Kennedy High School - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Botkin cleared to play after heart procedure

Stephanie Botkin is averaging 10 points and 6 rebounds for the Kennedy girls basketball team, which are excellent numbers for a freshman in the Mississippi Valley Conference.

There's no telling what she'll accomplish now that her heart ailment has been repaired.

Botkin had a problem with her heart conduction system, which functions as the body's pacemaker and keeps the heart beating at a normal rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute. At one point, her heart beat was monitored at 230 per minute.

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Hutcheson named to volleyball Elite Team

Kennedy senior setter Allie Hutcheson has been named to the Elite Team of the Iowa Girls Coaches Association all-state volleyball teams.

The Cougars reached the Class 4A semifinals all four years of Hutcheson's prep career. They lost all four games, the last three to Iowa City West. The Women of Troy won the state championship the last two years.

Hutcheson led Kennedy with 289 kills and had a .462 kill efficiency. She had 793 assists and 40 blocks.

Hutcheson also was named to the Class 4A first team. Kennedy junior Lexi Rogers was named to the second team and junior Jordan Calef earned honorable mention.

Marion senior middle blocker Hannah Miller was named to the Class 3A third team and teammate Sara Ernst earned honorable mention.

Tripoli senior Megan Gilbert was named the Player of the Year.

You can see all of the IGCA's all-state volleyball selections at ighsau.org.

Letellier 4A second team all-state by Register

DES MOINES - Linn-Mar High School seniors Andy Henry and Mark Atwater were named to the Des Moines Register Elite All-State Football Team Sunday morning.

Henry made the Elite Offense at wide receiver after catching 53 passes with 18 touchdowns. Atwater was named to the Elite Defense after starring at linebacker.

Atwater also excelled as a quarterback for the Lions, but Blake Gimbel of Marshalltown and Kyle Starcevich of Southeast Polk were honored as the top quarterbacks in the state.

Cedar Rapids Washington senior Sean Bredl and Xavier senior William Wright were named to the Class 4A Second Team Offense as linemen. Cedar Rapids Kennedy senior Logan LeTellier was honored on the Class 4A Second Team Defense as a lineman.

Marion High School senior Jake McDonald was named to the Class 3A First Team Defense at linebacker.

You can see all of the Register's all-state football selections at www.dmregister.com.

Courtney Strait calls Truman State a perfect fit

Courtney Strait was a few minutes late for basketball practice at Cedar Rapids Kennedy Tuesday afternoon, but she had a good excuse.

Strait signed a national letter-of-intent with Truman State during a ceremony in the Kennedy cafeteria and needed a little extra time to thank family and friends.

"Usually when we're late we have to run, but I think they'll be OK with this," she said, smiling.

Kennedy honored three of its athletes Tuesday as Allie Hutcheson signed to play volleyball at Northern Colorado, Brigham Stewart signed to play golf at Butler and Strait signed with Truman State.

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Kennedy rally falls short in 4A semifinals

Kennedy was two points from elimination in the third set of its Class 4A semifinal match against Iowa City West at the state volleyball tournament Friday at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

The Cougars had lost the first two sets and trailed top-ranked West 23-20 in the third set in the best-of-5 match.

But the Cougars clawed back. Senior standout Allie Hutcheson smashed four straight kills and a net violation by West gave the Cougars the third set, 25-23, and the momentum carried over into the fourth set, a 25-15 Kennedy win.

But the magic didn't last.

West won the deciding fifth set, 15-7, and advanced to Saturday's championship match.

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Familiar foes face off in state semis

Familiarity breeds respect.

Don't think so?

Ask the coaches of the Kennedy and Iowa City West volleyball teams that will meet each other for the third straight year in the semifinals of the state volleyball tournament Friday at noon at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

West holds the upper hand against the Cougars. The Women of Troy ousted Kennedy from the semifinals in each of the last two seasons and also own a regular season win over the Cougars this year. West won the Class 4A state title last year.

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Kennedy gets preferred matchup; West is next

Kennedy gets the matchup it wanted Friday in the semifinals of the state volleyball tournament.

The seventh-ranked Cougars routed No. 4 Dubuque Hempstead in three sets Wednesday, 25-9, 25-21, 25-15, in the first round of the state volleyball tournament at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

Kennedy (30-9) advances to play No. 1 Iowa City West (37-6) in Friday's semifinals at noon. Iowa City West beat Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln in three sets, 25-20, 25-15, 25-20, earlier Wednesday.

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Final countdown for Hutcheson as a Cougar

Athletic competition can turn the best of friends into fierce enemies.

But only for about an hour and a half, says Allie Hutcheson.

Kennedy’s talented senior setter has battled regularly against some of the top volleyball players in the region – and also played side by side with them as teammates on her highly competitive Iowa Rockets USA Volleyball Club squad. They’re best of friends, she says.

Chances are friends will meet as foes again during this week’s state volleyball tournament, that begins Wednesday at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

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Goodall thinks Kennedy can win state volleyball title

CLARENCE - The Cedar Rapids Kennedy volleyball team reached the semifinals of the Class 4A state tournament in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

The Cougars want more in 2011.

Kennedy earned its fourth straight trip to the state tournament by sweeping Bettendorf, 25-14, 25-14, 25-18, with a strong performance in the regional finals Wednesday night at the North Cedar Middle School in Clarence.

The seventh-ranked Cougars (29-9) will face No. 4 Dubuque Hempstead (25-8) in the quarterfinals of the state tournament at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

Kennedy Coach Michelle Goodall thinks her team can be a serious contender for the title this year.

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