Top-ranked Saints remain undefeated with 42-21 victory

CEDAR RAPIDS — Cedar Rapids Xavier Coach Duane Schulte teaches economics and law in the classroom.

His players might teach him a thing or two about chemistry.

“They seem to really want their teammates to have success and try to push them all week long in practice,” Schulte said. “They appreciate their teammates.”

Xavier’s offense and defense seemed to feed off the other to produce a white-hot start. The top-ranked Saints scored three touchdowns in the first 14 minutes, including two long scoring strikes from Cash Parks, and rolled to a 42-21 victory in Class 4A District 2 high school football game Friday night at Saints Field.

Stop and score. Stop and score. Stop and score. It was an ongoing cycle that ended with a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter.

“That's kind of fun,” said Xavier linebacker Sam Schimberg, who had an interception. “I like that. I like getting out there doing our job and then our offense is helping us out, backing us up and doing the same thing.”

It was all Xavier for the first quarter and a half. The defense forced two 3-and-outs and then recovered a fumble on the Go-Hawks third possession. Each time the Saints offense followed with points.

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Parks needed two plays to cover 40 yards on Xavier’s first drive, hitting Sam Leuck for a 30-yard TD pass in the front right corner of the end zone.

“Sam ran a great route,” Parks said. “I saw that safety was kind of on his side shoulder, so I just do it back shoulder to Sam and he did a great job at having late hands and catching the ball for a touchdown.”

On the second drive, Parks dropped a pass perfectly into the hands of Dusty Cook down the middle of the field for a 49-yard score and 14-0 lead in the first quarter.

After Xavier stuffed WSR’s fourth-and-3 attempt, Parks hit a wide-open A.J. Evans in stride on a wheel route for a 57-yard TD on the next play. One that was set up by the previous score to Cook.

“I think it just means to be prepared really well,” Parks said. “Guys worked their butt off to get to the point where we are today. It's just great to have many weapons to go to because when one guy's covered, I know I'm going to have another one to throw to.”

Parks completed 10 of 12 passes for 190 yards. He has connected on more than 80 percent of his passes this season.

“It’s just amazing,” Cook said. “It's just every time you go out for a route, and you see the ball coming toward you, you know it’s going to be in a good spot every single time.”

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Carter Hoffmann added two TDs on the ground for the Saints. He scored on a 14-yard run in the second quarter and a 16-yard run to cap a 74-yard, six-play drive to open the third. He finished with 96 yards on 14 carries.

“He's really accepted his role as a captain and become a really great leader,” Schulte said. “I don't think he really cares how many carries or yards he gets as long as we win. He's been a complete student-athlete in that regard.”

Ty Weiss broke an 83-yard scoring run on a reverse to make it 42-7 and enact a running clock during the second half.

The Saints allowed just 6 rushing yards in the first half and 55 for the entire game.

“I thought everybody did their job,” Schulte said. “I mean and that's what we try to coach.”

Xavier (5-0, 2-0) travels to face Waterloo East next week.

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