According to Scott Mahmens, it "just made sense" to put Cedar Rapids Xavier on Linn-Mar’s football schedule.
"They’re a good football program, it’s close and it will be a good gate," said Mahmens, Linn-Mar’s athletics director.
The Iowa High School Athletic Association released 2016 and 2017 high school football schedules Friday morning, and Linn-Mar’s inclusion of Xavier on its non-district schedule is the item that stands out most.
They’ll play Sept. 2 at Linn-Mar, then meet in 2017 at Xavier.
“It will be our second game and our home opener,” Mahmens said. “It should be a packed house.”
When district football came to Class 4A in 2014, Xavier became a 3A football program in terms of enrollment. It had hoped to continue its rivalries with Metro 4A schools, but couldn’t find a dance partner.
Now, Linn-Mar has obliged.
“I think it’s reasonable,” Xavier Coach Duane Schulte said of the Saints’ schedule. “That’s the word I’d use — reasonable. “I know we’ll have to travel a lot in our district, so it’s good that our non-district games are close.”
The Saints will host six-time defending state champion Iowa City Regina in their opener Aug. 26 before their trip to Linn-Mar the following week.
Xavier and Regina played the last two seasons, splitting road victories.
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“When (Regina Coach) Marv (Cook) and I shook hands after last year’s game, the thing he said was, ‘Hey, this is fun, let’s do it again,’” Schulte said.
After its game at Xavier, Regina hosts Solon in Week 2.
Cedar Rapids Kennedy will play rivals Washington and Jefferson in its non-district slate. The Cougars, Class 4A state runners-up last fall, open with Muscatine on Thursday, Aug. 25, at Kingston Stadium.
“That’s a game that should have our kids’ attention all summer long,” said Kennedy AD Aaron Stecker.
Cougars Coach Brian White said, “I love our schedule. We really wanted to play Wash and Jeff, but you never know how it’s going to go. Muscatine is going to be a challenge in the opener.”
Mount Vernon was the 2A state runner-up last fall and the likely preseason No. 1 in that class. The Mustangs open with a pair of road tests at traditional 3A rivals — Solon and West Delaware.
In other news regarding football schedules:
* The Battle for the Boot will be Week 4 (Sept. 16), with Iowa City West hosting Iowa City High. The game was scheduled by the IHSAA to be played at Bates Field, but since City hosted the game last fall, the schools agreed to swap home dates. City High will host West in 2017.
* Marion’s first game under a yet-to-be-named new head coach will be Aug. 26 at Union.
* The opening week includes the Jones County rivalry between Monticello at Anamosa and the Tractor Bowl, an eight-player game between Central City and Springville.
METRO/IOWA CITY SCHEDULES, 2016
C.R. Jefferson
Aug. 26 — Pleasant Valley; Sept. 2 — at C.R. Prairie; Sept. 9 — Linn-Mar; Sept. 16 — at C.R. Kennedy; Sept. 22 — at C.R. Washington; Sept. 29 — Waterloo West; Oct. 7 — at Waterloo East; Oct. 14 — Cedar Falls; Oct. 21 — at Mason City.
C.R. Kennedy
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Aug. 25 — Muscatine; Sept. 2 — at. C.R. Washington; Sept. 9 — at Dubuque Hempstead; Sept. 16 — C.R. Jefferson; Sept. 23. — Burlington; Sept. 30 — at Linn-Mar; Oct. 7 — Iowa City West; Oct. 14 — at Ottumwa; Oct. 21 — C.R. Prairie.
C.R. Prairie
Aug. 26 — C.R. Washington; Sept. 2 — C.R. Jefferson; Sept. 9 — at Clinton; Sept. 15 — at Davenport Central; Sept. 23 — Iowa City West; Sept. 30 — at Ottumwa; Oct. 7 — Linn-Mar; Oct. 14 — Burlington; Oct. 21 — at C.R. Kennedy.
C.R. Washington
Aug. 26 — at C.R. Prairie; Sept. 2 — C.R. Kennedy; Sept. 9 — at Bettendorf; Sept. 16 — at Linn-Mar; Sept. 22 — C.R. Jefferson; Sept. 30 — Cedar Falls; Oct. 7 — at Mason City; Oct. 13 — Waterloo East; Oct. 21 — at Waterloo West.
C.R. Xavier
Aug. 26 — Iowa City Regina; Sept. 2 — at Linn-Mar; Sept. 9 — at Benton Community; Sept. 16 — Charles City; Sept. 23 — at Decorah; Sept. 30 — Independence; Oct. 7 — at Waverly-Shell Rock; Oct. 14 — Vinton-Shellsburg; Oct. 21 — at South Tama.
Cedar Valley Christian
Aug. 26 — West Central; Sept. 2 — Clarksville; Sept. 9 — at English Valleys; Sept. 16 — Iowa Valley; Sept. 23 — at Lone Tree; Sept. 30 — Midland; Oct. 7 — at WACO; Oct. 14 — at Springville; Oct. 21 — Easton Valley.
Iowa City High
Aug. 26 — Linn-Mar; Sept. 2 — at Pleasant Valley; Sept. 9 — Ames; Sept. 16 — at Iowa City West; Sept. 23 — at Clinton; Sept. 30 — at Davenport Central; Oct. 7 — Muscatine; Oct. 14 — Bettendorf; Oct. 21 — at Davenport North.
Iowa City Regina
Aug. 26 — at C.R. Xavier; Sept. 2 — Solon; Sept. 9 — at Wapello; Sept. 16; — Sigourney-Keota; Sept. 23 — at Highland; Sept. 30 — Wilton; Oct. 7 — at Van Buren; Oct. 14 — at Columbus Community; Oct. 21 — Louisa-Muscatine.
Iowa City West
Aug. 26 — Southeast Polk; Sept. 2 — at Muscatine; Sept. 9 — Cedar Falls; Sept. 16 — Iowa City High; Sept. 23 — at C.R. Prairie; Sept. 30 — Burlington; Oct. 7 — at C.R. Kennedy; Oct. 14 — at Linn-Mar; Oct. 21 — Ottumwa.
Linn-Mar
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Aug. 26 — at Iowa City High; Sept. 2 — C.R. Xavier; Sept. 9 — at C.R. Jefferson; Sept. 16 — C.R. Washington; Sept. 23 — at Ottumwa; Sept. 30 — C.R. Kennedy; Oct. 7 — at C.R. Prairie; Oct. 14 — Iowa City West; Oct. 21 — at Burlington.
Marion
Aug. 26 — at Union; Sept. 2 — Benton Community; Sept. 9 — DeWitt Central; Sept. 16 — at Dubuque Wahlert; Sept. 23 — Maquoketa; Sept. 30 — at Center Point-Urbana; Oct. 7 — Clear Creek Amana; Oct. 14 — at West Delaware; Oct. 21 — Davenport Assumption.
l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com