Xavier Boys Soccer

Saints ruin opening of new Linn-Mar stadium

The constant rain couldn't dampen the opening of the new Linn-Mar High School stadium.

Although the boys soccer game didn't go as the Lions wanted, the first game at the new facility was one for the ages as Xavier (No.1 in Class 2A) and Linn-Mar (No.11 in Class 3A) battled to the wire.

Xavier pulled out a 1-1 (3-1) victory on penalty kicks in a tense and highly competitive contest. Logan Buschette, Chad Gilmer and Michael Tessmer made the decisive penalty kicks for the Saints.

"We played a little spoiler here tonight," said Xavier Coach Amir Hadzic. "We knew that they would be pumped up coming to their new field, so those first 10 to 15 minutes were crucial."

The hero of the match for the Saints was senior keeper Nathan Even, who started in goal even though it is his first year playing soccer at Xavier.

"For a keeper, it is really important that he projects confidence," Hadzic said. "For somebody who is in their first time in goal it is amazing. I felt confident on the bench, so you can imagine how his defenders felt."

Even was able to keep up that confidence even after overtime ended in a tie and his defenders were watching from the sideline during the penalty kicks. He made two great saves to push his team to victory.

"We talked a little bit before the PK's (penalty kicks) because that is new to him," Hadzic said. "I just told him not to rush. Read how players do, read their hips, look at them in the eyes, sometimes you can read what they will do."

But as exciting as the game was at the end, the beginning was more of a defensive battle.

It was difficult to say who gained the upper hand in the first half. Both teams produced several scoring opportunities and both sides dominated the possession for stretches, though neither team was able to break through and score.

That changed early in the second half when Ben McClimon of Linn-Mar received a pass and got behind the defense for a second, but rather than take an awkward shot himself, elected to pass it across the goal to a streaking Jon Paulson, who buried the first varsity goal at Linn-Mar stadium into the back of the net.

Tom Bales of Xavier provided a dramatic, and perhaps a little lucky equalizer in the 75th minute as he put a shot on goal on a free-kick from about 45 yards away that sailed over the outstretched hands of Linn-Mar keeper George Steil.

"I just tried to pull a ball in [the penalty box] and I gave it all I got and it carried and happened to just chip over the keeper," Bales said.

That shot gave the Saints new life and a little bit of renewed energy for the final 4:37 of regulation and the 20 minute overtime.

"They were on their heels the rest of the game," Bales said. "We had them right where we wanted them and kept on the attack."

Linn-Mar Coach Corey Brinkmeyer felt his team got back on its heels a little too much, even before the goal from Bales.

"I was happy with out effort during the first 70 minutes and then we kind of fell back into a shell, we played too defensive and we played not to lose instead of to win," he said.

AT LINN-MAR
Xavier 1, Linn-Mar 1
(Xavier wins on penalty kicks, 3-1)

Goals -- LM: Jon Paulson; CRX: Tom Bales. Assists -- LM: Ben McClimon. Penalty Kicks -- CRX: Logan Buschette, Chad Gilmer, Michael Tessmer; LM: Eric Pfau.

Saints win, tie at Waukee Invitational

WAUKEE -- The Xavier boys began their Class 2A title defense at the Waukee Invitational with a win and a tie.

In their first game, the Saints faced host Waukee and played them very evenly in what Coach Amir Hadzic described as a back and forth game. Xavier was able to gain the upper hand early in the second half however, on a goal by Zach Smith and it held on for the 1-0 victory.

In their second game of the day, the Class 2A No. 1 Saints were facing a Class 3A No. 9 Bettendorf team that was playing its first game of the day.

The Bulldogs used those fresh legs to grab a 2-0 first half lead but the Saints made some adjustments at halftime and sent in some young players that were still pretty fresh. Those adjustments allowed the Saints to tie it up at 2-2 midway through the second half, and that is how it ended up.

First Game
Xavier 1, Waukee 0

Goals -- CRX: Zach Smith. Assists -- CRX: Tim Bouchard.

Second Game
Bettendorf 2, Xavier 2 (tie)

Goals -- Bett: Ryan Hamby 2; CRX: Isaac Frisch, Luke Neuhaus. Assists -- CRX: Tim Bouchard 2.

Saints start season ranked No. 1

Defending state champion Xavier is ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 2A in the preseason boys soccer poll released by the Iowa High School Soccer Coaches Association.

The Metro has three teams ranked in the top 15 in Class 3A. Kennedy is No. 3, Washington No. 6 and Linn-Mar No. 15.  Prairie was among the teams receiving votes.

Defending state champion Iowa City West and intracity rival Iowa City High are ranked 1-2 in Class 3A.  The Trojans beat the Little Hawks in last year's state title game.  Kennedy was third.  Seven of the eight teams that qualified for last year's state tournament are ranked in the top eight.

Despite graduating three first team all-staters, Xavier received all nine first-place votes in the 2A poll.  Mississippi Valley Conference foe Dubuque Wahlert is ranked No. 2. The Saints beat Wahlert in last year's championship game.

Defending champion Iowa City Regina is No. 1 in 1A.

IHSSCA TOP 15
(First-place votes in parentheses)

Class 3A

1. Iowa City West (8), 2. Iowa City High, 3. C.R. Kennedy, 4. W.D.M. Valley, 5. Ankeny, 6. C.R. Washinhton, 7. Johnston, 8. D.M. Roosevelt, 9. Bettendorf, 10. Pleasant Valley, 11. Urbandale, 12. Cedar Falls, 13. Muscatine, 14. Ames, 15. Linn-Mar.

Others receiving votes -- W.D.M. Dowling, Sioux City East, C.R. Prairie, D.M. Hoover.

Class 2A

1. C.R. Xavier (9), 2. Dubuque Wahlert, 3. Decorah, 4. Sioux City Heelan, 5. Glenwood, 6. Norwalk, 7. Keokuk, 8. Knoxville, 9. Ballard, 10. A-D-M, 11. (tie) Hudson and Grinnell, 13. Harlan, 14. Spencer, 15. Pella.

Others receiving votes -- Dallas Center-Grimes, Fairfield.

Class 1A

1. Iowa City Regina (7), 2. Fort Madison Holy Trinity, 3. Council Bluffs St. Albert, 4. Solon, 5. Gilbert, 6. Iowa Mennonite, 7. Waterloo Columbus, 8. Dyersville Beckman, 9. Clear Lake, 10. Unity Christian, 11. Albia, 12. (tie) Bondurant-Farrar and Burlington Notre Dame, 14. Oakland Riverside, 15. Postville.

Others receiving votes -- Monticello, Cono Christian, Tri-Center Neola, D.M. Christian.

Saints retool to mount title defense

The Xavier Saints are wiping memories of last season’s state championship from their minds as they prepare for the new season.

With three first team all-state players gone from last year's team, along with several other senior starters, Xavier's boys soccer team has a long way to go to successfully defend its 2A crown.

“Losing Charlie Bales is a big deal,” said senior Zach Smith. “He for sure carried this team for four years. Clayton Lynch and Aaron Lacy were also two big players for us.

"Losing them kind of took our legs out from under us a little bit. But coming back this year, we still have a lot of talent.”

That talent is mixed between returning starters and younger players.

“It’s great to have these younger guys who play club all year long pushing up these older guys,” said Coach Amir Hadzic. “So I think that will be a strength, to have the older guys with experience and the younger guys with desire to prove themselves combining to play together.

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