Ronan Thomas helps Cedar Rapids Xavier topple North Scott for return to state football finals

CEDAR FALLS — Cedar Rapids Xavier quarterback Ronan Thomas produced his best performance of the season.

The Saints junior had his hands in almost every Xavier score, rushing for three touchdowns, throwing for another and passing for a game-high 249 yards. The third-ranked Saints defeated No. 7 North Scott, 38-10, in a Class 4A state football semifinal Thursday night at UNI-Dome. The Saints (12-0) return to the championship game for the second straight season.

Xavier established the run and took control early, scoring on its first two drives of eight and 11 plays in the first quarter. North Scott ran just 10 total plays.

Thomas capped both of those possessions with touchdown runs. The first came on a 1-yard QB sneak, getting a healthy push from his fullback Grant Helmle to cap a 58-yard drive.

Thomas scored on a 3-yard option around the right end, closing a 56-yard series that lasted 4:13 and giving Xavier a 14-0 advantage with 1:20 to go in the opening frame.

The rush set up the pass.

Xavier’s next scoring drive was a stark contrast to its first two. After a holding penalty on the possession’s first play backed Xavier up to its 10, Thomas connected with Grayson Hartman on a 90-yard scoring strike.

Thomas’ pump fake teamed with Hartman’s double-move allowed him to get behind the defenders and Thomas hit Hartman in stride for a 21-3 lead.

The teams traded fumbles deep in North Scott territory in the final two minutes before halftime. Xavier managed to get the ball last, receiving a 35-yard field goal from Kale Christensen for a 24-3 edge as the first half expired.

Thomas added another 1-yard QB sneak in the fourth and finished 8 of 10 passing. Hartman had three catches for 109 yards

Aidan McDermott, who had two interceptions defensively, added an 11-yard rushing TD in the second half for Xavier.

The Saints advance to face top-ranked Lewis Central (12-0) in the championship game next Thursday.

Photos: Cedar Rapids Xavier vs. North Scott

See photos from Cedar Rapids Xavier's 38-10 win over North Scott in the Class 4A state football semifinals.

𝘽𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚

📸 Photos from @CRXavierFB's win over North Scott ⤵️

— Iowa Prep Sports (@iowaprepsports) November 11, 2022

Final: Cedar Rapids Xavier 38, North Scott 10

Ronan Thomas completed 8 of 10 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown and ran for three more scores as third-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier (12-0) rolled past No. 7 North Scott (9-3) in the Class 4A semifinals.

The Saints return to next week's 4A title game for a rematch with No. 1 Lewis Central, which won last year's final in triple overtime.

Xavier, which won this regular-season meeting 17-0, outgained North Scott 409-282 and forced three turnovers while giving it away just once.

Scoring summary

CRX — Ronan Thomas 1 run (Kale Christensen kick), 7:35 1st

CRX — Thomas 3 run (Christensen kick), 1:20 1st

NS — Liam Regan 30 field goal, 7:31 2nd

CRX — Grayson Hartman 90 pass from Thomas (Christensen kick), 6:55 2nd

CRX — Christensen 25 field goal, 0:00 2nd

CRX — Aidan McDermott 11 run (Christensen kick), 8:48 3rd

CRX — Thomas 1 run (Christensen kick), 11:08 4th

NS — Kyler Gerardy 11 run (Regan kick), 8:48 4th

[Box score]

Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Michael Cunningham evolves into one of Class 4A’s top running backs

CEDAR RAPIDS — It wasn’t a question meant to stump him. It really wasn’t a question at all.

Describe yourself as a running back, Michael Cunningham. Go.

“Umm,” the Cedar Rapids Xavier senior replied, contemplating the request. “I mean, I’m going to run hard and hit the holes for the linemen, so their blocks don’t go to waste.”

A hard runner. That is the first thing you think of when you watch Cunningham.

