ST. XAVIER 35, WINTON WOODS 14

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Bombers turn to run

BY RAY SCHAEFER
The Cincinnati Enquirer

St. X's Kevin Hurley recovers a Winton Woods fumble, Robby Hamburg dives in and Chad Roher looks on. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

St. Xavier figured the key to beating Winton Woods on Saturday in its Division I regional semifinal game was to wear down the Warriors. Mission accomplished.

Junior Steve Sollmann and senior Nick Linz each scored twice to lead St. Xavier to a 35-14 win at Princeton High School's Viking Stadium.

The Bombers meet Colerain for the regional title next week. Colerain defeated Centerville 28-27 on Saturday.

Sollmann scored from 5 and 4 yards, and Linz scored from 5 and 21. Sollmann said the offensive line felt insulted when it read about how the Winton Woods defense had not allowed a running back to gain 100 yards all season.

"That kind of got to our line, and they kind of stepped it up tonight," Sollmann said.

Saturday also ended the career of Winton Woods coach Lou Cynkar. He had nothing to say after the game.

But his counterpart for the night did.

"I said (to him), 'You've been an outstanding coach and a credit to the profession,' " St. Xavier coach Steve Rasso said.

St. Xavier's strength Saturday was its rushing game. Sollmann finished with 27 carries for 179 yards - 126 coming in the second half.

"That was part of our game plan, to attack them," Rasso said. "We felt we could run on them."

Winton Woods senior tailback Brandon Miree ran 27 times for 118 yards and a 35-yard touchdown, but the St. Xavier defense held him to just 19 yards in the second half. He finished his season with 2,455 yards.

"They had a killer slant with their defensive line," Miree said. "We didn't practice that all week. They slanted clear across the field. We didn't find an answer for it."

St. Xavier finished with 296 yards of total offense and held Winton Woods to 218 - and just 77 in the second half.

Winton Woods 7 0 7 0-14
St. Xavier 21 0 0 14-35

S-Sollmann 5 run (Kerr kick)
S-Arling 20 pass from Williams (Kerr kick)
W-Miree 35 run (Sneed kick)
S-Linz 5 run (Kerr kick)
W-Walker 41 run (Sneed kick)
S-Sollmann 4 run (Kerr kick)
S-Linz 21 run (Kerr kick)
Records: Winton Woods 9-2, St. Xavier 9-1.