Xavier, Solon ready to resume budding rivalry

SOLON – It may not be a full-fledged rivalry yet, but the groundwork is being laid.

Class 3A No. 3 Cedar Rapids Xavier visits 10th-ranked Solon in a District 4 opener Friday at 7:15 p.m. Like last season, an all-important first leap ahead in the district race is the winner's reward.

'I think any high school coach would tell you, any Friday night, whoever you're playing ends up being a rivalry,” Xavier Coach Duane Schulte said. 'It depends on the districts that they have, too. We'll have new districts after this year. That's going to factor in. I just know we have a lot of respect for them and it's going to be a hard-hitting game.”

This is the second season of competition in Class 3A for the Saints (1-0), the result of the Iowa High School Athletic Association eliminating conference play for 4A schools before last season. Xavier and Solon entered last season as the 3A-4 favorites – until the Xavier defense limited Solon to just 121 total yards in a 28-0 smothering in its district debut.

'They're stout defensively,” Solon Coach Kevin Miller said. 'Year in and year out, they're one of the best defenses in eastern Iowa. We're just going to have to be patient. Last year we weren't very patient. We tried to do some things that we were incapable of.”

Miller plans to utilize two quarterbacks this season. Running threat Brandon Childs returns under center for Solon (1-1), and Miller also likes what he has seen from junior lefty Blayze Griffis, who threw for 173 yards and three scores in last week's 35-14 victory over Highway 1-rival Mount Vernon. Protecting the football – the Solon downfall in its opening loss at Iowa City Regina – will be paramount against Xavier.

'I think we're going to play more confident this year (after) last year, knowing they just came down from 4A,” Solon junior running back Bo Black said. 'But this year we know we're just as good as anyone.”

After weather forced the cancellation of Xavier's opener with two-time defending Class 4A state champion West Des Moines Dowling, the Saints' defense forced five turnovers in a 14-7 home win over Davenport Assumption. Quarterback Bryce Schulte threw for 118 yards and a score, while running back Maliki Wilson also had a touchdown along with 121 yards on the ground. Beginning Friday, five of the final seven Xavier games are on the road.

'It's going to be a really fun game,” Xavier senior free safety Gabe Smith said. 'They've looked good in film, so I think it will be a really good game.”

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com