Big Kennedy-Washington game means even more to Dobbs, Patrick

CEDAR RAPIDS — Thunder and Lightning will see a ton of guys on the other side of the football Friday night that they know very well. Some are friends, many used to be classmates.

They're adversaries in this situation, but none are enemies.

The Cedar Rapids Washington-Cedar Rapids Kennedy game at Kingston Stadium is huge, as anticipated as they come. It's a Class 4A playoff quarterfinal between two really good teams: Kennedy is 11-0 and ranked third, Washington is 10-1 and fourth.

They played a thriller way back in Week Two of the regular season, with Kennedy winning, 28-24. You can't pile on any more hype for this one.

Or can you? For running backs Johnny Dobbs and Tavian Patrick, this game has even more incentive, if you can believe that.

They are Northeast siders who live in the Kennedy district but decided to open enroll four years ago at Washington. They're more than eager for this one.

'I know pretty much everyone over there,' said Dobbs. 'I know it's going to be a tough battle. Two good teams going at it. There's no smack talking or anything, just two physical teams going at it to try and accomplish one goal.'

That goal, of course, is a state championship. Washington made it to the finals a year ago, losing to West Des Moines Dowling.

The Warriors are capable of getting back to the 'ship and winning it. Obviously, so is Kennedy.

'We're going to have to be at the top of our game,' said Washington Coach Paul James.

Dobbs and Patrick are captains whose effectiveness is somewhat tied to their different running styles. They rotate posessions.

Dobbs (Thunder) is larger, a pounder who also plays linebacker. Patrick (Lightning) is small, elusive and quick, also a back on defense.

Their friendship goes back to elementary school. They split up temporarily in middle school, with Patrick attending Franklin and Dobbs starting out at Harding and then transferring to Franklin in the middle of his seventh-grade year.

Franklin students live in both the Washington and Kennedy districts.

'I just felt Wash was a better fit for me and my athletics. My football, baseball and basketball,' Dobbs said. 'I was more known with the people at Wash. I knew more people at Wash, met friends that were going to Wash. I just felt better, more comfortable going there.'

Patrick agreed there was nothing nefarious in their respective decisions to open enroll.

'We have good coaches over here, have a good program,' Patrick said. 'I was just a little bit closer to the kids over here at Wash, felt more at home. It's not anything that Kennedy could have done wrong. It's just that I thought it would be a better fit for me in the long run. Not just athletics, but everything. When I started going to Wash, it the was number one AP (advanced placement) school, so I thought about that. Kennedy was right there, too, but in the end, I just chose Wash.'

'I think they've both had outstanding careers,' James said. 'They are both outstanding leaders. They lead by example and have their own unique ways of talking their teammates through situations. Their athletic attributes are different, which makes it challenging to defend them, I think. They are both dedicated athletes. It means a lot to them.'

Especially this one.

'It's going to be super exciting,' said Patrick. 'Of course I know some of them over there. It'll be a great atmosphere, a lot of people out here. Thinking that I know some of the students and parents over there, I think that does raise a little bit of the excitement for me. I'm just going to try and get my team super excited, too.'

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