Cedar Rapids Xavier has a chance to send its coach into retirement with a final state championship.
The Saintes continued their impressive play over the last seven weeks with their biggest victory so far, beating Norwalk 70-60 in the Class 4A semifinals. Now they have an opportunity for an even bigger win.聽
Xavier (21-4), the No. 8 seed in the field, will play for the state championship at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in coach Tom Lilly鈥檚 final game. Lilly announced earlier he would retire at the end of the season after 40 years on the job.聽
It will be Xavier鈥檚 seventh appearance in a championship game and the Saintes go in on a roll. They鈥檝e won 13 straight games and all but one of those victories has been by double figures, including a 71-57 upset of top-seeded Sioux City Bishop Heelan in the opening round. Xavier already owns five state titles, all under Lilly.聽
Kansas University recruit Liddy Fandel has been Xavier鈥檚 pacesetter all season and she was again in this one, finishing within two assists of a triple-double. The 6-foot senior scored 21 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, handed out eight assists, made five steals and blocked three shots. This after she scored 37 points and pulled down a state tournament-record 25 rebounds in that upset of Bishop Heelan.
Taylor Rexroth added 15 points for Xavier on 5-for-5 shooting that included four 3-pointers, Madden Wilson scored 13 and Jaselle Lang chipped in with nine points, four assists and two steals.
Norwalk鈥檚 outstanding freshman, Braylyn Birmingham, led the fourth-seeded Warriors (23-2) with 22 points and seven rebounds. Her older sister Bailey and Hannah Overholser each scored 11 points and Overholser tacked on six rebounds.
The game had all the appearances of a Xavier rout at the beginning. The Saintes scored the game鈥檚 first seven points and led 13-3 after 6 minutes of play. The Warriors then steadied themselves, started to hit some shots and by halftime, they led 30-25.聽
Their lead grew to eight early in the second half before Xavier stormed back, getting nine points and an assist from Fandel in a 16-2 run that lifted the Saintes into a 46-39 lead. They never trailed again, though Norwalk kept the pressure on and drew to 52-51 with the help of Braylyn Birmingham鈥檚 back-to-back 3-pointers.
聽Xavier responded with an 8-1 run to go up 60-52 and Wilson delivered the dagger with a 3-pointer from the left wing for a 65-56 lead with 1:13 left. Moments later, the Saintes celebrated their return to the championship game, three years after winning it all in 2022.
