Kennedy High School - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Cougars, Saints make girls basketball poll

The Kennedy Cougars and Xavier Saints have been ranked in the preseason girls basketball poll, the IGHSAU announced Wednesday.

Kennedy is ranked No. 8 in Class 5A. The Cougars went 16-8 last year and reached the state tournament.

Xavier is ranked No. 14 in Class 4A. The Saints finished 11-12 last year.

Dowling is the No. 1 team in 5A and Harlan is the No. 1 club in 4A.

CLASS 5A

1. Dowling (23-3), 2. Southeast Polk (18-7), 3. Waukee (20-4), 4. West Des Moines Valley (22-2), 5. Iowa City West (12-11), 6. Johnston (14-10), 7. Ankeny Centennial (16-7), 8. Kennedy (16-8), 9. Iowa City High (24-1), 10. Mason City (16-7).

CLASS 4A

1. Harlan (26-0), 2. Carlisle (20-7), 3. North Scott (17-7), 4. Western Dubuque (23-3), 5. Perry (19-5), 6. Ballard (21-5), 7. Sioux City Heelan (20-4), 8. Davenport Assumption (17-7), 9. Keokuk (17-7), 10. Pella (16-7), 11. Indianola (13-9), 12. Waverly-Shell Rock (19-4), 13. Lewis Central (17-6), 14. Xavier (11-12), 15. West Delaware (17-6).

Drake tops All-Metro swim team

Kelsey Drake of Linn-Mar has been named the Athlete of the Year on the All-Metro girls swim team.

Megan Lewis and her assistants at Washington High School were named the Coach of the Year.

Drake won gold medals in the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly at the state swim meet in Marshalltown Saturday. She also helped Linn-Mar place third in the 400 freestyle relay and sixth in the 200 freestyle relay.

The All-Metro teams were based on times and points.

FIRST TEAM

Lizzie Adams (Linn-Mar), Maddie Bagby (Kennedy), Paige Broghammer (Linn-Mar), Alyssa Deuso (Linn-Mar), Kelsey Drake (Linn-Mar), Logan Eckhardt (Washington), Taylor Golden (Kennedy), Lauren Havertape (Washington), Sam Jacobsen (Kennedy), Jenn Jenks (Linn-Mar), Stephanie Jenks (Linn-Mar), Mikaela Lengwin (Linn-Mar), Mackinzee Macho (Kennedy), Emily Nelson (Washington), Kirsten Siebenga (Kennedy), Brooke Timmerman (Kennedy), Jessica Williams (Kennedy).

SECOND TEAM

Sarah Gannon (Kennedy), Jayden Lovell (Kennedy), Darby Manternach (Kennedy), Kaitlyn Nemickas (Washington), Caitlin Sievers (Washington), Carolyn Simon (Kennedy), Delaney Thoma (Washington), Lydia Yang (Kennedy).

HONORABLE MENTION

Linn-Mar: Grace Ahlers, Emma Behrens, Elizabeth Cavanah, Hannah Gardner, Hailey Harms, Georgia Sanderson, Kelly Wingerson
Washington: Morgan Chambers, Lucy Ernst, Alyssa Harris, Jenny Hughes
Kennedy: Courtney Fisher, Raquel Green, Kennedy Smith
Jefferson: Josie Thompson, Emily Wallace

Botkin will play ball at Washington U.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy senior Stephanie Botkin will continue her basketball career at Washington University in St. Louis and will sign her national letter-of-intent on Wednesday.

Botkin, a 6-foot-0 post player, averaged 10.6 points and 6.0 rebounds last season.

Kennedy finished with a 16-8 record last year and reached the Class 5A state tournament.

Ollinger honored on MVC volleyball

Amanda Ollinger of Cedar Rapids Jefferson has been named the Valley Division Athlete of the Year on the Mississippi Valley Conference all-star volleyball team.

Ollinger, a 6-foot-3 junior, was one of the top kill-shot artists in the state this season with her powerful slams. She has committed to play basketball at the University of Iowa.

Sarah Renner of Linn-Mar, Ellie Anderson of Linn-Mar, Anna Fluent of Kennedy and Macy Anderson of Kennedy joined Ollinger as first-team selections in the Valley Division.

