Xavier flashes its depth, again, in Rivalry Saturday victory over Solon

CEDAR RAPIDS — For the Xavier Saints, it’s going to be hero-by-committee this season.

That’s not a bad thing.

Saturday was Kyla Mason’s day.

Mason scored 19 points and had the signature play of the game to lead Class 4A fourth-ranked Xavier past No. 8 Solon, 68-54, in the Rivalry Saturday finale at Johnson Hall.

“I think we have a really good team. We work well together,” Mason said. “Everybody can score. The best thing is, we have people behind us that can come in and do just as well.”

The Saints (2-0) had a dynamite second quarter, turning a four-point deficit into a 36-28 halftime lead.

Depth. Depth. Depth.

“That’s the idea,” Coach Tom Lilly said. “We have a number of kids that can come in and replace, and we don’t drop a whole lot. If that’s the case, we can see an amount of wearing people out.”

Lexi Beier and Riley Jonker added 15 points apiece; the latter was 7 of 7 from the floor.

Another night, it probably will be others.

Mason’s moment came early in the fourth quarter, with the Saints up 15. She missed a 3-pointer from the top of the key, sprinted into the lane to grab the carom off the back of the iron and laid it in.

“You have to have that energy, to make plays that help the team,” she said.

Solon’s Callie Levin, a sophomore and a University of Iowa recruit, led all scorers with 25 points. She had 15 midway through the second quarter with the Spartans in front, 25-20.

Xavier scored the next 11 — Beier connected from long distance twice, Sydney Huber once — and led the rest of the way.

Cedar Rapids Xavier 68, Solon 54

At Johnson Hall

C.R. XAVIER (68): Maya Karl 0-4 0-0 0, Lexi Beier 5-9 1-4 15, Kyla Mason 8-10 1-1 19, Lexi Turner 1-4 4-4 6, Mary Kate Meador 1-6 1-2 3, Emma Arnold 0-0 0-0 0, Riley Jonker 7-7 1-2 15, Sydney Huber 1-2 0-0 3, Libby Fandel 2-4 2-2 7, Taylor Rexroth 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-47 10-15 68.

SOLON (54): Ava Stebral 1-3 0-1 2, Kaia Holtkamp 2-14 2-5 7, MaKinley Levin 2-10 1-2 6, Callie Levin 10-18 5-5 25, Elly Holubar 2-5 0-0 4, Claire LeDage 0-0 1-2 1, Hailey Miller 4-5 0-1 9. Totals 21-55 9-16 54.

C.R. Xavier 14 22 7 20 — 68

Solon 18 10 12 19 — 54

3-point goals: Xavier 8-19 (Huber 1-2, Fandel 1-1, Beier 4-6, Mason 2-4, Turner 0-2, Moeder 0-4), Solon 3-15 (Stebral 0-1, Holtkamp 1-4, Miller 1-2, M. Levin 1-5, C. Levin 0-2, Holubar 0-1). Team fouls: Xavier 16, Solon 14. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Xavier 27 (Karl, Mason 5), Solon 21 (Holtkamp, Holubar 6). Assists: Xavier 12 (Arnold, Turner 4), Solon 1 (M. Levin). Steals: Xavier 2 (Mason, Moeder), Solon 8 (C. Levin 5). Turnovers: Xavier 10, Solon 8.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com