Prep football: Scholer leads Xavier past Dubuque Hempstead, 35-7

DUBUQUE — Cedar Rapids Xavier turned the first half of Friday night's game into the Quinton Scholer Show.

The Saints' 6-foot-3, 205-pound quarterback threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more in a dynamic first-half performance, leading Xavier to a 35-7 victory over Dubuque Hempstead at Dalzell Field.

'We just wanted to find some rhythm and we found that tonight,' said the 6-foot-3, 205-pound senior.

Scholer ran for a 44-yard score in the first quarter, then put the Mustangs into a deep hole with a 32-yard strike to Bryce Grimm and a 30-yard score to Colin O'Connell sandwiched around a 35-yard TD run.

Scholer couldn't be stopped in the opening half, completing 7 of 8 passes for 105 yards, and running eight times for 99 yards. He played just one series in the second half before giving way to backup Sam Tursi as the Saints worked a running clock. 'The game plan was just to try and get first downs and some early touchdowns, and however we could figure out how to do it was what we were trying to do,' Xavier coach Duane Schulte. 'We didn't set it up for it to be anybody's plan in particular, we just wanted to win the game. To Quinton's credit, he did his job.'

Scholer finished with 112 passing yards and 99 on the ground.

'The line was just really working,' Scholer said. 'We got some downfield blocks, we got our initial blocks. Everyone was just kind of working.'

Hempstead couldn't do much on offense, totaling just 54 yards of offense in the first half and 134 for the game.

Iowa Hawkeyes commit Matt Nelson, a 6-8, 250-pound tight end/defensive end, forced a Hempstead fumble and recorded a sack in the first quarter. Daniel Vega and Sean Ickes also combined for a sack in the opening period. Logan Clarahan recovered the fumble. Vega added a solo sack in the third quarter.

The game was delayed 37 minutes with 80 seconds left in the first half when lightning was spotted in the area.

The Saints quickly scored again once play resumed, taking a 35-0 lead on Jay Kortemeyer's 4-yard touchdown plunge.

After that, Hempstead began showing renewed life on offense, pushing upfield. Matt Zenner ran for 15 yards on the first play and caught a 21-yard pass from quarterback Bailey Paulsen on the second to put Hempstead on the Saints' side of the 50.

A defensive pass interference penalty as time expired gave the Mustangs a final shot at the end zone, but Mitchel Hammel's 20-yard reception came up short at the Xavier 9.

Hempstead broke the shutout with Paulsen's 13-yard touchdown pass to Adam Clendenen with 4 seconds remaining.

'They're the No. 1-ranked team in the state for a reason, so that should make us better for next week, playing a team of that caliber,' Hempstead coach Bob McIntyre said.

Cedar Rapids Xavier 35, Dubuque Hempstead 7

CR Xavier        7          28        0          0          -- 35

Hempstead       0          0          0          7          -- 7

CRX -- Quinton Scholer 44 run (Ryan Persick kick)

CRX --- Bryce Grimm 32 pass from Scholer (Persick kick)

CRX --- Scholer 35 run (Persick kick)

CRX --- Colin O'Connell 30 pass from Scholer (Persick kick)

CRX --- Jay Kortemeyer 4 run (Persick kick)

DH -- Adam Clendenen 13 pass from Bailey Paulsen (Chris Francis kick)