HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM: New coach, same goals at Xavier

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By Morgan Breitbach, Xavier juniorCEDAR RAPIDS - It is a new season with a new coach, but Xavier has the same goal.“We want to make it to state, we want to get closer as a team and we want to win our conference,” junior Kayla Torson said. “It feels good to be back at it, especially with this team.”The Saints got off to a good start, opening with a sweep of  Linn-Mar, 25-18, 25-19, and 25-18. Torson had 17 kills throughout the game. Senior Britni Scholtes added 40 assists in the three matches and junior Madsy Richards had 12 kills.Torson credited the win to the way the team  talks on the floor and the Saints' aggressiveness at the net. The matches were a first for new Xavier head coach Krista Johnson.“She is awesome, She really knows her stuff and she is really cool,” Torson said of her new coach, a Cedar Rapids Jefferson graduate.The Saints the played at the Washington Invitational. They won their first four games against Dyersville Beckman, Davenport Central, Oskaloosa and Johnston. Xavier beat Johnson, ranked No. 2 in Class 5A, 23-21, 21-17. In a 28-26, 21-19 loss to Linn-Mar, the Saints had already earned a spot in the championship. They fell to Class 4A second-ranked Solon, 25-14, 25-19. The Saints traveled to Cedar Falls to take on the Tigers in a Mississippi Valley match and managed a 25-23, 26-24, 25-23. Sholtes had 42 assists and senior Halle Heying had 31 digs to help the Saints to a victory.Xavier headed to North Scott to play in the Lancer Invitational last Saturday and won its three pool games against Burlington, North Scott and Woodward-Granger. The Saints beat Quincy (Ill.)  in the semifinals, 25-21, 25-22, earning a spot in the championship against Class 5A No. 2 Bettendorf. The Saints lost to the Bulldogs 25-14, 25-15, taking home second place.