Cedar Rapids Xavier sets up district showdown with Western Dubuque

CEDAR RAPIDS - Cedar Rapids Xavier started a little slow in the first quarter in Friday night's game with Dubuque Wahlert.

Then came the second quarter.

Coach Duane Schulte's top-ranked Saints exploded for 35 points in the period and went on to an impressive 45-6 win over the Golden Eagles at Saints Field.

Xavier (6-0, 2-0 in Class 3A, District 4) held Wahlert to 100 total yards as most of the starters didn't see the field in the second half. The Saints have outscored foes 268-28 so far this season.

The Golden Eagles played Xavier tough in the first quarter. The Saints got a 12-yard TD run from quarterback Quinn Schulte and led 7-0 entering the second quarter.

'We just really got things going in the second quarter,” said senior running back Braden Stovie, who scored a pair of touchdowns. 'Wahlert started off strong and we were able to make the adjustments.”

Those adjustments started on the second play of the second quarter. Stovie took a pass down the middle from Schulte and weaved through the Wahlert defense for a 55-yard score.

Schulte followed with a QB sneak for a TD. He then hit Nate Skala on a 40-yard strike. Stovie scored on a 6-yard run and just before the half, Schulte hit Kyle Moeder on a 14-yard slant pass to make it 42-0 at the break.

'It was tough for Wahlert,” Xavier Coach Duane Schulte said. 'They didn't have a lot of guys, but the ones who came down here played hard.”

Coach Schulte was able to clear the bench in a second half played with a continuous clock.

'Those kids work hard all week, so it was great to get them in,” he said. 'That was our plan if we got ahead to get them a lot of playing time so it worked out well.”

Quinn Schulte finished 10-of-12 passing for 196 yards and three scored. Stovie caught five passes for 103 yards.

Xavier will be back at Saints Field next Friday, hosting No. 7 Western Dubuque for Homecoming.

Wahlert (0-6, 0-2) returns home next Friday to host Marion.