HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM: Looking back at Xavier girls' basketball

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By Nic Ekland, Xavier junior

CEDAR RAPIDS - Often, to measure the amount of success a team has had a quick look to the win/loss column will suffice.

In the case of Cedar Rapids Xavier girls' basketball team, its 11-12 record does not accurately depict the Saints' season, which came up one game - one point - short of qualifying for this week's state tournament.

'The season has been tough, especially facing much bigger schools,' junior Claire Christianson said before regional play began. 'I'm really looking forward to playing schools our own size.'

The Saints entered the postseason with a fresh mindset.

'It's a new ball game when postseason comes around,' senior Hayley Deutmeyer said. 'It doesn't matter what happened in the regular season. Everybody is 0-0.'

Many girls on the Saints roster have experienced what it is like to make a special run.

'The 2013 playoff experience was magical," Deutmeyer said, noting last year's state championship run. "We all came together and decided we didn't want to go home empty handed.'We are really trying to replicate what we did last year, and hopefully our outcome will be the same.'

The Saints lost to North Scott, 47-46, in the regional final.