Cedar Rapids Xavier baseball tops Boone for first state berth

Cedar Rapids Xavier defeated Boone 7-2 in the Class 3A Substate 7 final on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, securing the program's first state baseball tournament berth in four years.

The Saints finished the season 23-14 and enter the state bracket as the No. 3 seed. They will face MOC-Floyd Valley (25-8) in the state quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Monday, July 20, 2026, at Memorial Stadium.

Coach Dan Halter said the long wait made the moment meaningful. “It’s been a long time – four years – and, when you go that long, you don’t take it for granted. We’re thrilled and we’re hoping to have a huge turnout. It should be an exciting environment,” Halter said.

Halter added that the team has discussed playing close to home. “This is what our guys have been working for. We didn’t make a big deal about it being in Cedar Rapids but we’ve talked about it at times. I think we have some guys who will embrace that stage,” he said.

The result sends Xavier into the state tournament with strong local support expected from Cedar Rapids and Linn County fans.