Xavier makes history with 7th straight soccer title (w/photo gallery and coach dousing video)

MUSCATINE - They climbed a hill near Field 3 at the Muscatine Soccer Complex and sat in a circle around a large Iowa Girls' High School Athletic Union emblem to get postgame photos taken Saturday afternoon.

Just consider that climb the "Stairway to Seven."

A 3-1 win over North Scott makes it seven consecutive state soccer championships for the Cedar Rapids Xavier Saints. No team has had this kind of run in the history of girls' sports in this state.

Cedar Falls won six swimming titles from 1993-98, Bettendorf six tennis titles from 1995-2000 and Dubuque Wahlert six volleyball titles from 2000-2005. That's something, just not historically something any more.

"We went out with a bang this year, just like we did every year," said Xavier senior Annie Dale. "This year being done, I'm so proud of the way our team finished. Being able to hold a trophy for my fourth year in a row feels amazing. Our team worked so hard for it."

Xavier Principal Tom Keating was asked how much of an appreciation he has for his girls' soccer program. Before going into administration, Keating was a highly successful volleyball coach at Dubuque Wahlert who won four state titles in a row at one point.

"First of all, it takes great kids. Kids who buy into your school and the coaches and what they want to do," Keating said. "You've got to have great parental support. That consistency and performance is amazing. A pretty awesome deal."

Dale and Kayla Armstrong were a pretty awesome duo once again. Dale scored with 5:07 left in the first half for a 1-0 Xavier lead, then Armstrong seemed to put the game away with a goal with 16:29 to go in the second half.

But Chloe Gottschalk got one back two minutes later for North Scott (12-10). With every Lancers player up pushing for the tying goal, Xavier (18-1) was able to clear a ball deep that Armstrong corralled, dribbled in and booted into the net with exactly a minute left.

Game, set, history.

"It says alot, not only about our team, but all the teams before it," said Armstrong, captain of the 2A all-tournament team after scoring five goals in three games. "The preparation that goes into each season. Our coaching staff and the Xavier community."

Quite the 50th birthday for Xavier Coach Doug Graham. He's the fourth person to lead the Saints to a championship during this run.

He was doused with a birthday bucket of water by his girls after the game.

(Video below)

"I told the girls to give me this for my birthday. Give me that championship," Graham said. "God bless all of them. That's what they did."

Armstrong, a junior, was asked if she could start thinking about a "Great Eight" now.

"Yeah," she said with a smile. "Always looking ahead."

Here is the Class 2A all-tournament team:

Kayla Armstrong (Cedar Rapids Xavier) - Captain

Annie Dale (Cedar Rapids Xavier)

Mary Leavett (Cedar Rapids Xavier)

Sara Chicchelly (Cedar Rapids Xavier)

Kerri Golinghorst (North Scott)

Shalynn Eldredge-McMillan (North Scott)

Chloe Gottschalk (North Scott)

Makenzie Evans (Glenwood)

Emily Wickham (Glenwood)

Crystal McElhose (Sioux City East)

Eliot Sayavong (Sioux City East)