Xavier thwarts Jefferson comeback bid, caps 15-win regular season

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Jefferson J-Hawks kept coming.

The Xavier Saints kept answering.

Class 4A fifth-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier used a collective, figurative fourth-quarter stiff-arm — and eight free throws in the final 94 seconds — to hold off Cedar Rapids Jefferson, 61-51, as both teams concluded their girls’ basketball regular season Friday night at Ron Thillen Gymnasium.

“We kept our composure,” Xavier senior Madi Steger said. “We’ve been in a lot of close games, and we were able to finish this one.”

Five times in the fourth quarter, the Saints (15-6 overall, 11-4 MVC) answered the bell after the J-Hawks (6-15, 3-12) surged with five points.

Four different players were responsible for those rally-killing scores.

“We had a lot of kids contributing in different spots,” Xavier Coach Tom Lilly said. “You never quite know who that person is going to be.”

Jefferson trailed by 18 points in the third quarter before closing the period with a 10-0 run to creep within 41-33.

The J-Hawks closed within 43-38, 45-40, 48-43, 51-46 and 53-48. But the Saints held them at bay each time.

“Our kids played their butts off,” Jefferson Coach Jason Edwards said. “For an undersized group, they played hard and played together really well.”

Emma Slings’ bucket from inside the lane got the J-Hawks within 53-48 with 1:51 to go. But Steger hit two free throws, freshman Libby Fandel added two more, then it was Steger with a pair and Fandel with another two to make it 61-48 with 0:19 left.

Fandel hit 5 of 6 shots from outside the arc and led everybody with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Steger supplied 13 points and seven boards, and Mary Kate Moeder scored eight.

Slings paced Jefferson with 14 points. Jada Platt made all four of her floor shots in an eight-point, seven-rebound performance. Aubrey Luvan and Jariah Harris also contributed eight points.

The postseason beckons for both teams next week.

“We’re ready,” Steger said. “We’re going into (regionals) strong. We feel healthy and confident. I think we can do some big things.”

As was the case throughout the Mississippi Valley Conference on Friday, both coaching staffs wore red sweatshirts to honor former Cedar Rapids Washington coach Frank Howell.

Now the coach at Central Decatur, Howell is battling glioblastoma.

Cedar Rapids Xavier 61, Cedar Rapids Jefferson 51

At C.R. Xavier

C.R. JEFFERSON (51): Aubrey Luvan 3-10 0-0 8, Madison Mercil 2-5 0-0 4, Madison Williams 0-0 0-0 0, Emma Slings 4-14 5-6 14, Jariah Harris 3-10 1-3 8, Madie Denlinger 2-6 0-0 6, Jada Platt 4-4 0-0 8, Lily Schreckengast 0-0 0-0 0, Camryn Abrams 1-1 0-0 3. Totals 19-50 6-9 51.

C.R. XAVIER (61): Maya Karl 0-1 0-0 0, Libby Fandel 5-11 5-6 20, Lexi Beier 2-7 0-0 5, Madi Steger 2-8 8-10 13, Mary Kate Moeder 3-6 0-0 8, Kyla Mason 2-3 2-4 6, Emma Arnold 1-2 0-0 2, Riley Jonker 1-1 0-0 2, Lexi Turner 0-3 0-0 0, Sydney Huber 2-4 0-0 5. Totals 18-46 15-20 61.

C.R. Jefferson 9 12 12 18 -- 51

C.R. Xavier 10 23 8 20 -- 61

3-point goals: Jefferson 7-17 (Luvan 2-6, Slings 1-4, Harris 1-3, Denlinger 2-3, Abrams 1-1), Xavier 10-23 (Fandel 5-6, Beier 1-6, Steger 1-2, Moeder 2-4, Mason 0-1, Turner 0-1, Huber 1-3). Team fouls: Jefferson 18, Xavier 11. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Jefferson 25 (Platt 7), Xavier 36 (Fandel 10). Assists: Jefferson 7 (Slings 3), Xavier 12 (Beier 5). Steals: Jefferson 8 (Luvan 3), Xavier 8 (Steger 3). Turnovers: Jefferson 12, Xavier 9.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com