The first two games of the 2019 high school football season are in the books, and Xavier continues their winning streak (now up to 28 straight) - although not without some drama.
The Saints rolled over Iowa City Regina 35-0 in their opener. Hosting the Regals on brand-new Field Turf at Saints Field, Tyler DuPont stepped in at quarterback in place of the graduated Quinn Schulte and looked very much at home, throwing for 126 yards and a score while running for 61 yards and two more TDs. While seniors Kaiden Cuevas and Nick Banowetz were listed at starting tailback, Cuevas did not play (I think he might have hurt himself during pregame warmups) and Banowetz never got a carry. Instead, junior Jack Lux came in during the Saints' second series, and on his first carry ran for 57 yards to make his presence felt. Lux would finish with 111 yards, a fine entrance to varsity play.
The Regals, meanwhile, were able to move the ball through the air (Ashton Cook threw for 168 yards) but had almost no rushing attack against the Xavier defense. On Regina's one drive deep inside Saint territory, a bad snap over Cook's head resulted in a turnover - one which Xavier converted into a touchdown. Then on the next possession a Cook pass was intercepted on the right side by Jakob Forslund, and the Xavier linebacker returned it 38 yards for a pick-six.
The following week was, well, not exactly the same. Xavier made the trip up to Decorah, taking on a Vikings team that had been blown out by Class 2A power Waukon the week before. Xavier was unable to move the ball on their first possession, but after a punt, Decorah put together a long, pounding drive that used most of the first quarter. Briggs Duwe was able to find Logan Halverson, mostly, through the air, and the Vikings could get just enough on the ground to keep the drive going. Decorah finished off the drive when Duwe faked a handoff up the middle and strolled almost unnoticed around the left side into the end zone.
Neither team could get much going for a while in the first half, but Xavier finally made something happen late in the second quarter. Aided by a couple of big penalties against Decorah, the Saints moved to the 13 yard line. DuPont passed to Mac Mahurin for 10 yards, then after one more play the pair connected again, this time for a 3-yard TD to tie the game with 38 seconds left.
Decorah wasn't done. Cael Luzum returned the kickoff to midfield, then Xavier was called for two pass interference penalties in three plays that put Decorah at the Saints 16. Duwe had two receivers run out patterns to the right, and found the deeper one, Dawson Palmer, for the score with seven seconds on the clock. Xavier, which had never trailed at halftime in the entire 2018 regular season, was now down 14-7 at the half of their second game of the year.
The third quarter was far, far different. On Decorah's second play, a hard Xavier tackle stripped the ball from Andrew Magner, and the Saints recovered at the 20. It took just three plays to score, with DuPont pushing in from the 1. A high snap on the extra point try caused DuPont to scramble for time, and he was able to find Ethan Hurkett in the end zone for the 2-point conversion and a 15-14 lead. After forcing a three and out, Xavier's offense went back to work. This drive took only five plays, the last one a great 34-yard run from Cuevas, who followed a Nick Lemke block off-tackle and fought off Vikings defenders downfield for the score. Another stop of Decorah led to another punt, and another TD drive, this one 61 yards in eight plays, to finish the quarter with DuPont's second TD and a 29-14 lead. Xavier would tack on another fourth quarter score on a Jack Lux drive (he carried the ball four times in a five-play drive, accounting for all 64 yards and a TD).
So a shaky start in game two for Xavier, but a solid finish and another good overall performance. Game three will be a short turnaround, with a Thursday night game at Brady Street Stadium in Davenport against Assumption - a team that looks like they've figured things out as well after a rough 2018. The Knights have outscored their opponents 84-7, and are rolling up some big rushing yard numbers. It will be up the Saints defense to see if they can slow them down.
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