Saints win convincingly over Warriors at Kingston Staidum

CEDAR RAPIDS — Duane Schulte and his coaching staff obviously saw some areas the Cedar Rapids Xavier football team could exploit in preparation for Friday night's match-up with Cedar Rapids Washington.

As is the norm for the state's top-ranked Class 4A team, Schulte and his players were quick to credit the work of the Saints scout team. Just as much credit has to go to the game plan.

"It's just kind of the old cliche you know, we just tried to do our jobs and take what they gave us," Schulte said after his team dispatched the Warriors, 42-15, at Kingston Stadium. "Our boys went out and executed so that is part of it as well."

That execution involved one big play after another. The first came from senior tailback Carter Hoffmann on the Saints second snap. He broke around the end 43 yards to score. A two-point run from Sam Schimberg made it 8-0 Saints.

"That first play just hit," Schulte said. "We wish all of them would hit like that."

Hoffmann agreed with his coach.

"The whole offense did their jobs on that play," he said. "The (offensive line) all got on their blocks and it was a touchdown from there.“

Ironically, Hoffmann's run was the second and final play the Saints ran in the first quarter. Washington held the ball nearly five minutes to start the game, then after the score drove to the Xavier 1 to end the quarter.

The Saints defense stuffed Warriors QB Grady McGuire on a sneak attempt to open the second quarter and Washington was going to go on fourth down until a false start set them back. Washington settled for a 24-yard Logan Barton field goal, cutting the deficit to 8-3.

"That was a big win for our defense," Schulte said. "For them to drive it down that far and have to settle for a field goal was a real positive."

Once the offense got back on the field, it did not take long for the Saints to add more points. Junior quarterback Cash Parks, who finished 9-of-10 for 223 yards and three TDs, connected with Ryan Kelly on a 53-yard strike. Then, following an interception by sophomore Carson Mahoney, Parks set up a screen pass beautifully to fullback Dustin Cook just before the half to make it 22-3 Saints at intermission.

Parks had the long ball going again in the third. His third TD pass, a 39 yarder to Sam Leuck, made it 29-3. Parks and Kelly hooked up on a 50-yard pitch and catch with Kelly being tackled at the 1 later in the period. Reserve Dawson Doyle plowed in from the 1 to make it 35-3.

"We have a really good run game," said Kelly, who finished with six catches for 136 yards. "It seemed like they were really focusing on that so it gave us wide receivers more room and a chance to throw the ball."

The Warriors fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Hoffmann capped the Xavier scoring on a 10-yard run with 51 seconds left in the frame.

Nicholas Riley scored on a 4-yard run and McGuire hit Terryion Montgomery for a 33-yard score in the fourth quarter for Washington. Riley led the Warriors in rushing with 72 yards while McGuire threw for 111.

The Saints return home next Friday, hosting Waverly-Shell Rock while the Warriors hit the road to play at Decorah.

BOXSCORE

Cedar Rapids Xavier 42

Cedar Rapids Washington 15

(At Kingston Stadium)

Cedar Rapids Xavier, Cedar Rapids Washington

First downs 18, 17

Rushes-yards 32-187, 44-182

Passing yards 226, 111

Comp-Att-Int 10-12-1, 4-8-1

Punts-Avg. 0-00.0, 2-42.0

Fumbles-lost 1-0, 1-1

Penalties-Yards 2-14, 2-10

Cedar Rapids Xavier 8 14 20 0 — 42

Cedar Rapids Washington 0 3 0 12 — 15

Cedar Rapids Xavier — Carter Hoffmann 43 run (Sam Schimberg run)

Cedar Rapids Washington — FG Logan Barton 24

Cedar Rapids Xavier — Ryan Kelly 53 pass from Cash Parks (Owen Vasquez kick)

Cedar Rapids Xavier — Dustin Cook 33 pass from Parks (Vasquez kick)

Cedar Rapids Xavier — Sam Leuck 39 pass from Park (Vasquez kick)

Cedar Rapids Xavier — Dawson Doyle 1 run (Vasquez kick)

Cedar Rapids Xavier — Hoffmann 10 run (kick blocked)

Cedar Rapids Washington — Nicholas Riley 4 run (pass failed)

Cedar Rapids Washington — Terryion Montgomery 33 pass from Grady McGuire (run failed)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Cedar Rapids Xavier: Carter Hoffmann 7-72, Cash Parks 4-28, Dustin Cook 2-5, Dawson Doyle 7-42, Ryan Kelly 2-19, Rocco Schmidt 3-27, Calvin Hacke 1-(minus 5), Cash Wilson 1-3. Team 2-(minus 2) . Cedar Rapids Washington: Nicholas Riley 16-72, Grady McGuire 12-52, Bonfils Iranzi 5-23, Keegan Waters 3-(minus 2), Terryion Montgomery, 6-17, Cassius Ballew-Batty 2-20.

PASSING — Cedar Rapids Xavier: Cash Parks 9-10-0-223, Rocco Schmidt 1-2-1-3. Cedar Rapids Washington: Grady McGuire 4-7-0-111, Cassius Ballew-Batte 0-1-1-0

RECEIVING — Cedar Rapids Xavier: Dustin Cook 1-33, Ryan Kelly 6-136, Sam Leuck 2-54, Myles Lutter 1-3. Cedar Rapids Washington: Bonfils Iranzi 1-28, William Rahe 1-28, Javion Seals 1-20, Terryion Montgomery 1-20.

Comments: amir.prellberg@thegazette.com