No. 1 Cedar Rapids Xavier holds off No. 6 Waverly-Shell Rock in battle of unbeatens

CEDAR RAPIDS - For a brief second, a brawl turned into a scoring outburst.

After a rain delay and 3 1/2 quarters of pounding away at each other, Cedar Rapids Xavier and Waverly-Shell Rock exploded for 17 points in a matter of 1:17 in the final quarter, doubling the point total at that moment.

The top-ranked Saints turned back to their defense and ground game to seal the victory, using a McClain Burger interception and a series rushed to burn the final 2:51 off the clock for a 20-14 victory over No. 6 Waverly-Shell Rock on Friday night at Saints Field.

Xavier (7-0, 5-0) secured a playoff berth and sole possession of first place in Class 3A District 3 in a game that included more than an hour weather delay.

'I thought it was two good, solid high school football teams that were competing against each other,” Xavier Coach Duane Schulte said. 'We just happened to be standing at the end.”

Xavier scored 10 points in less than a minute to overcome a late deficit. Xavier quarterback Quinn Schulte hit Kyle Moeder for a 28-yard touchdown with 6:13 to play in the fourth for a 17-14 lead. The scoring drive lasted two plays, opening with a 45-yard pass from Schulte to Jax Junge.

Schulte had a chance to set his feet and receivers got a few extra seconds to get open.

'It was good,” Coach Schulte said. 'There were a couple plays earlier when we tried to throw the ball and he didn't have time. I have to give credit to the offensive line, they stepped up and gave us time to throw the ball. It was key.”

Waverly-Shell Rock (6-1, 4-1) fumbled the ensuing kickoff that Xavier recovered at the Go-Hawks 17. Xavier kicker Ben Conrad connected on a 31-yard field goal for a six-point lead with 5:18 to play. Conrad also hit a 36-yard field goal as time expired for a 10-7 halftime lead.

Xavier was forced to answer when the Go-Hawks temporarily silenced the Saints fans, taking a 14-10 lead on a 68-yard TD pass from Luke Velky to Jordan Downing with 6:35 remaining.

'That was an exciting minute and a half for people to watch,” the older Schulte said. 'I've got to give Waverly credit. They played hard and give our kids credit. They kept fighting and battling and played hard, too.”

Two of the top defenses promised that points would be hard to come by and they delivered, combining to force five punts in the opening quarter.

The Go-Hawk defense helped put the first points on the board. Waverly-Shell Rock recovered a fumble at the Xavier 15 in the opening minute of the second quarter. The Go-Hawks used five runs, including Ben Hemer's 2-yard scoring plunge for a 7-0 lead with 11:11 to go in the second quarter.

Xavier answered with its first sustained drive, going 62 yards on 11 plays, receiving a spark on a key 4th-and-1 conversion on its own 38. Schulte hit Junge, who made an impressive cut through the center of the Go-Hawks defense, for a 14-yard TD, tying the game, 7-7, with 6:06 left in the first half.

Schulte finished with 115 passing yards. Junge had 118 total yards, including 59 rushing yards. Braden Stovie led the Saints with 73 rushing yards.

Velky rushed for 27 yards and threw for 81 more, including 77 to Downing. Waverly-Shell Rock fullback Gabe Santoiemma, the Go-Hawks second-leading rusher entering the game, only had three carries three carries for eight yards, missing the final three quarters due to injury.

The Saints allowed 149 total yards, holding the Go-Hawks to 68 yards on the ground.

'Every play and every formation presents a different challenge,” Schulte said. 'These guys rose to the occasion when it counted.”

l Comments: (319) 368-8679; kj.pilcher@thegazette.com