Soccer over baseball right now for Xavier duo

The chance to play baseball in a nice professional stadium is always something. But the chance to win a state title trumps it for Alex Ries and Nate Even.

The Cedar Rapids Xavier seniors will be with their soccer teammates Wednesday night when the Saints host DeWitt Central in a Class 2A substate semifinal at 5. If the timing works out perfectly, maybe then they can hustle over to Memorial Stadium after that game's conclusion to join their baseball mates for the Bob Vrbicek Metro Tournament championship game.

That's scheduled to begin around 7. Xavier played Cedar Rapids Washington on Tuesday night in a Metro tourney semifinal.

"It's tough," said Even. "You usually have to go straight from soccer (practice) to baseball. Sometimes we'll miss a little baseball. But with soccer substate coming up, it's a little bit more important. So I try to make that (practice) a little more."

It's an extremely busy time of year for spring/summer sport athletes in Iowa. The track and field season concluded last weekend and the state soccer tournament is next weekend in Des Moines.

Baseball began Monday night. At Xavier, soccer practice is conducted right after school and baseball a little later.

Xavier won last season's 2A soccer championship, so is looking for a repeat. The Saints have a 12-2-1 record, with both losses by a goal.

Even is the team's goalkeeper, Ries a midfielder. Xavier will be without leading scorer Zach Smith the rest of the season because of a knee injury.

"I think it's gone really well," Even said. "Only two losses playing as a smaller school in a big conference, that's good. We lost some of our biggest scorers from last season.

"We've got some juniors that will step up hopefully now. We've got Chad Gilmer (who has 10 goals). I think we'll figure it out."

Here is a link to all of tonight's matches. Substate finals in all three classes are Saturday afternoon.

http://www.iahsaa.org/soccer/index.html