Xavier mauls Linn-Mar 41-3
MARION — If this was the swan song for Armstrong Field, the Xavier Saints made sure it would end on a sour note.
From their perspective, sour was sweet.
No. 8 Xavier dominated from start to finish and punished No. 7 Linn-Mar, 41-3, in a Class 4A first-round football playoff in front of nearly 6,000 last night.
“We were definitely pumped up,” said linebacker Nick Garland, who spearheaded a defensive unit that held Lions running back Jer Garman to 32 rushing yards. “We didn’t want to disappoint our crowd. We wanted to keep it rolling.”
Speaking of rolling, the Saints (9-2) won their eighth straight game. They’ll travel to Clinton (11-0) — a 37-23 winner over Cedar Falls — in a quarterfinal Friday.
Xavier Coach Duane Schulte wasn’t looking ahead as the continuous clock ran. He was mourning a friend. Bob Erusha, longtime supporter of Cedar Rapids Catholic schools, died Saturday.
“Without him, I don’t think there is a Xavier High School,” Schulte said. “The kids were thinking about him a lot.”
Whatever their focus, it was effective. The Saints owned the momentum as soon as Colin O’Connor intercepted a pass and ran it about 50 yards to the Linn-Mar 29 on the first drive of the game, and they never surrendered it.
“The defensive line gave great pressure, and I was able to read (Linn-Mar QB Will Roth’s) eyes,” O’Connor said.
Dylan Martin’s 3-yard touchdown run capped the Saints’ first drive to give Xavier the lead for good.
Joe Sayre connected with O’Connor for a 36-yard touchdown pass with 15 seconds left in the first half, and Xavier led, 21-3, at intermission.
Sayre completed 12 of 15 passes for 209 yards; O’Connor caught five balls for 103.
“Our line did a great job getting a surge, and Colin and (Ryan) Sander pulled in everything I threw,” Sayre said.
Garman entered the game with 1,829 yards, but the Saints held him in check all night. Will Roth passed for 228 yards. Linn-Mar finished 9-2, a far cry from back-to-back winless seasons in 2006 and 2007.
“There’s not many things I can say. They just outplayed us,” said Lions Coach Bob Forsyth. “They came in and beat us.
“But if you’d have told me at the beginning of the season it would have gone this way, I would have taken it right there.”
The school has broken ground on a new football stadium. Linn-Mar officials are hopeful it will be ready for the beginning of the 2010 season.
Contact the writer: (319) 368-8857 or jeff.linder@gazcomm.com
Congrats on a great season Linn Mar. Garman returns next year, looking at the metro teams you’ll be the leader in the clubhouse when the 2010 season starts. Xavier, I hope you can shutdown Clinton to make in an all MVC semi-final.
YAY! somebody said Linn-Mar was sure to win. Uh, NO! Xavier steamroller football.
Great season for Linn Mar, keep it rolling Saints!
what happened with the penalty after half?
did someone forget to give the 3 min warning or did the coach do it on purpose? i really think that 15 yard penalty hurt them.
I watched the Clinton – Cedar Falls game last night and it sounds like Clinton – Xavier will be a really exciting game. Clinton has a very dynamic offense with great athletes. I have wondered if anyone in the MAC could match up with the MVC and I think I got my answer last night. Go River Kings!!
I really hope that Clinton puts Xavier in their place, which is loserville.
They were called for unsportsmanlike conduct when they were late coming out. He was probably too busy yelling at his players and lost track of time. I agree with you though, any momentum that may have settled at half time went right back to Xavier after returning the kick to Lion territory. Roth looked good for Linn-Mar, and I thought he played well, at least better than the score indicated. I wasn’t that impressed with Garman, and with Xavier shutting him down, they became one dimensional. Xavier looked outstanding on both sides of the ball. They better get focused, they have a tough game ahead of them.
The only reason linn mar lost was because of there kicker
Now thats the Xavier team I have been watching for the last 8 weeks. Going to that game was better than that whoopin last year. Hopefully the Clinton game will have a similar result
The kicker had nothing to do with linn-mar losing. The backup went 1 for 1 on the night anyways.
ok guest…we beat linn mar so bad it wasnt even funny
Gosh…..even got a picture posted of Xavier face masking…dont remember a call on that
Face mask call in fourth quarter in Lion territory. 15 yard penalty. Xavier scored two plays later throwing to the same receiver and the continuous clock rule kicked in.
You must not have been at the game because it was definitely called, or you might have left by that point if you were a Linn Mar fan, I know several did.
ok who caares if it wasnt called xavier were winning by 30 pts anyway
we **** killed linn mar *****!
we gonna cum on clinton!
Psh. i guess it isnt tradition to beat linn mar every year they play….. hmm. sure looks like there was a little revenge in the mix from what i saw from the stands…
Geaux Saints!
oh ya!!!!! but still… we rocked duh boat!!!!!
hey, does anyone know if clinton is good???…they r undefeated but they have any easy schedule
Dan, I guess it is tradition for you to beat Linn Mar every year. Please don’t forget that linn Mar beat beat Xavier in week two. By the way, I don’t know you but you seem like a number one asshole. I’m sorry to think you represent the catholic community of our area.
hey fuck head joe…we only lost cause we didnt have our number one receiver faget and we fumbled 5 times
fucker
Xavier101,
Another fine example of the catholics comments. I think not. Please don’t continue to try and represent our community.
Ok to Joe and Xavier101..this is a public website, I’m sure you two are adults/parents…there is absolutely no need to use profanity to go back and forth. You guys should be ashamed. Sure one of you is happy that linn-mar lost and the other isnt so happy but it is football. Teams make mistakes and Linn-mar seemed to not have their game up to as good as they would of liked to have it. Life goes on!!!! Linn-mar should be happy on how their season went this year..they should be proud that they proved alot of people wrong from the get go. Sure it’s nice to have a win but someone always ends up losing either way and Xavier seemed like they werent givin up their fight. Linn-mar is returning some great players next year i’m sure..as well as Xavier i’m sure. Let it go! Let the HS kids be HS kids without parents causing trouble already!
ok sorry…im a student and im just happy that they won
ok i understand that you are happy..i would be too if i was in your position but please refrain from the cursing. Please be respectful of your school and refrain from the cursing.
hey DAN. I dont know who you are… but stop freaking commenting on this crap. people keep asking if Im you. its pissing me off. get a life or better yet a job
hey fballfan2009…do u happen to kno if clinton is a good fball team
its a Free country danthor
Be ready for the Kings!!!!
I watched the kings play they are no match for you you will slaughter them!!!!!!
wait xavier will slaughter them?
Guest:send xavier back to loserville
have you guys had a winning season in the lastt 5 years other than this one
Hey, DanThor, shouldn’t you be studying?
LinnMar had a wonderful season, so did Clinton and we’ll just have to see what is to come with the remainder of Xavier’s season.
Whatever Xavier gets, they will earn. They are the only 4A team heading to the dome with any losses, so let’s just hope they do okay.
Be careful putting zinc in acid.
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