Kennedy High School - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Cougars upset Muscatine, 20-17

MUSCATINE -- After four quarters of pulse-pounding, hard-fought football, Wednesday's Class 4A playoff game between Kennedy and Muscatine came down to the final second.

Muscatine placekicker Daylan Oldfield lined up for a 42-yard field goal to tie the game and potentially put it into overtime.

Oldfield, who earlier kicked a 52-yard field goal, made good contact, but the ball immediately sailed into the teeth of a blustering wind, falling well short of the goalpost.

And Kennedy players and coaches rushed the field in celebration as they hung on for a 20-17 victory at the Muscatine High School Field.

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Kennedy finally 'clicks' against Bobcats

The Kennedy girls had everything clicking on their home volleyball court Monday night, most especially their heels.

It what might well be called the “Cougar Click,” they’ve reclaimed a school tradition of jumping up and clicking their heels together behind them whenever they score an ace.

In unison.

And not just the players on the court, either, but those on the bench as well.

“It’s something that the girls used to do,” explained stringbean senior star Lexi Rogers. “We decided to start doing it again this year. It’s sort of a celebration and a way to get us fired up.”

Rogers and fellow front-line attackers Jordan Calef and Erin Coker each recorded nine kills in leading the Class 5A ninth-ranked Cougars (23-12) to a hard-fought, three-set sweep over Marshalltown (22-17) in the opening round of regional play.

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Surging Cougars feast on winning streak

Their food tastes better. Classes are more fun. The girls at school look prettier.

Life is good for the Kennedy football team these days as it heads into the Class 4A playoffs after an 0-and-5 start.

"Yup, everything is better," linebacker Grant Miller agreed after practice Monday at Kingston Stadium.

The surging Cougars (4-5) will take a four-game winning streak to Muscatine (7-2) for the first round of the playoffs Wednesday night.

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Hillyer broke Kennedy rushing mark

Kennedy tailback Alex Hillyer broke the school record for most yards in a single season Friday night when he rushed for 217 yards on 29 carries against Iowa City High.

Hillyer has rushed for 1,419 yards this year, breaking the former mark of 1,377 set by J.C. Steinberg in 1997. He also passed Derek Kielkopf, who ran for 1,335 yards in 1999.

Hillyer raised his career mark to 2,207 yards and moved past Tracy Crocker for third place all-time at Kennedy. Crocker ran for 2,121 yards from 1975-77.

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Cougars clobber Little Hawks, 40-14

IOWA CITY -- Kennedy faced an array of confusing combinations if it had lost its football game Friday night at Iowa City High.

The Cougars tossed the tiebreakers and loopholes out, and simply won the game.

The Cougars dominated and defeated Iowa City High, 40-14, at Bates Field. Cougar running back Alex Hillyer ran for 217 yards and three scores, as Kennedy assured itself a playoff spot.

The Cougars (4-5, 4-2 MVC) will play at Muscatine (7-2) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in a Class 4A first round game.

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No sweat, Cougars claim 1st banner

Before the Class 4A district cross country meet began Thursday afternoon at the Tuma soccer complex, Kennedy senior Katie Wampole said she and her teammates had one goal.

“To come and get a state qualifying banner for the first time ever.”

Once the race started on a cold, windy and rainy day, Wampole said her focus changed.

“I was just out there  running to get back into my sweats.”

Under far less than ideal conditions, the Cougar girls followed last week’s conference division title with a district championship over a pair of perennial powerhouses from Iowa City. The two new banners are the first in school history for the girls team.

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Hillyer carries big load for Kennedy

Cedar Rapids Kennedy tailback Alex Hillyer gets a little tired sometimes. Not often, but once in a while, perhaps after a long run.

Otherwise he's fresh as a daisy, despite carrying the ball 25 times a game, playing defense and returning kickoffs.

"Honestly, I'm a little bit surprised," he said. "I haven't been tired. I'll be in the huddle and a lot of people are breathing kind of hard."

Not him.

"I'm pretty relaxed," he said.

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Kennedy spikers top Dubuque Senior

DUBUQUE - Jordan Calef had 16 kills and five aces Tuesday night as Kennedy clipped Dubuque Senior, 25-14, 18-25, 25-21, 25-17, in a Mississippi Valley Conference volleyball match in Dubuque.

Bre Boote contributed 33 assists and five kills for the No. 9 Cougars. Erin Coker collected eight kills and five digs and went 9-for-9 on her serves.

Madi Meier finished with 23 digs. Sarah Ryder had 13 digs and went 13-for-13 on serves with two aces.

Hahn is big star for Cyclones at 5-foot-6

Kristen Hahn dreamed about playing softball at Iowa State University when she was a young girl growing up in northeast Cedar Rapids.

Right college, wrong sport.

Hahn, 20, has developed into an outstanding volleyball player for the Cyclones, a 5-foot-6 libero in a game normally dominated by players a half-foot taller.

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