Kennedy High School - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Kennedy powers past Davenport Central girls

A balanced offensive attack dominated by the inside play of Morgan Martin and Stephanie Botkin powered Kennedy to a 67-38 victory over Davenport Central Tuesday night at Kennedy.

Martin scored 14 points and Botkin added 13. They controlled the lane at both ends of the court.

Jordan Holmes contributed 12 points and Paige Hendrickson chipped in with 11 to give the Cougars (1-0) four players in double figures.

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Jon McKowen wants Cougars to run

All the doors to the Kennedy High School gym were locked last week when the boys basketball team was practicing, but it was merely to limit distractions and not hide any secrets.

New Coach Jon McKowen is perfectly willing to talk about his plans for the Cougars this season. And if all goes according to plan, they will be the Go-Go Cougars instead of the grind-it-out Cougars of the past few years.

McKowen's undefeated state champions at Ottawa High School in Kansas last season averaged approximately 74 points per game. "It is a lot of points," he acknowledged, "especially since it was a running clock most fourth quarters."

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Hall selected to all-state team

Matt Nelson and Daniel Vega of Xavier High School have been named to the Des Moines Register Elite All-State Football Team on the defensive line.

Nelson and Vega also were named first team all-state in Class 4A on the Register's 100th all-state squads. Xavier kicker Ryan Persick was named second team all-state in Class 4A as a punter.

The Saints finished 12-2 this season and reached the championship game of the Class 4A playoffs. Nelson, Vega and Persick are seniors.

Kennedy junior Terrance Hall was named second team all-state in Class 4A at linebacker.

Prairie junior Bryce Meeker was named second team all-state in Class 4A on the offensive line.

Jacobus will join UNI track program

Derek Jacobus, a four-sport athlete at Kennedy High School, has accepted an offer to join the University of Northern Iowa track program next year.

Jacobus told The Gazette that he plans to compete in the decathlon.

Jacobus won the Class 4A long jump title at the state track meet last season. He is also a top hurdler and sprinter.

Jacobus also plays football, basketball and baseball at Kennedy.

Kennedy girls could have strong team

Watch out for Kennedy.

When you talk to girls basketball coaches in the Metro area, you hear that refrain more and more as the new season approaches.

Watch out for the Cougars.

Kennedy Coach Tony Vis does not disagree, but he's not without his own concerns and not without praise for other clubs.

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Hendrickson going to SW Minnesota State

Kennedy senior Paige Hendrickson plans to sign a national letter-of-intent Wednesday to play basketball at Southwest Minnesota State.

Hendrickson, a 5-foot-8 guard, averaged 11.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.0 steals for the Cougars last season.

Morgan Martin, a 6-foot-1 post player who missed most of last season with a knee injury, plans to sign with Eastern Illinois University.

The signing ceremony for both players will take place in the Kennedy cafeteria at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Saints pinch Cougars for trip to UNI-Dome

There were no fancy speeches in the Xavier locker room at halftime Friday, no fire-and-brimstone demonstrations and certainly no finger-pointing.

"All we said was, 'Do your job,'" Coach Duane Schulte maintained after the game had a happy ending for his club.

The Saints absorbed Kennedy's best shot in the first half and came out swinging in the third quarter in the quarterfinals of the Class 4A playoffs Friday before a standing-room-only crowd on a crisp, breezy night at Saints Field.

Xavier exploded for 21 points in the third period and blanked the Cougars, 21-0, to earn a trip to the Class 4A semifinals next week.

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Saints vs. Cougars: Tale of 2 tailbacks

A 5-foot-9 tailback who wears No.25 and attends a high school that borders 42nd Street NE could have a profound effect on the Class 4A playoffs Friday night.

The question is: Which one?

Miles Moa has rushed for 1,436 yards for the Kennedy Cougars this season, the sixth-most in Class 4A, and galloped for a school-record 300 yards a few weeks ago.

Brendan Miller has scooted for 1,323 yards for the Xavier Saints, the eighth-most in Class 4A, and set a school record with 268 yards this year.

They'll clash at 7 p.m. Friday at Saints Field in the 4A quarterfinals.

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Steffes helps shoulder load for Cougars

Alex Steffes has been a mainstay on the offensive line for the Cedar Rapids Kennedy football team this season, an effective blocker who has helped the Cougars earn a date in the quarterfinals of the Class 4A playoffs Friday night at Xavier.

He uses every inch and every pound of his 5-foot-10, 245-pound body to block bigger defensive linemen and open holes for the Kennedy running backs, throwing himself into the scrum play after play after play.

Imagine doing that all season with a torn labrum and dislocated shoulder.

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