Kennedy High School - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Lizarraga will play ball at Mount Mercy

Chico Lizarraga thought he'd be throwing passes for the Iowa Central Community College football team this fall. Instead, he's decided to throw out baserunners for the Mount Mercy University baseball team next spring.

Lizarraga, an all-state catcher and all-conference quarterback at Kennedy, has changed signals and will pursue a baseball career in college instead of playing football.

Lizarraga hit .320 with 26 RBIs for the Cougars as they compiled a 33-7 record and reached the semifinals of the Class 4A state tournament.

Cougars win Linn-Mar golf tourney

The battle for 42nd Street NE between the Kennedy Cougars and Xavier Saints has hit the links.

Xavier struck the first blow last Thursday when it trimmed Kennedy by nine shots for top honors at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet at Bunker Hill in Dubuque.

The Cougars struck back Monday by trimming the Saints by six strokes at the Linn-Mar Invitational at Hunters Ridge.

This could go on all season.

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Torn labrum ends Jacobus' football season

Kennedy junior Derek Jacobus suffered a torn labrum in practice Thursday and will miss the entire 2012 football season, Coach Tim Lewis said Saturday.

Jacobus, who is right-handed, tore the labrum in his left shoulder while working as a receiver. "He just went up for a pass and landed on his shoulder," Lewis said.

Jacobus had been working as a receiver and quarterback in camp. He was competing with Riley Fergus and Joel Smetzer at quarterback.

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Mitchell Martin wins Sani golf scholarship

JOHNSTON - Kennedy High School graduate Mitchell Martin was presented a Herman Sani golf scholarship Friday night during a ceremony at the annual Sani Invitational Golf Tournament at Hyperion Field Club.

The scholarship is worth $2,000 a year for four years and is presented by the Iowa Golf Association.

Martin was one of the top golfers at Kennedy during his career. He will be a freshman at Wartburg College this year and plans to study biology and psychology.

A total of 154 men and women have received Sani scholarships since the program began in 1958. Sani was the first director of the Iowa Golf Association and served the IGA for more than 30 years.

Hayden leads Metro parade on IHSBCA all-state teams

Alex Hayden capped a brilliant season for the Kennedy High School baseball team Thursday by being named to the 2012 All-State "Super Team" by the Iowa High chool Baseball Coaches Association.

Eleven Metro players were selected for the all-state teams by the IHSBCA, a testament to the talent in the Metro area this year.

Hayden was named as a utility player on the "Super Team," an elite unit that honors the top 15 players in the state, regardless of classification. He compiled an 11-2 record on the mound with a 0.99 ERA, hit .386 with 28 RBIs and excelled at second base.

Cody Bell of Kennedy, Josh Jahlas of Kennedy, Jason Velvick of Prairie, Brennan Hammer of Prairie and Jake Stolley of Linn-Mar were named first team all-state in Class 4A.

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Cougars looking for faster start this year

"No More Slow Starts" is not a real sexy slogan for a high school football team, but it might be appropriate at Kennedy.

The Cougars lost their first two games of the season in 2011 and dropped their first three contests in 2010, so needless to say they'd like to avoid something like that this year.

Kennedy rallied to make the Class 4A playoffs both times, but it was an uphill climb.

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Hayden, Jacobus help East win IHSBCA title

CLINTON -- Alex Hayden and Devon Jacobus from Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School helped the Large Schools East team win the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association (IHSBCA) all-star series Sunday in Clinton.

Hayden pitched a one-hit shutout as Large Schools East blanked Small Schools East, 4-0, in the championship game.

Jacobus had two hits Sunday and was named the Most Valuable Player of the series.

Small Schools East defeated Large Schools East in pool play on Thursday, but Large Schools East won its next two pool games and got revenge in the finals.

Metro stars lead East at IHSBCA game

CLINTON -- Jake Stolley of Linn-Mar was the winning pitcher Friday as the Large Schools East team trimmed the Large Schools West, 5-3, on the second day of the IHSBCA All-Star games in Clinton.

Devon Jacobus of Kennedy went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Alex Hayden of Kennedy was 2-for-2. Both Cougars scored a run.

The Large Schools East team lost to Small Schools East, 7-1, on Thursday and carries a 1-1 record into Saturday's action.

Small Schools East edged Small Schools West, 4-2, Friday and has a 2-0 record. The Large Schools West squad is 0-2.

Kennedy golfers claim 3 spots in Pribyl's top 10

Cedar Rapids Xavier High School junior John Ingwersen won the Rotary Pribyl Junior Golf Tournament on Friday by firing a final round of 73 at Elmcrest Country Club.

Ingwersen finished the 72-hole event at 73-76-78-73--300 to win the tournament by five shots over Matt Junge of Xavier.

The Saints placed five golfers in the top-10 as Ben Sagers finished fourth, Rob Thinnes seventh and John Drahozal ninth.

Kennedy golfers claimed three spots in the top 10 in the non-school event with Conner Koberg in third place, Cole Murdock fifth and Davis Sutton eighth.

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