Xavier shuts out Marion to cap perfect regular season

MARION – No let down and no second-half last-second heroics needed.

Cedar Rapids Xavier left no doubt as to the impending result.

The third-ranked Saints took control with four straight scoring drives in the first half and closed its Class 3A District 4 title with a 55-0 win over the Indians Friday night at Thomas Park.

Xavier improved to 8-0 overall and Marion ended its winless campaign.

'Give Marion and (Coach) Tony Perkins credit, because it's hard to battle through, but they came out and played us hard,” Xavier Coach Duane Schulte said. 'Our kids stayed focused enough to get a lot of points on the board and a shutout. Hopefully, we'll go into the postseason with some momentum.”

Maliki Wilson has been a nice addition to the Saints' backfield this season. He rushed for 143 yards, despite not playing the second half. Wilson rushed for a 43-yard score, putting Xavier up 14-0 with 3:58 to go in the first. He added a 7-yard TD run with 2:09 left before halftime.

'It just opened up for me, so I could bounce out, go in or whatever I had to do,” Wilson said. 'I did my job but the linemen did all the work.”

He surpassed the 1,000-yard plateau and sits at 1,041 this season.

'It's a reward for me, my lineman and all the receivers blocking for me,” Wilson said. 'There's nothing wrong with 1,000 yards. It's for everyone.”

Bryce Schulte helped the Saints pull away with a pair of one-play scoring drives. He hit Ryan Stulken for a 25-yard TD pass for the game's first score and Nicholas Stark for a 40-yard TD, making it 21-0 in the opening quarter.

Schulte was able to give his starters some rest. The Saints grabbed a 41-0 lead when Marion fumbled the second-half kickoff and Connor Vogl returned it 18 yards for a score. Reserves played the rest of the way and even put up points when Mike Fettkether reeled in a 21-yard Spencer Dempewolf pass and Shane Scott added a late TD run.

'That was huge,” Schulte said. 'After the game we had last Friday with Regina, I was a little worried about our kids not being focused, and Tuesday we had practice where it was lightning all over so we didn't get anything done hardly. They came back Wednesday and Thursday and seemed focused.”

The defense hasn't allowed a point in six quarters and forced five turnovers, including four fumbles. They turned them into 24 points.

'Coaches put us in the right position to be successful,” Xavier's Blake Whitten said. 'Guys made plays.”

Kicker Dallas Klein, who hit the game winner as time expired last week against Regina, added field goals of 30 and 40 yards, giving Xavier a 34-0 lead at the break.

Marion ended its season 0-9 overall. The Indians received 73 rushing yards from junior Owen Carstensen and 31 from Nate Holub. They never really threatened and were out-matched but maintained a strong effort.

'They did everything they could,” Marion Coach Tony Perkins said. 'That's what they could give us and they never quit on us. That's all you can say.”

Marion has lost 17 straight games, leaving Perkins one win shy of the school's all-time wins mark (104) set by Les Hipple. Perkins has said he will evaluate his 17 seasons with the program after the season.

'It would be really nice to take a couple week vacation,” said Perkins, who has 159 total career wins. 'A step back. Need some mental time and we'll get these kids back in the weight room – juniors, sophomores – coming up in a week. Whatever happens happens.”

Xavier will host a first-round playoff game Wednesday, starting at 7 p.m.

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