Xavier girls' go for a 6-peat

They attempt to go back to back to back to back to back to back this weekend.

If you don't want to count all those backs, the Cedar Rapids Xavier girls' soccer team goes for a six-peat at the state tournament. That's six consecutive championships.

They're the Class 2A favorite, naturally, in a new three-class event that will be held at the Muscatine Soccer Complex. First up for the Saints as they attempt to elongate this historic run is first-time qualifier Independence-East Buchanan in a 2 p.m. quarterfinal Thursday.

"We've always had a really, really good work ethic," said senior goalkeeper Tori Shepard, a four-year starter. "The bar has been set very high the past few years from past seniors and past teams. We work every year to just keep trying to raise that bar."

That bar keeps getting raised again and again and again.

"It's really an amazing accomplishment," said Xavier Coach Doug Graham. "We're very excited about moving from 1A to 2A this year and increasing the competition level we are playing against."

Xavier is aided year after year by playing against bigger schools in the powerful Mississippi Valley Conference. Once the postseason rolls around, the Saints face smaller schools who haven't faced the same competition.

The Iowa Girls' High School Athletic Union added a class in soccer this season, though, with fellow big-city public schools like Pleasant Valley and Sioux City East in Xavier's way instead of Glenwood and Nevada.

"It's a challenge," Shepard said. "But we're all excited to play. We're ready to show everybody what we can do."

What they've done so far is go 16-2, with the losses to teams in the 3A state tourney field (Cedar Rapids Washington and Iowa City West). Sophomore Kayla Armstrong ranks third in the state with 34 goals, complemented by Annie Dale's 19. This is a strong team.

There is pressure, they freely admit that. But these Saints refuse to call this a win-or-it's-a-failure weekend.

"We always just do our best," Shepard said. "We want to have fun. There is always pressure. But we kind of take that and channel it into the game. Just play our game."

"(Pressure) is not a bad thing," Graham said. "It goes with the territory. It is what it is. Hey, if we lose, we lose."

Xavier is joined at state by Metro rivals Washington and Cedar Rapids Kennedy. Center Point-Urbana and LaPorte City Union are part of the 1A field.

Tournament semifinals are Friday, with the finals Saturday.