Kate Busswitz of Prairie and Kayla Torson of Xavier were first-team picks in the Mississippi Division.

VALLEY DIVISION

Athlete of the Year - Amanda Ollinger, Jefferson
Coach of the Year - Matthew Johnson, Cedar Falls

First Team

Amanda Ollinger (CRJ), Lauryn Kramer (CF), Mackenzie May (DW), Laynie Whitehead (ICW), Sarah Renner (LM), Ellie Anderson (LM), Anna Fluent
(CRK), Macy Anderson (CRK).

Second Team

Emma Gerdes (CF), Mikaela Morgan (ICW), Tayah Mahi (CF), Sami Boekhoff (LM), Emilee McGowan (LM), Brinley Milbrath (CRK), Maddie Heiar (DW), Makenzie Tomkins (CRJ).

Honorable Mention
Metro Only

Jefferson - Avery Guy, Sam Kitterman
Kennedy - Paige Franck, Kendal Meier
Linn-Mar - Meg Gostonczik, Carly Spies

All-Academic
Metro Only

Jefferson - Brianna Prohaska, Hannah Carter
Kennedy - Hannah Skow, Breanna Osterkamp
Linn-Mar - Meg Gostonczik, Sarah Renner

MISSISSIPPI DIVISION

Athlete of the Year - Alexa Aldrich-Ingram, Iowa City High
Coach of the Year - Craig Pitcher, Iowa City High

First Team

Alexa Aldrich-Ingram (ICH), Kate Busswitz (CRP), Kayla Torson (CRX), Ashley Smith (ICH), Kendra Cave (ICH), Kasey Davis (DH), Hope Splinter (DH), Indya Beaman (WE).

Second Team

Makenzie Soeken (CRP), Caiti Peterson (CRW), Majda Sulic (WW), Shannon James (ICH), Rylee Price (ICH), Makayla Doyle (DH), Mallory Jones (CRP), Madsy Richards (CRX).

Honorable Mention
Metro Only

Prairie - Jenni Lockhart, Rachel Shelangoski
Washington - Sophie Smith, Rumer Weiland
Xavier - Melanie Wertzberger, Olivia Krapfl

All-Academic
Metro Only

Prairie - Rachel Shelangoski, Megan Sprengeler
Washington - Ellen Holt, Sophie Smith
Xavier - Melanie Wertzberger, Olivia Krapfl

Paulsen named Metro Coach of Year

Roxanne Paulsen of Marion High School has been named the Metro Coach of the Year in girls volleyball, as selected by the Metro coaches.

Marion earned a spot in the Class 4A state tournament with a 3-0 victory over DeWitt Central in the regional finals Tuesday night. This will be Paulsen's fifth trip to the state tournament with the Indians and the first since 2009. Marion won a state title in 2008.

Abby Phillips and Amanda Sahm of Marion were named to the top all-Metro squad with their coach. They were joined by Kayla Torson of Xavier, Amanda Ollinger of Jefferson, Kate Busswitz of Prairie, Sarah Renner of Linn-Mar, Anna Fluent of Kennedy and Macy Anderson of Kennedy.

SECOND TEAM

Alyssa Thomas (Marion), Olivia Frazier (Marion), Ellie Anderson (Linn-Mar), Sami Boekhoff (Linn-Mar), Caiti Peterson (Washington), Mallory Jones (Prairie), Madsy Richards (Xavier), Brinley Milbrath (Kennedy).

HONORABLE MENTION

Jefferson - Maddie Slagle, Kristen Naber
Kennedy - Paige Franck, Kendal Meier
Prairie - Jennifer Lockhart, Megan Sprengeler
Washington - Sophie Smith, Rumer Weiland
Xavier - Mel Wertzberger, Olivia Krapfl
Linn-Mar - Emilee McGowan, Meg Gostonczik
Marion - Isabella Sade, Johanna Steggall

Schmidt honored in District 5

Linn-Mar quarterback Ryan Schmidt has been named the Offensive Player of the Year for Class 4A District 5, as selected by the district coaches.

Linn-Mar Coach Bob Forsyth and his assistants were named the Staff of the Year. Rayce Willett of Cedar Falls was named the Defensive Player of the Year.

