Class 4A seventh-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier defeated No. 9 Waverly-Shell Rock 14-7 in a season-opening Iowa high school football game Friday night at Saints Field.

Xavier players take the field before a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Xavier's Cash Parks (15) throws during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Xavier students cheer during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Xavier's Carter Hoffmann (1) stiff arms a defender during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Xavier's Carter Hoffmann (1) carries the ball during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Xavier's Cohen Honkomp (5) celebrates during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Xavier's Cash Parks (15) throws a pass during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Xavier's Ryan Kelly (18) carries the ball during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Xavier head coach Duane Schulte looks on during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Xavier's Mason Meyer (8) stands with the ball during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Xavier's Aiden Miller (3) runs with the ball during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Xavier players leave the field following a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Waverly-Shell Rock's Kael Dewey (32) sacks Xavier's Cash Parks (15) during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Xavier's Jean Ngoma (69) looks for a block during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Waverly-Shell Rock's Wesley Hubbard (8) scrambles during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Waverly-Shell Rock's Ethan Bibler (3) carries the ball during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Waverly-Shell Rock's Nathan Miller (9) runs with the ball during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Waverly-Shell Rock's Brady Bodensteiner (6) returns a kickoff during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Waverly-Shell Rock's Nathan Miller (9) scores a touchdown during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Waverly-Shell Rock's Nathan Miller (9) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Waverly-Shell Rock's Sam Wilson (5) returns an interception during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Waverly-Shell Rock's Wesley Hubbard (8) runs with th eball during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Waverly-Shell Rock's Sam Wilson (5) and Nathan Miller (9) react during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Xavier's Michael Bean (10) and Xavier's Cohen Honkomp (5) defend Waverly-Shell Rock's Brady Bodensteiner (6) during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Waverly-Shell Rock's Ethan Bibler (3) breaks a tackle by Xavier's Gavin Miller (14) during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Waverly-Shell Rock's Kael Dewey (32) tackles Xavier's Carter Hoffmann (1) during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Waverly-Shell Rock's Kael Dewey (32) celebrates with Waverly-Shell Rock's Brady Willis (22) during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Xavier's Jack Stevenson (35) celebrates with Cash Parks (15), AJ Evans (84), Gunnar Black (53), and Carter Hoffmann (1) after scoring a touchdown during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Xavier head coach Duane Schulte leads Xavier player sin prayer following a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

during a game between the Xavier Saints and the Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, August 30, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

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