Cedar Rapids Xavier Saints

Cedar Rapids Xavier’s boys’ basketball team lost for the first time this season when Waterloo West beat it in overtime Tuesday night. There was no hangover from that loss Friday night, as the Saints beat up Cedar Rapids Washington.

Cedar Rapids Xavier girls’ basketball coach Tom Lilly has worn a Grinch tie for games just prior to the Christmas break for the last decade or so. Grinch, make that Lilly, picked up his 630th career victory Friday night when his Class 4A ninth-ranked Saints beat up Cedar Rapids Washington, 61-36.

Girls’ basketball: Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Libby Fandel registers 20 points and 15 rebounds, and does a more-than-adequate job defending the post in the Saints’ 50-33 win over Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

Union Community’s Jace Hedeman has subscribed to a new free and fun approach after his drerams of four state titles were dashed last season. He was dominant Saturday, winning the 132-pound title of the Cliff Keen Independence Invitational

The Gazette’s 2024 all-area volleyball team: Mount Vernon’s Chloe Meester repeats as player of the year; Mustangs Coach Maggie Willems is coach of the year.

Girls’ basketball: Keanna Worley posts 17 points, six rebounds, seven assists and four steals, and Cedar Rapids Prairie very nearly put all five starters into double figures in a 65-51 win at Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Brady Shekleton used a five-point move to win his 175-pound match and record one of nine Western Dubuque wins in a 45-25 victory over Cedar Rapids Xavier in a boys’ wrestling dual. The Bobcats also won the girls’ wrestling dual, 78-6, for the Mississippi Valley Conference sweep.

Cedar Rapids Xavier’s boys’ basketball team didn’t have its season opener until Thursday night. Most teams in the state got theirs in either Monday or Tuesday. But the late start made no matter, as the Saints beat Iowa City High, 62-49.