Kennedy Football

Steffes helps shoulder load for Cougars

Alex Steffes has been a mainstay on the offensive line for the Cedar Rapids Kennedy football team this season, an effective blocker who has helped the Cougars earn a date in the quarterfinals of the Class 4A playoffs Friday night at Xavier.

He uses every inch and every pound of his 5-foot-10, 245-pound body to block bigger defensive linemen and open holes for the Kennedy running backs, throwing himself into the scrum play after play after play.

Imagine doing that all season with a torn labrum and dislocated shoulder.

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Kennedy selling 4A playoff tickets

Kennedy High School will be selling advance tickets for Friday night's Class 4A quarterfinal football game at Xavier High School against the Saints.

The tickets will be available Wednesday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Tickets also will be available at the gate.

The cost of admission for this IHSAA sponsored event is $6.

Cougars knock off Assumption, 35-12

DAVENPORT - The Kennedy Cougars danced the Hokey Pokey and celebrated their big 35-12 victory over Davenport Assumption in the visitors locker room at Brady Street Stadium Monday night, but once they stepped outside they were all business again.

They had the Xavier Saints on their mind.

Kennedy (8-3) earned a rematch with Xavier (10-1) in the quarterfinals of the Class 4A playoffs this Friday night at Saints Field.

Kennedy Coach Tim Lewis said the Cougars would not be celebrating on the ride home from Davenport after knocking the No.2 seed from the Eastern half of the state out of the playoffs.

"No, No, No. That's over," Lewis insisted. "We just got done celebrating in there. We won't even be thinking about Assumption on the bus."

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Hall escaped mean streets of Chicago

Terrance Hall went through some rough times when he was living on the southwest side of Chicago a few years ago, always knowing trouble could be right around the corner.

"I've been robbed before, I've gotten in a fight before," said Hall, a fullback and linebacker for the Kennedy High School football team. "Guys tried to jump on me and rob me.

"It's rough. You have to be a little bit suspicious every time you go outside," he said Friday. "You've got to know your surroundings, know what stuff is about to happen. You have to be smart."

Hall and his family visited Cedar Rapids each summer to spend time with his cousins in the Dixon family - Herschel and Dalvin Dixon, who played football at Kennedy in recent years. Hall enjoyed those visits and liked Cedar Rapids, so he was receptive when his mother suggested they move here.

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