Herting, Zeutenhorst lead offensive explosion in Xavier quarterfinal win

Anya Zeutenhorst and Macie Herting might still be out scoring goals.

Zeutenhorst recorded a hat trick — Herting added a hat trick plus-one — in a 10-0 state quarterfinal win for the Class 2A fourth-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier (8-3-4) girls’ soccer team over No. 11 Bondurant-Farrar (8-6-5) Tuesday in Ames.

Conditions at Lied Recreation Fields were muddy and wet. The Saints capitalized on them.

“I think we really used the rain to our advantage, taking shots from far out and letting it bounce off the keeper,” Herting said. “There are strategies to every type of weather, and I think we took advantage of the rain today.”

Junior Reese Komenda put Xavier on the board with a goal at 34:10 in the first half.

Less than two minutes later, Herting tracked down a loose ball and found the net.

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“It was a lot of contributors sticking to a game plan,” third-year Xavier Coach Jacob Johnson said. “It took us a while to kind of accept it throughout the year that there’s a certain way we can play that’s really dangerous. It’s a team approach and when the team’s clicking, we are dangerous.”

Zeutenhorst scored her first goal with 26:23 left in the first and added a second at 18:29.

“She’s (Zeutenhorst) been doing great this season,” Herting said. “Anya and I are very competitive, but we’re on the same team, so either way we’re happy when one of us scores.”

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Herting added another goal before half, as did Ciara O’Brien, giving the Saints a 6-0 lead at the break.

Just 23 seconds into the second half, Zeutenhorst scored her third goal. Herting followed suit with a goal 50 seconds later.

“They’re awesome to watch, especially when they’re playing together,” Johnson said. “Both of them are unselfish, so they like to assist each other, too.

“It’s a very unselfish group and I think putting themselves in good situations and trusting a system … to see that come to fruition is just awesome.”

Herting notched her fourth goal with 30:26 remaining and O’Brien walked it off as the mercy rule took effect at 12:30.

“It’s really good to see everyone scoring and contributing,” Herting said.

Team captain, senior Lani Kunz recently returned to net for the Saints after recovering from an ACL tear in the fall.

“One big shoutout is to Lani Kunz,” Johnson said. “She’s really done a great job of getting herself ready and pushing herself enough so that she’s prepared for these big moments.”

Tuesday’s win marked Johnson’s first state victory as Xavier’s head coach.

“That’s the momentum we’re hopefully building on every year,” Johnson said. “If I didn’t get a win at state, I guess that would have been a step backwards since we are making progressive steps forward. But it was pretty special.”

Next up for the Saints is a semifinal matchup against No. 2 Dallas Center-Grimes (13-4-1) Thursday, again at Lied Recreation Fields.