Seven Linn-Mar Lions were named first team all-district. Schmidt, Perrion Scott and Trevor Noble were honored on offense. Logan Nelsen, Trevor Long, Andrew Gassmann and Zach Huffman were saluted on defense.

The Jefferson J-Hawks and Kennedy Cougars had four first-team picks.

Jesse Furrow and Dalton Kuehl of Jefferson were named to the first team on offense. Alex Fernandez and Dakota Tomkins of Jefferson were honored on defense Shaun Beyer and Tyler Dralle of Kennedy made the first team on offense. Jay Blank and Parker Steffen from the Cougars were honored on defense.

Second Team Offense

Metro Only

Cameron McInerney (CRJ), Mason Furnish (CRJ), Lotukalafi Ahomana (LM), Daniel Gorsich (LM), Tylor Newhouse (LM), Mason Jacobs (CRK), Sammy Lizarraga (CRK).

Second Team Defense

Metro Only

Kelly May (CRJ), Tavian Rashed (CRJ), Garett Evans (LM), Logan Benter (LM), Dalles Jacobus (CRK), Logan Wedo (CRK).

Honorable Mention

Metro Only

Jefferson - Bryce Lund, Ben Baxter, Luke Sedlacek, Mason Short

Linn-Mar - Austin McCulloh, Dallas McFarland, Ryan Holub, Zach Garnett

Kennedy - Drake Brewster, Terrance Hall, Jacob Hauschild, Jonah Moes

All-Academic

Metro Only

Jefferson - Mason Furnish, Cameron Frazier

Kennedy - Jacob Grovert, Kyle Brewer

Linn-Mar - Michael Ho, Tylor Newhouse

No.2 Bettendorf stops Cougars

BETTENDORF – They remarkably went from winless to reaching the show in 30 days. Chia Pets don't mature this fast.

But the true test of how far the Kennedy Cougars have come in their late autumn surge from an 0-6 club to a playoff team came Monday night.

And as far as the Cougars have come over the last month and as far as they traveled in a marvelous first-half performance at TouVelle Stadium Monday, they couldn't overcome second-ranked Bettendorf on its home turf in this daunting Class 4A playoff exam.

Bettendorf won, 31-7

Continuing to look like one of the teams to beat for the 4A state championship, unbeaten Bettendorf again rode its powerful defense to victory. Iowa sack leader Jack Kallenberger fronted a Bulldogs defense that limited Kennedy to a single touchdown.

Bettendorf quarterback Cyle Cox produced 247 offensive yards – including 116 rushing yards – and a touchdown pass, and tailback Justice O'Conner added a hat trick of rushing touchdowns in a decisive triumph in the second round of the playoffs.

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Dralle wins Metro Spotlight Award

Cedar Rapids Kennedy junior Tyler Dralle is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school boys this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday.

Dralle had a monster game for the Cougars in their 20-17 victory over Muscatine in the opening round of the Class 4A playoffs last Wednesday night. He carried the ball 46 times for 234 yards and a touchdown as Kennedy advanced to the Sweet 16.

Dralle and Logan Wedo split time at tailback this season, but Dralle was asked to carry a heavy load in the playoffs with Wedo sidelined with a separated shoulder. Dralle, 5-10, 180, welcomed the challenge and Kennedy Coach Brian White compared Dralle to John Riggins, a blue-collar workhorse for the Washington Redskins a generation ago. Dralle does not have great moves or terrific speed, but he'll carry the ball time after time and get key yards.

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Battle-tested Cougars face No. 2 Bulldogs

Nobody can accuse the Kennedy Cougars of ducking any of the top Class 4A football teams in Eastern Iowa this season.

In fact, the Cougars have played the toughest schedule of anyone in these parts. By far.

Kennedy will try to upset second-ranked Bettendorf in the second round of the Class 4A playoffs Monday night. But win or lose, it will mean the Cougars will have faced all four of the No. 1 seeds from Eastern Iowa and all four of the No. 2 seeds.

Nobody else can say that.

Kennedy played Washington, Linn-Mar and Pleasant Valley during the regular season, and all three of them are No. 1 seeds in the playoffs as district champions. Now Bettendorf will complete the set as another No. 1 seed and district champ.

The Cougars also have faced Cedar Falls, Iowa City West, North Scott and Muscatine this year. All four of them were No. 2 seeds in the playoffs as a district runner-up.

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