The Waverly-Shell Rock football team fell to class 4A No. 1 Cedar Rapids Xavier by a score of 42-21. The Saints looked every bit like the best team in class 4A, as they gashed the Go-Hawk defense for many chunk plays and ran away with the victory.

The Go-Hawks have had a tough schedule to this point in the season. According to IAfootball, the Go-Hawks have faced the class 4A No. 2, class 4A No. 10, class 3A No. 7, and class 4A No. 16 teams this season. Their lone matchup against a non-ranked team was the season opener against Bondurant-Farrar, in which they won 45-0.

After all of the tough opponents the Go-Hawks have faced so far this year, they had their toughest one yet on Friday, October 3 against class 4A No. 1 Cedar Rapids Xavier.

In each of the previous matchups against ranked opponents, the Go-Hawks have been fairly competitive. They lost to Pella by just seven points and Western Dubuque by 13 points. Western Dubuque was also Xavier’s closest matchup of the season, having beat them 21-13. The Bobcats are the only team to hold the Saints under 40 points, as well as the only team to stay within three scores of the Saints by the end of the game.

For most of the season, the Saints have looked untouchable, and that continued against the Go-Hawks.

In the early minutes of the game, the Saints forced a three-and-out from the Go-Hawk offense and started their first possession of the game in Go-Hawk territory. A few plays into that drive, the Saints connected on a 30-yard touchdown pass to go up 7-0.

The next two drives would be almost an exact copy of the first two. The Saints forced a quick punt from the Go-Hawks, and on their ensuing drive connected on a 49-yard touchdown pass to go up 14-0 just halfway through the first quarter.

The Go-Hawks appeared to have an answer on their next drive, as they picked up a few first downs passing the ball. Once they got into Saints territory, however, the Xavier defense slammed the door shut by forcing a fumble on a sack of quarterback Caleb Schipper.

The Saints wouldn’t connect for a long touchdown on the next drive, but still found the endzone on a speed option from 14-yards out after working their way slowly into the red zone. That score put the Saints up 21-0 just a few minutes into the second quarter.

The Go-Hawks would find their way into the endzone for their first score of the game thanks in large part to the efforts of receiver Jayden Stephens. Stephens took a screen pass for 37 yards to once again put the Go-Hawks in Saints territory.

After one more first down, Schipper would connect with receiver Brady Bodensteiner on a short route. After the catch, Bodensteiner would shake off a tackle attempt from the nearest Xavier defensive back and run into the endzone for a 16-yard touchdown reception.

The Go-Hawk defense would get a quick stop on the following Xavier drive, and the team had a chance to cut the lead to one score if they could follow up the stop with another touchdown drive. Unfortunately though, the Saints would force a turnover-on-downs near midfield, and would capitalize with another long touchdown pass of 56 yards to make the score 28-7.

The Saints would carry that lead into the half, and received the second half kickoff out of the break. In their first possession of the second half, the Saints would take the ball down the field and in for another touchdown to extend the lead to 35-7, and put the game comfortably out of reach.

The Saints would score their final touchdown of the game after an interception. That touchdown would come via an 82-yard touchdown run on a reverse to extend the lead to 42-7.

The Go-Hawks would add two more scores in the final quarter and a half. Mekyver Hagarty would score on a one-yard touchdown run and Tate Lalk would connect with Quinn Lockard on a 14-yard touchdown pass to make the final score 42-21.

With the loss the Go-Hawks drop to 2-4 on the season and 1-1 in the district. The Go-Hawks will take on Cedar Rapids Washington and Waterloo East at home over the next two weeks before heading to Decorah in a matchup that could decide who places second in the district and who qualifies for the playoffs.

To start the stretch, the Go-Hawks will take on Cedar Rapids Washington on Homecoming on Friday, October 10. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.