Xavier keeps Prairie reeling, 56-29

CEDAR RAPIDS -- It wasn't the team that blinked first. It was the team that exhaled first.

That team was Cedar Rapids Xavier.

The Class 4A fifth-ranked Saints emerged after a messy first quarter and kept No. 12 Cedar Rapids Prairie reeling, 56-29, in a Mississippi Valley Conference girls' basketball game Friday night at Ron Thillen Gymnasium.

"We were kind of nervous because it was Senior Night and there was a big crowd," said Xavier's Emily Walvoord. "We just needed to take a deep breath and realize what we needed to accomplish."

The teams combined for 15 turnovers in their first three minutes in an ugly display. Xavier (16-5 overall, 11-5 MVC) led 9-6 after one quarter before piling up 24 points in the second.

"It seemed like we were holding our breath the whole first quarter," Xavier Coach Tom Lilly said. "We ran out a bit and were able to get some easy opportunities.

Prairie (11-9, 8-8) has followed an eight-game winning streak with a six-game losing skid. For the second straight game, the Hawks surrendered a big second-half run.

After giving up a 22-0 spurt in a loss to Dubuque Wahlert on Tuesday, Prairie yielded a 19-0 run to close the game Friday. The Hawks did not score a point in the fourth quarter.

They've got some searching to do before tournaments start.

"Something's going to have to change," Prairie Coach Steve Doser said. "Will it? That's a big question mark."

Prairie cut a 33-18 halftime deficit to 37-29 on Katilyn Yanacek's basket with 10 seconds left in the third quarter. But that was the end of Prairie's scoring.

Xavier's high-low game was fruitful; Alex Bartz scored 12 points and Walvoord added 10. The two of them, along with Lisa Boomgarden, combined for 11 assists.

"We worked hard to get it inside from the top," Walvoord said. "We got some good angles that way."

Katlyn Andersen added nine points; Kayla Armstrong provided five steals.

Prairie shot 25 percent (11 of 44) from the floor and turned the ball over 23 times (16 in the first half). Courteney McCrary led the Hawks with 12 points.

The teams split the season series (Prairie won 40-38 on Jan. 13) and could meet again in the regional finals.

Right now, Xavier is the team with momentum.

"We certainly have to focus on how we start each half," Lilly said. "But we will defend you, and we will play hard.'

C.R. XAVIER 56, C.R. PRAIRIE 29

At C.R. Xavier

C.R. PRAIRIE (29): Katilyn Yanecek 3-6 0-0 6, Cyerra Hutchins 0-6 0-0 0, Alisa Weiland 1-6 0-0 3, Courteney McCrary 4-13 2-2 12, Madison Dellamuth 1-5 2-2 4, Emilie Rotter 2-5 0-1 4, Josie Wagner 0-1 0-0 0, Haley Meyer 0-0 0-0 0, Taylor Sanders 0-0 0-0 0, Allison Neuhaus 0-0 0-0 0, Marisa Adams 0-0 0-0 0, Abby Ganske 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 11-44 4-5 29.

C.R. XAVIER (56): Kayla Armstrong 3-7 0-0 6, Annie Dale 3-4 0-0 7, Katlyn Andersen 4-5 0-0 9, Emily Walvoord 5-7 0-0 10, Alex Bartz 5-9 2-2 12, Sarah Dickes 1-3 0-0 3, Lisa Boomgarden 0-0 0-0 0, Ashley Stulken 0-2 0-0 0, Maddie Bertsch 1-1 0-0 3, Hayley Deutmeyer 1-1 0-0 2, Katelyn Winker 0-1 0-0 0, Nicole Noonan 0-1 0-0 0, Morgan Breitbach 1-2 0-0 2, Allison Chorzempa 1-2 0-0 2, Lizzy Bailey 0-0 0-0 0, Hannah Chute 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-46 2-2 56.

Halftime: Xavier 33, Prairie 18. 3-point goals: Prairie 3-10 (Weiland 1-4, McCrary 2-5, Ganske 0-1), Xavier 4-5 (Dale 1-1, Andersen 1-2, Dickes 1-1, Bertsch 1-1). Team fouls: Prairie 10, Xavier 9. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Prairie 22 (Hutchins, McCrary 5), Xavier 33 (Bartz 7). Asssists: Prairie 3 (Hutchins 2), Xavier 14 (Walvoord 4). Steals: Prairie 9 (Hutchins 3), Xavier 9 (Armstrong 5). Turnovers: Prairie 23, Xavier 20.

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