Kennedy sweeps Jefferson in Metro swim clash

CEDAR RAPIDS – It could not have been a better way to head to winter break for the Cedar Rapids Kennedy boys' swimming team.

Three swimmers won twice as individuals as the Cougars swept all 11 events in a 119-51 rout of Metro rival Cedar Rapids Jefferson Monday night at Kennedy.

'It was nice to put together a lineup to see where we are at heading into winter break,” Kennedy Coach Shawn Thomsen said. 'We can maybe start making some decisions on how end of year's going to look.”

Senior Stefan Kitsos has been exceptionally strong through the first month of the season. After placing fifth at state in the 100-yard breaststroke last season, Kitsos put an early charge into his senior season with a school-record time of 53.61 in the 100-yard backstroke in last week's dual at Iowa City West.

'I just came back from junior nationals and I was pumped and I had dropped some good times there,” Kitsos said. 'I was thinking, why not go after the record and put my name up there as many times as possible?”

Kitsos - already the Kennedy breaststroke record-holder (58.92) - was victorious in both the breaststroke (1:00.67) and the 200-yard individual medley (2:07.91) – two events he has earmarked for state qualification this season.

'I'm hoping to get down in the 56, 55 (-second) range,” Kitsos said of the breaststroke. 'Being state champ is the goal this year. Really, I'm just dreaming big things.”

Kitsos also swam the breaststroke portion of Kennedy's victorious 200-yard medley relay team (1:45.60), one of two relay wins for Kitsos (200-yard freestyle relay in 1:35.20).

Kennedy senior Brady Gibson collected wins in the 200-yard freestyle (1:55.69) and the 100 free (52.35). Junior Cade Schoenauer continued his torrid pace to his season with back-to-back victories in the 50 free (23.44) and the 100-yard butterfly (57.21). Monday was the third meet in which Schoenauer tallied a pair of individual wins this season.

'These past years, high school swimming's really changed me as a person,” Schoenauer said. 'The teammates, the bonding between each other is just amazing. We're one big family pretty much. I just want to do the best for them so we can all just come together in the end and just do the best we can.”

Kennedy (2-2, 2-2 MVC) returns from winter break Jan. 5 with a dual at defending state-runner up Cedar Rapids Washington.

AT C.R. KENNEDY

C.R. Kennedy 119, C.R. Jefferson 51

200 medley relay – C.R. Kennedy (Stefan Kitsos, Reece Linder, Cade Schoenauer, Dawson Gibbons), 1:45.60; 200 freestyle – Brady Gibson (CRK), 1:55.69; 200 individual medley – Kitsos (CRK), 2:07.91; 50 free – Schoenauer (CRK), 23.44; 100 butterfly – Schoenauer (CRK), 57.21; 100 free – Gibson (CRK), 52.35; 500 free – Andrew Waters (CRK), 5:33.78; 200 free relay – C.R. Kennedy (Kitsos, Gibson, Gibbons, Linder), 1:35.20; 100 backstroke – Tre Hayward (CRK), 1:03.98; 100 breaststroke – Kitsos (CRK), 1:00.67; 400 free relay – C.R. Kennedy (Gibson, Schoenauer, Gibbons, Waters), 3:36.28.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com