Young Cedar Rapids Xavier girls’ soccer team gets first goal and first win of 2023

CEDAR RAPIDS — On the foot of freshman Macie Herting, the Cedar Rapids Xavier girls’ soccer team checked two important boxes Friday night.

First goal of the season — check.

First victory of the season — check.

Class 2A’s sixth-rated Saints defeated 3A No. 11 Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 2-1, in overtime at Saints Field.

Herting was responsible for both Xavier goals, with the second being the walk-off winner.

Nearly halfway through the 10-minute overtime period, Herting found an opening from 30 yards out and let it fly.

Nothing but net.

“It was amazing; I didn’t even know what to think,” Herting said. “I just shot it. I was just trying to score so we could get out of this game.

“Everyone was yelling and screaming, and we were all in a big huddle jumping around.”

While her second goal won it, it was her first, which came with 10:50 left in the second period, that tied the game and gave Xavier the spark it needed.

“I just kind of had to have faith in myself to be able to put it on goal,” Herting said. “My defense did a really great job getting the ball to me and giving me opportunities to even score these goals. I’m really glad that they were able to do that. They did great.”

“It’s weird that goals like that can have that effect,” Saints Coach Jacob Johnson said. “Goals are contagious.

“We knew that just given a little bit of space we can score. That’s what happened in the second half.”

Xavier lost its top eight goal scorers from last year’s team that advanced to the 2A state semifinals; 12 seniors in total.

“We have a young group overall,” Johnson said. “A lot of these players, it’s their first year playing together as a group. I think to be able to start jelling within three games is already a testament to the work hard they’ve been putting in for months.”

Johnson checked a box himself Friday — his first win as Xavier’s head coach.

Johnson spent the previous two seasons as an assistant men’s soccer coach at Coe College. Before Coe, he was Cedar Rapids Washington’s head girls’ coach from 2018-2021 and a boys’ assistant from 2010-2017.

“I’m just excited to be working with a solid group of girls that are dedicated to improving and hungry to grow together,” Johnson said. “It’s a fun group to work with.”

Before Herting’s first goal, the Saints trailed Kennedy by one.

Kennedy’s dynamic senior duo struck with 29:19 left in the second as Cassie White assisted leading goal scorer Janelle Minor.

“Kennedy’s a very good team,” Johnson said. “There’s going to be some high-caliber players on teams that we play against and they’re going to have their moments where they shine in the game. It’s a collective effort from the team to mentally pull ourselves back on the right path and push through that.

“It’s just nice to see us respond to that situation.”

The Saints believe Friday’s win is something they can build some momentum from.

“It made me believe that we can keep scoring a lot more goals throughout the season,” Herting said. “I think the biggest thing is just having the right mentality and being ready for the next game.”