Kennedy High School - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Cougars claim 3rd title in 6 years

DES MOINES - Cedar Rapids Kennedy goalkeeper Olivia Weigel has been on the bottom of dogpiles before, so she knew exactly what to do as soon as the Cougars captured the state title at the Class 3A soccer tournament in Des Moines Saturday.

She immediately fell to the ground and covered her head as the entire team rushed toward her end of the field and piled on top of her to begin the celebration after Kennedy whipped No.4 Dubuque Hempstead, 5-2, for the crown.

"They've done that to me multiple times before," said Weigel, delighted with the state title and happy she escaped unharmed. "It's just fun. It's a good way to celebrate."

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Lizarraga tosses 3-hitter for Cougars

DUBUQUE - Sammy Lizarraga pitched a three-hit shutout with eight strikeouts Friday as third-ranked Kennedy blanked Dubuque Senior, 5-0, in the first game of a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader in Dubuque.

Dubuque Senior won the second game, 9-6.

Derek Jacobus had two hits for Kennedy in the first game. Zach Daniels had three hits and Ben Sass had two RBIs in the second game.

Game 1

Kennedy         020 012 0 - 5 6 2
Dubuque Senior  000 000 0 - 0 3 3

Game 2

Kennedy         211 101 0 - 6 7 1
Dubuque Senior  111 222 x - 9 12 3

'Trooper' Vogl boots Cougars into finals

DES MOINES - Jamie Vogl spent the entire regular season on the junior varsity for the Kennedy girls soccer team, but she's been in the thick of things for the Cougars at the Class 3A state tournament in Des Moines.

On Thursday, she banged heads in a nasty collision with Bettendorf junior Ashton Glaus and needed seven stitches to close a wound in her forehead near the hairline.

On Friday, she scored the only goal of the game as the Cougars upended No.6 Waukee, 1-0, in the semifinals at Cownie Soccer Park.

Kennedy (15-6) will face No. 4 Dubuque Hempstead (18-2) in the championship match Saturday at 4 p.m. on Field 9.

Vogl was supposed to be hosting her own graduation party Saturday at 4 p.m., but she and her teammates have other plans now. Maybe the Cougars can turn Vogl's graduation party into a state championship party as well.

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Cougars take twinbill from Hempstead

Ashley Hamilton went 3-for-3 with a double, triple and five RBIs Thursday as Kennedy dumped Dubuque Hempstead, 13-1, in the first game of a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader at Kennedy.

The Cougars took the second game, 7-3.

Maddy Crist went 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBIs for Kennedy in the first game. Jenna Schwartzhoff was the winning pitcher.

Peyton Baskerville went 2-for-3 and socked a grand slam for Kennedy in the second game. Sydney Kinney was 3-for-3 with a double and home run. Andrea McEachran was the winning pitcher.

Cougars bump off No.2 Bettendorf

DES MOINES - The Kennedy girls soccer team did not panic after losing its last three games of the regular season to three ranked opponents.

The Cougars kept their cool, kept working hard and kept having fun.

Now the fun-loving Cougars have reached the semifinals of the Class 3A state tournament after booting second-ranked Bettendorf, 3-1, in the opening round Thursday at the Cownie Soccer Park in Des Moines.

Kennedy (14-6) will face No.6 Waukee (17-3) in the semifinals Friday at 5 p.m. on Field 6.

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Kennedy sweeps Wahlert in softball

DUBUQUE - Tianna Drahn went 4-for-4 and scored two runs Tuesday as Kennedy defeated Dubuque Wahlert, 7-1, in the first game of an MVC softball

doubleheader in Dubuque.

Andrea McEachran went 2-for-2, scored two runs and had two stolen bases as the Cougars won the second game, 14-4.

Kennedy raised its records to 6-5 overall and 5-4 in the league.

No. 3 Cougars thrive with young hurlers

The Kennedy Cougars and their "Kiddie Corps" struck again Tuesday night.

Coach Bret Hoyer used three more underclassmen on the mound as the third-ranked Cougars defeated Prairie, 6-2, at the Prairie diamond to sweep the two-game series.

Junior Sawyer Neuhaus gave Kennedy four strong innings, sophomore Tyler Dralle tossed two frames and junior Blake Hargens sealed the deal in the seventh inning.

Kennedy raised its records to 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the Mississippi Valley Conference with a rotation built entirely of kids.

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Cougars stun No.1 Lions for state berth

Kennedy’s Carly Langhurst picked the exact right time to score her very first goal of the season.

With time winding down in a do-or-die dual at undefeated and top-ranked Linn-Mar Monday night, the sophomore defender sped from one end of the field to the other and tapped in the game’s only score.

She seized the moment and sent the Cougars to the Class 3A state tournament Thursday in Des Moines at the Cownie Soccer Park.

It was an evenly contested match, played mostly 20 yards on either side of midfield, with neither team giving an inch. But with three minutes left in a scoreless tie, Langhurst fielded a free ball 70 yards from her own goal and took off dribbling downfield.

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Cougars jump to 3rd in rankings

The Cedar Rapids Kennedy baseball team jumped into the No.3 spot in the Class 4A rankings Monday by the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association.

The Cougars were not ranked in the preseason, but they won the Metro Tournament and took a 6-1 record into Monday night's home game against Prairie.

The Xavier Saints claimed the No.9 spot in the Class 3A rankings with a 5-4 record. The Saints were not ranked in the preseason poll.