At a listed 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, the kid has the size to make running hard an effective thing. He leads third-ranked Xavier (11-0) in rushing and is fifth in Class 4A going into Thursday’s night state playoff semifinal game against No. 7 North Scott at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.

Cunningham has 1,333 yards, averaging 7.7 per carry. He had 173 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries in Xavier’s quarterfinal win last week over Indianola.

“I mean, I think so,” he said, when asked if he feels he’s a better player than a year ago and in what ways. “I think I’m just more knowledgeable about the game. The moving parts of it, formation wise, all that. The pace, I’m probably playing a little quicker. Last year, I was probably still adjusting to the speed of varsity football. This year, (it’s) just kind of being used to it.”

Keep reading

Final: Lewis Central 42, Carlisle 21

Top-ranked Lewis Central beat Carlisle just 28-21 in the regular season, but it was no contest in the Class 4A semifinals. The defending champion Titans (12-0) led 35-0 at halftime and rolled to the title game.

Braylon Kammrad completed 21 of 28 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns. His top targets were Parker Heller (six catches, 84 yards, TD) and Curtis Witte (five, 88, two). Jonathan Humpal ran for 90 yards and a pair of scores.

Both of Carlisle's losses this season were to the Titans.

Scoring summary

LC — Jonathan Humpal 58 run (kick failed), 11:18 1st

LC — Curtis Witte 12 pass from Braylon Kammrad (Boston Hensley kick), 2:51 1st

LC — Witte 37 pass from Kammrad (Hensley kick), 10:14 2nd

LC — Parker Heller 27 pass from Kammrad (Hensley kick), 9:21 2nd

LC — Hensley 6 run (Humpal run), 5:03 2nd

LC — Humpal 7 run (Hensley kick), 1:12 3rd

C — Jack Laughlin 64 run (Gavin Pienkowski kick), 11:48 4th

C — Jes Krcil 1 run (Pienkowski kick), 2:10 4th

C — Laughlin 27 fumble return (Pienkowski kick), 0:58 4th

[Box score]

Previewing Cedar Rapids Xavier vs. North Scott

No. 3 Cedar Rapids Xavier (11-0) faces No. 7 North Scott (9-2) in a Class 4A semifinal game at 7 p.m.

Xavier recorded a 17-0 win at Eldridge on Sept. 16, the first of four consecutive shutouts that the Saints notched. Xavier hasn’t allowed more than one touchdown since Week 1 and allows only 4.5 points per game.

The Saints pulled away in the second half to beat Indianola in the quarterfinals, 23-6, behind Michael Cunningham’s 173 yards and Kale Christensen’s three field goals.

A win would send Xavier to the championship game for the fourth time since 2017; the Saints won 3A titles in 2017 and 2018 and were 4A runners-up last year.

North Scott was the 3A champion in 2020. The Lancers have won six straight games, including a 20-10 quarterfinal road win over No. 2 Waverly-Shell Rock last week, scoring 13 fourth-quarter points. Cole Jennings caught four passes for 121 yards.

Keep reading for previews of the Gazette area semifinals

Final: Grundy Center 49, Woodbury Central 20

No. 2 Grundy Center built a 28-7 halftime lead and returned to the Class A title game for the fourth straight year with a 49-20 win over No. 4 Woodbury Central 49-20 in a semifinal game.

Colin Gordon completed 16 of 23 passes for 248 yards and five touchdowns for the Spartans (12-0), plus intercepted a pass on defense. Tiernan Vokes caught seven passes for 93 yards and three scores.

Grundy Center has finished second in Class A the last three years, including championship game losses to West Hancock in 2019 and 2021.

Drew Kluender threw for 341 yards, two TDs and three picks for the Wildcats (11-1). Will DeStigter caught eight passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns.

