Kennedy High School - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Hoyer wins 600th game with Kennedy

IOWA CITY - Cedar Rapids Kennedy baseball coach Bret Hoyer reached another milestone Friday night when the 10th-ranked Cougars swept No. 9 Iowa City West, 4-0 and 6-3, in a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader.

The victories raised Hoyer's record at Kennedy to 601-295 in 23 years at the helm. His overall record is 665-333 in 26 campaigns, including three years at Iowa City Regina before moving to Kennedy.

Read more...

4 Metro teams make baseball rankings

Cedar Rapids Prairie jumped into the prep baseball rankings Monday by the Iowa Baseball Coaches Association, putting four Metro teams in the Class 4A rankings for the first time this season.

The Jefferson J-Hawks are ranked No. 4, Linn-Mar is No. 7, Prairie is No. 8 and Kennedy has fallen to No. 10 after beginning the year in the No. 1 spot in the poll.

Three Central Iowa teams top the Class 4A charts with Johnston, Waukee and Southeast Polk ranked 1-2-3.

The Xavier Saints dropped out of the Class 3A rankings.

CLASS 4A

1. Johnston, 2. Waukee, 3. Southeast Polk, 4. Jefferson, 5. Dowling, 6. Sioux City East, 7. Linn-Mar, 8. Prairie, 9. Iowa City West, 10. Kennedy.

CLASS 3A

1. Davenport Assumption, 2. Pella, 3. West Delaware, 4. Sioux City Heelan, 5. Harlan, 6. Knoxville, 7. Gilbert, 8. Waverly-Shell Rock, 9. Fairfield, 10. Williamsburg.

Cougars trimmed by Johnston at state

DES MOINES - Magic one year, heartbreak the next.

That was the story for the Kennedy girls soccer team at the Class 3A state tournament Thursday at Cownie Park.

Last year, the Cinderella Cougars wore the glass slipper and claimed the state crown with three impressive wins in a row.

This year, the Cougars lost to a team they beat less than three weeks ago in the quarterfinals of the state tournament on a wet day in Des Moines.

Read more...

Daniels stops Prairie with 2-hitter

Zach Daniels had already thrown 109 pitches when Kennedy Coach Bret Hoyer visited the mound in the top of the seventh inning Tuesday in a tense game against Prairie.

Kennedy owned a 3-2 lead, but the Hawks had runners at first and second with only one out with the game hanging in the balance.

Most coaches would ask their pitcher how he felt after throwing 109 pitches, but Daniels was an elite all-state selection last year and will throw for the Iowa Hawkeyes when his prep career is over.

Hoyer never asked.

"It kind of surprised me," Daniels said with a grin.

Hoyer had confidence in Daniels and liked the way he was pitching. And as it turned out, all it took was one more pitch.

Daniels got Jared Street to bounce into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game, with Kennedy first baseman Tyler Jacobs making a nice pick of a one-hop throw to prevent the tying run from scoring.

That ended Kennedy's 3-2 victory in a Mississippi Valley Conference game at Kennedy.

Hoyer reminded his infielders what to do if they ball was hit to them in the top of the seventh, but confirmed he had few words for his star hurler.

"I reassured him that he still had real good stuff, real good life," Hoyer said. "Trust yourself and hit the mitt, and he did."

Read more...

Day lifts Prairie by No.4 Cougars

Corbin Day delivered a game-winning single in the bottom of the seventh inning Monday night as the Prairie Hawks trimmed fourth-ranked Kennedy, 6-5, in a Mississippi Valley Conference game at Prairie.

The same two teams meet again Tuesday night at Kennedy.

Day went 3-for-3 in the ballgame, capped by his walk-off base hit.

Tyler Nunemaker had a big game for Prairie. He went 2-for-3 with a double, home run and three RBIs. Trey Beckman was 2-for-4.

Read more...

Cougars earn chance to defend title

Defending Class 3A state soccer champion Kennedy eked out a 1-0 win over Cedar Falls Monday in a regional final at Kingston Stadium, but it was far from easy.

Six minutes into the match, the fourth-ranked Cougar girls were hurting.

The surging Tigers had just missed scoring first when Kennedy goalie Olivia Weigel deflected a hard shot off her fingertips.

Seconds later, Kennedy star midfielder Morgan Petsche was crumpled on the ground with what she first feared was a broken right ankle but apparently is only a severe sprain. Still, it kept her on the bench the rest of the game.

Read more...

Kennedy softball team sweeps Hempstead

DUBUQUE - The Kennedy softball team raised its record to 8-2 Thursday night by sweeping a Mississippi Valley Conference twinbill at Dubuque Hempstead, 7-3 and 4-3 in eight innings.

Tianna Drahn and Megan Weber went 3-for-4 in the first game and Drahn scored three runs. Jenna Schwartzhoff pitched a complete game for the victory.

Sydney Kinney delivered a game-winning single in the top of the eighth inning of the second game for Kennedy. Ashley Winterowd got the win.

Drewelow shines for No.4 Cougars

Alyssa Drewelow poured in four goals Wednesday night as the fourth-ranked Kennedy Cougars spanked Waterloo East, 10-0, in the semifinals of the Class 3A regional soccer tournament at Kingston Stadium.

Kennedy (15-3) will host Cedar Falls in the regional finals Monday at 6 p.m. at Kingston, with the winner advancing to the state tournament. The Cougars are the defending Class 3A state champs.

Alissa Waterhouse fired in two goals for Kennedy. Anna Frerichs, Emily Sass, Kenadee Dekko and Sydney Hayden also scored for the Cougars.

Alex Paustian, Alexis Hull and Carlee Ellsworth collected assists.

Kennedy softball team rolls by Wahlert

The Kennedy softball team pounded Dubuque Wahlert, 12-0 and 10-0, in a Mississippi Valley Conference softball doubleheader at Kennedy Tuesday night.

Both games were stopped by the mercy rule.

Tianna Drahn went 3-for-3 with four stolen bases and five RBIs in the first game. Sydney Kinney had a triple and two RBIs. Jenna Schwartzhoff struck out seven batters in three innings for the victory.

Camryn Jeffords went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs in the second game. Madeline Crist had two hits. Ashley Winterowd struck out nine batters in five innings for the win.

Kennedy raised its record to 6-0.