Saints start playoff march strong

CEDAR RAPIDS - When it was announced two-time Class 4A state runner-up Cedar Rapids Xavier was dropping down a class, it was widely assumed the Saints would run roughshod through 3A.

One game into the Class 3A playoffs, and the assumption holds.

Quarterback Bryce Schulte threw three first-half touchdown passes and ran for another in the second half as No. 8 Xavier began its playoff march with a 35-6 pasting of Charles City in a first-round game last night at Saints Field.

'Gotta give our kids credit,” Xavier Coach Duane Schulte said. 'They played hard and pretty much did what they were supposed to do. At this point of the year you just want to get a win and move on.”

Xavier (7-3) will host Waverly-Shell Rock (8-2) in a second-round game on Monday.

After stalled opening drives for each team, Xavier scored touchdowns on three straight first-half possessions. Bryce Schulte connected with Joe Welch for a 22-yard touchdown, then watched as tailback Nic Ekland took a short screen pass and raced 53 yards for a two-touchdown advantage in the first quarter.

'Our receivers had great hands, our linemen had great blocks,” said Bryce Schulte, who threw for 135 yards. 'Our receivers just made some great catches.”

The Xavier running game softened up the Charles City defense just enough with battering ram tailback Jay Kortemeyer, who rushed 20 times for 86 yards. The knockout blow came via a school-record 97-yard touchdown run up the gut from Ekland, starting the continuous clock with 2:57 left in the third quarter and the Saints up, 35-0.

'I guess that's where the conditioning in practice comes in,” Ekland said with a laugh.

Matt Downey had an interception and a fumble recovery for the Xavier defense, which held its opponent to less than 10 points for the seventh time in nine games.

Quarterback Levi Blaine threw for 247 yards and a score for Charles City (5-5), which qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2009 after losing 28 of 32 games entering the season.

'Our guys had a great season,” Charles City Coach Darren Bohlen said. 'They bought in to what we want to do, and I'm very proud of them for accomplishing one of our goals – to make it to the playoffs.”

C.R. Xavier 35

Charles City 6

AT C.R. XAVIER

CC CRX

First downs 13 9

Rushes-yards 35-107 32-231

Passing-yards 270 135

Comp-att-int 14-32-2 8-19-0

Punts-avg. 3-28.0 4-40.2

Fumbles-lost 2-2 0-0

Penalties-yards 4-20 7-62

Charles City 0 0 6 0- 6

CR Xavier 14 7 14 0-35

CRX - Joseph Welch 22 pass from Bryce Schulte (Dallas Klein kick)

CRX - Nic Ekland 53 pass from Schulte (Klein Kick)

CRX - Noah Clasen 6 pass from Schulte (Klein kick)

CRX - Schulte 11 run (Klein kick)

CRX - Ekland 97 run (Klein kick)

CC - Dallas Nehls 47 pass from Levi Blaine (Blaine pass failed)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing - Charles City: Levi Blaine 13-49, Brian Foster 8-21, Bryce Foxen 8-23, Dylan Isakson 5-13, Dallas Nehls 1-1; C.R. Xavier: Jay Kortemeyer 20-86, Nic Ekland 5-111, Bryce Schulte 2-15, Andrew Steffensmeier 3-8, Nick Stark 1-13, Team 1-(-2).

Passing - Charles City: Levi Blaine 13-31-2-247, Dallas Nehls 1-1-0-23; C.R. Xavier: Bryce Schulte 8-19-0-135.

Receiving - Charles City: Shane Feller 5-75, Dallas Nehls 1-47, Brian Foster 1-3, Bryce Foxen 1-26, Jake Niichel 1-19, Levi Blaine 1-23, Jordan Dreher 1-10, Jaden Foster 2-51, Colin Johanningmeier 1-16; C.R. Xavier: Nick Stark 2-28, Joe Welch 2-24, Nic Ekland 3-77, Noah Clasen 1-6.

l Comments douglas.miles@thegazette.com.