Cedar Rapids Xavier uses the long ball to oust Waverly-Shell Rock in 3A quarterfinal, 38-14

CEDAR RAPIDS - It has been the anticipated matchup all season in Class 3A.

The playoff bracket played out as expected, and now it will be No. 1 versus No. 2, albeit in a state semifinal.

Cedar Rapids Xavier quarterback Bryce Schulte threw three long second-quarter touchdown passes and set up a matchup with No. 1 Pella after the second-ranked Saints routed Waverly-Shell Rock, 38-14, in a 3A quarterfinal football playoff game Friday night at Saints Field.

'It's very exciting,” Bryce Schulte said. 'We all know Pella's a great team. They've won those back-to-back state titles and we're looking to get at them from 2014.”

Pella eliminated Xavier in the state semifinals two years ago. The Saints get their chance to turn the tables in another 3A semifinal Thursday at 8:20 p.m. at the UNI-Dome.

Pella has won 39 games in a row, including the last two 3A state championships.

'At some point you've got to play who you've got to play to win,” Xavier Coach Duane Schulte said. 'They've got obviously great tradition, great coaches, good players.”

Xavier (11-0) advanced by attacking a stout Waverly-Shell Rock defense – a unit that had allowed more than 14 points just once this season (a 42-0 Xavier whipping Oct. 7 at Waverly) – over the top. Bryce Schulte built a 24-0 lead by thwarting the stacked Go-Hawks' defensive front with deep rainbow tosses over the secondary to streaking receivers. Senior Nolan Butkowski caught touchdowns of 44 and 84 yards, while sophomore Quinn Schulte added a 48-yarder that extended the Saints' lead to 31-6 with less than a minute until halftime.

'We just did our game plan, did what we had practiced with,” Butkowski said. 'Bryce and I have that connection that we've been working with and we've been working on it.”

Bryce Schulte completed 8-of-10 passes for 239 yards with one interception. His eight-yard keeper for a score pushed the Xavier lead to 38-6 after three quarters.

Senior tailback Maliki Wilson broke the single-season school rushing record and went over 3,000 yards in his career with a 19-carry, 133-yard performance. Quinn Schulte caught five passes for 101 yards.

'They put more guys in the box and we felt we could get behind them a couple of plays,” Bryce Schulte said. 'It turned out well.”

The Saints return to the state semifinals at the UNI-Dome for the fifth time in six years.

Xavier last won the state title in 2006 when it was a 4A school, then claimed 4A runner-up finishes in 2012 and 2013.

'All these guys sacrifice for the sake of our team,” Xavier Coach Duane Schulte said. 'All of them give their heart and soul for this program and they've earned a trip to the dome.”

Jordon Chandler returned a kickoff 97 yards for a score and quarterback John Stensland fired a 63-yard TD to Jack Seward in the fourth quarter for Waverly-Shell Rock (7-4). The defeat ends a most difficult week for the Go-Hawks, who mourned the loss of assistant coach David Finke – a former Coe player – who died unexpectedly on Sunday.

AT SAINTS FIELD

Class 3A Quarterfinal

No. 2 Cedar Rapids Xavier 38, Waverly-Shell Rock 14

Waverly-Shell Rock 0 6 0 8-14

Cedar Rapids Xavier 3 28 7 0-38

CRX – Shane Scott 19 FG

CRX – Nolan Butkowski 44 pass from Bryce Schulte (Scott kick)

CRX – Nolan Butkowski 84 pass from B. Schulte (Scott kick)

CRX – Erik Rodriguez 1 run (Scott kick)

WSR – Jordon Chandler 97 kickoff return (kick failed)

CRX – Quinn Schulte 48 pass from B. Schulte (Scott kick)

CRX – B. Schulte 8 run (Scott kick)

WSR – Jack Seward 63 pass from John Stensland (Stensland run)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – Waverly-Shell Rock: Gabriel Santoiemma 13-31, Jack Seward 2-1, John Stensland 10-7, Jackson Little 3-15; Cedar Rapids Xavier:

Maliki Wilson 19-133, Erik Rodriguez 7-13, Bryce Schulte 4-11, Quinn Schulte 2-12, Braden Stovie 3-(-1), Jax Junge 8-16.

PASSING – Waverly-Shell Rock: John Stensland 13-28-2-153, Jack Seward 1-1-0-37; Cedar Rapids Xavier:

Bryce Schulte 8-10-1-239, Maliki Wilson 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING – Waverly-Shell Rock: Joey McNally 4-27, Jack Seward 2-75, Jackson Little 5-70, Jordan Chandler 3-20; Cedar Rapids Xavier:

Nolan Butkowski 2-128, Quinn Schulte 5-101, Maliki Wilson 1-10.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com