As a sophomore last year, Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Quinn Schulte was posterized by Pella’s Ryan Van Wyk with “The Catch”. This year, as a junior, Schulte is the Saints most dangerous weapon as they look to knock off the three-time champs in Thursday’s title game.

Schulte played defensive back and wide receiver last year, when his brother Bryce was behind center. The transition to quarterback has been a successful one.

Schulte has completed two-thirds of his pass attempts this year for 1,115 yards, 13 touchdowns and just one interception. He’s also the teams’ second leading rusher with 872 yards and a team-best 19 scores.

In Xavier’s 35-7 semifinal rout of Solon, he threw for 137 yards and ran for 107 and three touchdowns.

Pella defensive coordinator Ben Bollard says that they’ll have their eyes on number five at all times Thursday night.

“On any play, we’ve got to have him covered. Even if he’s not the primary target, he can pull the football, we feel like he’s reading plays, and so at any time he has the green light to pull the football and run. So it really makes you defend multiple routes, or paths, so to speak. You’ve got to do the primary play, and then there’s always that option if you over pursue or get out of position, he’ll pull it and run.”

Xavier is 12-0 this season, and 23-1 combined the last two years, with their only loss coming to the Little Dutch in last year’s semifinals – 34-30.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 Thursday night, and you can hear the action live on 92.1 KRLS, beginning with the Jeromy Dingeman Concrete Football Friday Night Radio Preview Show at 5:00 live from outside the UNI-Dome in the KNIA/KRLS Lil’ Big Red Radio.