Just Like Clockwork

While some observers of high school football thought before the season that the Dubuque Wahlert Golden Eagles might be on an upswing, the first few weeks of games made it clear that Wahlert and Maquoketa were two District 4 teams still struggling and trying to find their way. So naturally, that's the first two district opponents faced by defending state 3A champion Xavier. The Saints had handled Maquoketa 41-0 the previous week (starting with a 28-point first quarter), and this past Friday rode a 35-point second quarter to a 45-6 win over Wahlert.

The game started as several this season have ... with Xavier's opponent finding room to move the ball in the first quarter. West Delaware had done it, Maquoketa had done it, Decorah had even taken a 3-0 lead in the early going. Wahlert did it here by surprise, coming in with an offense that had averaged only 24 yards a game on the ground, but running the ball play after play on the opening drive and gaining two first downs on the ground. Coach Jim O'Connell's defense was able to clamp down, though, and that was just about all the Golden Eagles were able to do. By the time Wahlert ran 12 more plays, covering four possessions, the Saints were already up 28-0.

And again, as we've seen many times this season, it was an explosive second quarter that opened things up for Xavier. The Saints had score 21 points in the second quarter against Regina, 24 points against Decorah, 31 points against Davenport Assumption - here, with an early 7-0 lead thanks to Quinn Schulte's interception of Bryce Osterberger being turned into points, Xavier blew things open with five touchdowns in the second period. Schulte found Braden Stovie down the seam, who spun away from the Wahlert safety for a long touchdown; Schulte ran for a score; Schulte threw a beautiful 40-yard bomb to Nate Skala; Stovie ran for a TD; and then finally, after a terrible shanked punt gave Xavier the ball at the Wahlert 14 with under 20 seconds to play, Schulte fired the ball to Kyle Moeder on a slant pattern for yet another score. It was 42-0 at the half, and once again the entire second half would be played with the continuous clock.

Schulte had one of his best passing games of the year, with 196 yards and 3 TDs, while the Saints gained "only" 155 yards on the ground (but Wahlert only had 24, almost all of that on the first drive). The defense was once again salty, only giving up the shutout late in the game on a pass from Osterberger to Danny McDermott after Xavier fumbled at their 25.

That second quarter ... Xavier has scored 128 points in the second over six games, by far their biggest quarter over the season. With the exception of that 28-point outburst in the first quarter against Maquoketa and a 28-point third quarter against West Delaware, the second quarter has really been the bellwether for the Saints. A couple of other things ... Xavier has given up only 3 first-quarter points all year (to Decorah) and just 9 in the first half; and Xavier's scout team has outscored opponents in the fourth quarter by 27-19.

Now the real test comes, as Xavier faces their toughest competition in District 4 - the Western Dubuque Bobcats. The Bobcats have lost just once, a 7-6 decision to District 5 favorite North Scott, and feature the 2nd most potent offense in Class 3A. Calvin Harris has been a terrific quarterback, throwing for nearly 1200 yards, Ben Bryant leads a strong ground game, and Drake George has caught 42 (!) passes in the first six games (Schulte has completed a total of 46 passes; George has caught almost that many by himself).