Grinding Out

Xavier went to Vinton-Shellsburg last Friday with a playoff spot all locked up, and just needing a win over the Vikings to ensure their fourth district title in four years. Vinton-Shellsburg had struggled their way through the season so far, with only a win over South Tama to their credit, and had the absolute worst offensive numbers and worst rushing defense in the district.

So it wasn't expected to be a challenge for the Saints, and in the end it wasn't, really, as Xavier picked up a 38-0 win. But it wasn't exactly what was expected, either - much like last season, when the Vikings scored on their first possession and led Xavier for almost the entire first half.

This season, Vinton-Shellsburg took the ball and then wouldn't give it up, eating up clock on a long opening drive that got as far as the Xavier 37. The Saints did push back from there, forcing a punt. On the second play after the punt, Quinn Schulte ran to the left on a designed quarterback run. He found some daylight, broke past the linebackers, and then proceeded to outrun everybody to the end zone for an 85-yard touchdown run. The extra point try was missed, but Xavier was up 6-0 after two offensive plays.

The Vikings had less success on their next possession, picking up a first down before having to punt - but then disaster. The snap went over punter Coleson Phelps' head, and after a mad scramble, Xavier took over the ball at the Vinton-Shellsburg 3. Jax Junge ran it in easily from there, the Saints added a two-point conversion, and after just three plays on offense they held a 14-0 lead. Xavier added a Ben Conrad field goal on their next possession, early in the second quarter, and it was 17-0.

Then the Vikings put together another nice drive, with Xavier's usually stifling defense unable to get off the field. Blake Bohnsack did a nice job passing, including picking up a key first down on 4th and 7, and Vinton-Shellsburg drove all the way to the Saint 24. A field goal try there (the first of the year for Vinton-Shellsburg) was short.

The teams traded possessions as halftime neared, then (much like the previous week's game against Waverly-Shell Rock) Xavier was able to mount a great, quick, clock-saving drive at the end of the half. A shanked punt set the Saints up at their 43; Schulte threw to Kyle Moeder for 26 yards, then Braden Stovie ran for 16. Schulte then zipped a 15-yard TD pass to Gabe Lux, and the Saints went up 24-0 with just seconds left in the half.

The possessions did not work so well for Vinton-Shellsburg in the second half. Xavier took the opening kickoff and rolled right down the field in five plays, with another Junge touchdown making it 31-0. After stopping the Vikings in three plays, Stovie ran the punt all the way back to the 16-yard-line, and Schulte ran in for his second TD on the next play. The score went to 38-0, the continuous clock began to run, and there was still 9 minutes to go in the third quarter.

The rest of the game went fast (as continuous clock games tend to do) and was relatively uneventful (Xavier put in their second team right away; Vinton-Shellsburg had one more decent drive in the fourth quarter). It ended up 38-0, Xavier's fourth shutout of the year, and secured another district title for the Saints.

So once again, Xavier will host the first-round playoff game at Saints Field on October 27. This is a year where the state uses alphabetical order for second-round home field if the teams are equal district champions, which will work against Xavier (being last alphabetically in the entire state) - BUT, in past years of alphabetical order, things have worked Xavier's way unusually often. This year, if Xavier wins the first round to advance to the quarterfinals, the other area district champions are Solon and either West Delaware or Davenport Assumption (Pella may be another option). If Xavier is bracketed with Solon, that game is at Solon. If it's against West Delaware or Assumption, both of those teams lost district games, so as long as Xavier goes 7-0 in D-3 by beating South Tama, Xavier would host against either of those. If it's Pella in the bracket, Xavier travels to Pella. (And of course if there are any upsets, with a district runner-up or wild card advancing to face Xavier, the Saints get to be home field for that.)