We Are Under Way

The season has begun. Perhaps not quite the way Xavier fans and players might have hoped, but we've started and the games are coming, ready or not.

There were some good things to take away from the Saints' 24-2 loss to Dowling. The defense actually played pretty well. Ryan Boyle passed for only 150 yards, and almost a third of that came on one 42-yard touchdown throw. The Saints also held Boyle to negative yards rushing, and the Maroons were under 100 yards total on the ground. Those are some good defensive numbers against the defending 4A champs.

Xavier also had a great goal line stand, keeping Dowling out of the end zone at the end of the first quarter/start of the second. And the third quarter belonged to the Saints, as Dowling gave up a safety and then had two three-and-outs while Xavier mounted their lone offensive drive of the game, picking up three or four first downs. Unfortunately that drive ended on a rushed field goal attempt that fell well short.

The Saints do have a lot of work to do on the offensive side, true. Bryce Schulte was hurried a lot of the time, and when he did get good protection his accuracy was spotty. When he did have good throws, the receivers had the dropsies. Schulte also threw two really bad passes, both intercepted and both setting up Dowling touchdowns. The running game was mostly ineffective - although some misdirection plays got good yardage, about the best gain was on a fake punt.

It all comes down to the lines. Xavier is breaking in new players on the left side of the O-line, and it showed. I do expect improvement throughout the season. This was the number 1 ranked 4A team in the state they were going against, after all.

A short turnaround to a Thursday game this week, and another salty defense to go up against. Davenport Assumption had one of the top defenses in the 4A MAC last year, and return several of those starters. The Knights did get pasted by Bettendorf 41-6 last week, so it doesn't necessarily seem that defense is all that. But, a Bettendorf-Dowling 4A championship game isn't out of the question this November. The Bulldogs that smashed Assumption are a good team, with an offense clicking much better than Xavier's in the opener. This matchup of former 4A teams now in 3A districts is not going to be an easy one for the Saints. I don't think I would be looking for lots of points in this one.

Once again, we're dealing with a Kernels baseball conflict on the radio. We will have the game on KMRY following the Kernels' playoff game at Burlington. I would expect our delayed coverage to start around 9:45 or 10, depending on weather and how the baseball game goes. This will be our last baseball conflict, though - September 12 will be live when the Saints host what's shaping up to be a tremendous Solon team.