Scoring summary

GC — Tiernan Vokes 7 pass from Colin Gordon (Gordon kick), 4:50 1st

WC — Will DeStigter 26 pass from Drew Kluender (Zack Butler kick), 9:59 2nd

GC — Justin Knaack 8 run (Gordon kick), 5:54 2nd

GC — Vokes 16 pass from Gordon (Gordon kick), 3:44 2nd

GC — Tate Jirovsky 8 pass from Gordon (Gordon kick), 0:39 2nd

GC — Knaack 7 run (Gordon kick), 8:50 3rd

GC — Vokes 21 pass from Gordon (Gordon kick), 4:33 3rd

WC — DeStigter 70 pass from Kluender (Butler kick), 2:01 3rd

WC — Kyan Schultzen 40 interception return (kick failed), 11:28 4th

GC — Clay Saak 3 pass from Gordon (Gordon kick), 5:00 4th

[Box score]

Watch this week's Prep Football Huddle Podcast

We break down the state football semifinals on this week's podcast. You can subscribe and download via your favorite podcast app as well.

Final: West Hancock 22, Lynnville-Sully 14

Mitchell Smith picked off a third-and-20 pass at the goal line with 33 seconds left and top-ranked West Hancock (12-0) held on to beat No. 3 Lynnville Sully (11-1).

The Eagles advance to the Class A state championship game for the third time in four years after winning it all in 2019 and 2021.

West Hancock nearly had three 100-yard rushers — Mitchell Smith led the way with 123 yards and a TD, Kellen Smith ran for 99 and Kale Zuehl added 98 and two scores.

The Hawks rallied from 14-0 down to tie the score at the end of the third quarter. Lannon Montgomery passed for 151 yards and two TDs, both to Conner Maston.

West Hancock started the fourth quarter with a go-ahead, 13-play, 75-yard drive.

Scoring summary

WH — Kale Zuehl 8 run (pass failed), 7:51 1st

WH — Mitchell Smith 8 run (Smith run), 8:24 2nd

L-S — Conner Maston 14 pass from Lannon Montgomery (run failed), 4:50 3rd

L-S — Maston 59 pass from Montgomery (Maston pass from Montgomery), 0:00 3rd

WH — Zuehl 1 run (Smith run), 6:49 4th

[Box score]

How to watch the state football semifinals

TV: MC22 for Mediacom subscribers (More local options)

Live stream: Iowa High School Sports Network — Watch.IHSSN.com

Mobile: Download the IHSSN app

Wednesday's 8-Player semifinals

Here's what happened Wednesday at the UNI-Dome.

No. 2 WACO 29, No. 8 Newell-Fonda 21

Simeon Reichenbach overcame an injury to rush for 90 yards and two touchdowns and kick two field goals to help send the Warriors (13-0) to the title game.

Newell-Fonda (11-1) took a 14-11 lead on a Ryan Greenfield 2-yard run in the third quarter, but Reichenbach responded with a 23-yard TD run, 20-yard field goal and 19-yard TD run to make it 29-14 with four minutes to go.

Colton Leichty tallied 5.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

No. 1 Remsen St. Mary's 42, No. 3 Lenox 20

Cael Ortmann passed for 220 yards and three touchdowns, all to Ryan Willman, who caught five passes for 163 yards.

Alex Schroeder added 116 yards and a TD on the ground and Jaxon Bunkers scored twice for the Hawks (12-0).

Lenox (11-1) got within 30-20 in the third quarter. Gabe Funk ran for 192 yards and two TDs and passed for 134 and a score.

Thursday's state football schedule

Four semifinal games on the schedule for Thursday at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.

CLASS A

10 a.m. — No. 3 Lynnville-Sully (11-0) vs. No. 1 West Hancock (11-0)

1 p.m. — No. 4 Woodbury Central (11-0) vs. No. 2 Grundy Center (11-0)

CLASS 4A

4 p.m. — No. 5 Carlisle (10-1) vs. No. 1 Lewis Central (11-0)

7 p.m. — No. 7 North Scott (9-2) vs. No. 3 Cedar Rapids Xavier (11-0)