New game for Saints

CEDAR RAPIDS - Although teams still are using brown footballs and playing on green grass and turf this fall, high school football has a different look to it.

The entire state of Iowa has moved to district football.

In addition, after back-to-back Class 4A state runner-up finishes, Xavier will be competing in Class 3A based on enrollment size.

Several factors led to the decision for Xavier to compete in 3A. Xavier held discussions with coaches, athletes and parents about the idea of playing in the different class. The result of those discussions led to the decision that the Xavier community is more in favor of competing at its enrollment classification.

Another factor was the decrease in projected enrollment over the next 10 years and the decrease in youth football participation. Over the past two years, youth football participation has dropped 30 percent.

The Saints will be members of 3A District 4, one of eight districts in the class. For the next two years, they will compete against DeWitt Central, Dubuque Wahlert, Maquoketa, Marion, Solon and Western Dubuque. Xavier's schedule also will include three non-district games, including West Des Moines Dowling, Davenport Assumption and Iowa City Regina.

'We scheduled three non-district games against Dowling, Regina and Assumption, I don't know if anyone has a tougher non-district schedule then we have,” athletics director Mike Winker said. '3A football is new to us after 22 years playing in 4A and the schools we are playing have excellent traditions and have done well in the postseason, so we are expecting every week will be a tough game.”

Xavier's schedule includes playing at reigning 4A state champion Dowling in Week 1 and a home game against reigning 2A champion Iowa City Regina in Week 8.

'Competition is competition, so you always have to prepare the way you usually do and just go out there and do your job,” junior running back Sean Murphy said.

According to bcmoorerankings.com, Xavier has the sixth hardest schedule in the state for Class 3A.