus and has high hopes for this year. “This year I want to score points for the team, and I want to finish in the top three at State for discus,” Murtha said. Sampson, Steingreaber, and Stovie also participated in State last year.

Xavier’s first meet was the Demon Indoor in the University of Iowa Recreation Center on

March 7. Steingreaber placed first out of 104 kids in the 60 meter dash, running it in 6.98 seconds. Murtha placed fourth in the shot put with a distance of 49.5 meters. Then the team traveled to Ames to compete in the ISU Classic on March 12. This meet was the last indoor meet for the Saints this year. In this meet Nick Steingreaber came out on top again with a victory in the 60 meter dash. He ran the 60 meters in 7.02 seconds, beating out the second place runner by five-hundredths of a second. Then Steingreaber helped the 4x100 relay team pick up a win. The team also consisted of Sullivan, Sampson, and freshman Nick Stark. “Its been exciting to see success this early in the season and that all the hard work and rehab in the off-season

has finally paid off. I have enjoyed this year so far with this great group of guys,” Steingreaber said.

The Saints were also supposed to participate in the Washington Relays on March 21, but it was postponed due to inclement weather. The Saints will compete again on Tuesday, April 2 at the Hollingsworth Relays at Iowa City West.

Kyle D’melloSports Writer

Senior Nick Steingreaber sprints along side fellow Cedar Rapidian, Will Griffin from Cedar Rapids Washington at the 2012 State meet. Mona O’Brien Photo

The Xavier girls’ track team opened their 2013 season March 4 at the Demon Indoor girls’ track meet at the University of Iowa Recreation Center. The team had two individuals place in the top ten. Sophomore Carlie Jurgens placed fifth in the 400 and junior Molly Breitbach finished ninth in the 60 meter dash.

The girls’ distance medley relay consisted of senior Audrey Richards, junior Allison Schwach, sophomore Jennifer Sigmon, and Jurgens took 11th place. The team then competed in the Iowa State High School Indoor Classic. The Saints 4x100 relay team took 11th place and sophomore Kayla Torson placed 18th in the 400. Xavier competed in their last indoor meet of the season March 12 at the Mississippi Valley Conference indoor track meet in the UNI-Dome. Senior Allison

Pitz placed seventh in 1500 meter run and Meghan Joens took seventh in the shot put.

“We did fine in the indoor season, and it was a good chance to see where we can make improvements. Our goals this season are to mesh as a team and get a lot of events to state,” Schwach said.

The team will look for leadership this season from the only two seniors on the team, Allison Pitz and Audrey Richards. “We’ve decided to start team bonding which is new this year to try to become closer as a team,” Richards said.

The Saints raced in their first outdoor meet of the season Tuesday in the Steve Sherwood Relays at Iowa City High. The girls’ next meet is April 2 at Iowa City West.

Alex FoxSports Writer

Eight would be great

Boys’ Girls’

The seven time defending State champion Xavier girls’ soccer team is back to protect their title. New head coach and former Xavier State champion, Bailey Dorrington, and her senior captains (Sarah Dickes, Kayla Armstrong, Sammi Shepard) are looking to continue the success they have had in recent years.

“We are trying to mentor those underclassmen below us so we can become one team. Bailey is going to be a great coach. She is going to be a lot more organized and our practices are going to have a central focus,” Armstrong said.

Practice started Monday, March 18 during Xavier’s spring break.

In the last nine years Xavier has had two coaches and eight state championships. The girls first compete Tuesday, April 2 at the pre-season Jamboree at Kingston in Cedar Rapids.

The Saints have ten returning seniors this year. “I am really excited for the senior leadership this year. They have all had a lot of experience and have

a huge impact on the team,” sophomore Lizzy Bailey said.

The Xavier girls’ regular season kicks off Thursday, April 8 at Dubuque Hempstead. “The girls’ soccer team is looking to come together to achieve success...but success is not always measured by the score at the end of the game. If the girls on all three teams grow physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, always knowing they are playing for each other rather than themselves, we have achieved success as a program,” assistant coach Emily Moses said.

Connor CollinsSports Editor

Junior Marisa Berutti dribbles passed a defender (2012 season). Megan Lynch Photo