St. Xavier got on the board early with a 1-yard touchdown run from senior Chase Herbstreit late in the first quarter. The Bombers then capitalized on a mistake by Lakota West, as a bad punt snap resulted in a safety, giving St. Xavier a 9-0 lead by the end of the first period.

The Bombers extended their lead in the second quarter when junior Daniel Vollmer broke free for a 19-yard touchdown run, making it 16-0 at halftime. At this point, St. Xavier seemed in control, with both their offense and defense playing solid football.

However, Lakota West didn't go down quietly. In the third quarter, quarterback Sam Wiles connected with one of their tight ends for a 5-yard touchdown, cutting the lead to 16-6. The Firebirds attempted a 2-point conversion but were stopped by the Bomber defense. Later in the quarter, Lakota West added another touchdown, making it a 16-13 game with one quarter left to play. 

As the clock wound down, Lakota West had a chance to tie the game with a 49-yard field goal attempt with only 23 seconds left. The kick was just wide left, allowing St. Xavier to hold on for the win.

With the 16-13 victory, the Bombers now look ahead to their Regional Final matchup against their GCL rival Moeller Crusaders this Friday, November 22nd. It will be the second meeting between the two teams this season, but the first regional playoff encounter since 2014. With their strong performance against Lakota West, St. Xavier will be confident heading into the next round of the postseason.