Cedar Rapids Xavier QB Ronan Thomas has big night against Newton as defense dominates again

CEDAR RAPIDS — Cedar Rapids Xavier quarterback Ronan Thomas achieved a first.

The Saints defense was their signature dominant selves.

Thomas accounted for five touchdowns and the defense didn’t allow a TD for the fifth straight game. Both helped third-ranked Xavier capture the Class 4A District 4 title with a 42-3 victory over Newton Friday night at Saints Field.

“It’s hard to win any game on a Friday night,” Xavier Coach Duane Schulte said. “For these guys to win enough for a district title, like other teams Xavier’s had, it holds water.”

Thomas helped lead the way. The junior was nearly perfect, passing for a personal best four TDs, and rushing for another to contribute the Saints’ last five scores.

“It was exciting,” said Thomas, who completed 9 of 10 passes for 164 yards. “I’m really thankful for my line so I could do that, but it’s obviously exciting to do that.”

Xavier’s Michael Cunningham helped set up the monster night for Thomas. Cunningham rushed twice, covering 49 yards on Xavier’s first possession including a 40-yard TD dash for a 7-0 lead.

Cunningham, who rushed for 98 yards, also carried the share of the load on the second drive that ended in a missed field goal. But the effective run game set up a shift to the air. Thomas connected on scoring strikes on four of the next five drives that spanned the end of the first quarter to early in the third.

“The first drive we got the run game going early and our linemen were really giving it to them,” Thomas said. “So, when it came to the pass, it was wide open. That’s all I can ask for.”

Thomas hit Carlos Baez-Perez on a jump ball for an 18-yard score. He found Aidan McDermott on TDs of 43 and 4 yards for a 28-3 lead at the half.

“There is some great talent,” Thomas said. “If I have time and I can put it where it needs to be, I know the receivers will back me up. Even if the (passes) aren’t perfect, they’re going to do their job so the play works. You saw that on the first touchdown by Carlos.”

Xavier (8-0, 4-0) picked up in the third where it left off before the break. The Saints marched 80 yards on nine plays. Josef Lemker caught a 5-yard slant in the end zone for a 35-3 advantage with 7:43 left in the third.

“He did a nice job,” Schulte said of Thomas. “He executed well. He’s part of the puzzle and fitting in good.”

Thomas also rushed for 35 yards with most of that coming after half. He found lanes, cutting back against the Newton pursuit for big gains. He added a 1-yard QB sneak that capped the scoring in the third.

“The outside guy was really shooting to the guy I was pitching to,” Thomas said. “I just saw green and cut it up field where the whole was.”

One score was more than enough for the Saints defense that lowered its points allowed average to 3.87 per game. Xavier has not allowed a touchdown since the third quarter of its Week 3 game against Dubuque Wahlert.

Although the Cardinals drove down to the Xavier 20 and scored on a 30-yard Christian Lawson field goal as the first half expired, snapping Xavier’s streak of 18 scoreless quarters.

“A big message for our defense is to keep the energy up the whole game, no matter what the score is,” Xavier’s Thomas Sundell said. “I think that pushes us to keep teams to three or zero (points). We love shutouts. We didn’t get that tonight, but three isn’t bad.”

Xavier allowed just five first downs and forced Newton (6-2, 2-2) to three-and-out for its first six possessions of the game. They gave up just 114 total yards, limiting the Cardinals to 14 passing.

“Our guys did a great job,” Schulte said. “Our scout team prepared these guys and starters pretty good.

“We have a lot of guys that played last year. Our back seven has a lot of experience. Our front four have risen to the occasion.”

The Saints will host Oskaloosa for the regular-season finale before hosting a playoff game here. The next week will be business as usual.

“We want to be undefeated,” Sundell said. “We have to go get them next week and hopefully we can come out with a win and then get ready for the playoffs.”

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