Kennedy sets up substate final against Linn-Mar with 59-45 win over Xavier

CEDAR RAPIDS – Just as the fourth quarter was about to begin, the chant began.

“We want Linn-Mar!” Cedar Rapids Kennedy's student section sang. “We want Linn-Mar!”

You've got Linn-Mar, kids. Eighth-ranked Kennedy earned its way to that much-anticipated Class 4A substate final by simply letting Cedar Rapids Xavier shoot and miss in a 59-45 win Friday night at Kennedy.

“It's all good,” said Kennedy's Darius Fuller, about the chants. “I'm glad they're all hyped up for it, because we're definitely hyped up for it. It's going to be a big game, going to be a lot of fun.”

This big, fun game is Tuesday night at Cedar Rapids Prairie. The winner goes to the state tournament, No. 5 Linn-Mar for what would be the ninth consecutive season.

On paper, this appears to be a 50-50 game. Kennedy won the lone regular-season matchup, though Linn-Mar was without forward Matt Lassen.

“They're very good, obviously, and they're going to be a tough out,” said Kennedy Coach Bob Fontana. “We're going to have to give our best effort, play our best game of the season.”

Xavier (10-13) couldn't hit the proverbial broad side of a barn for most of this one, making only 4 of 24 field-goal attempts in the first half, none in the second quarter. The Saints went without a field goal for almost 11 minutes before Kevin Hosch hit a driving shot in the third quarter.

Kennedy (16-6) pulled away from an 11-11 game after a quarter to lead 27-14 at halftime and 39-24 after three. Xavier could only get as close as nine in the fourth, employing a fouling strategy that sent Kennedy to the free-throw line 35 times, making 22.

Fuller had only two of those 22 but led his team with 16 points. Cody Bell added 10.

Big ups to center Elliott Christians, who blocked five shots in the first quarter, setting a definitive defensive tone that lasted the rest of the way.

“I think it helped put in their mind that they couldn't go to the lane,” Christians said. “Our defense is a big part of our offense.”

“The shots just didn't drop for us tonight,” Xavier's Mac Mattke said.

Hosch led Xavier with 15 points, with Ben McDermott adding 11.

Here's the game boxscore:

AT C.R. KENNEDY

C.R. XAVIER (45): Kevin Hosch 6-9 2-2 15, Carter Valentine 2-6 4-5 8, Mac Mattke 0-5 0-0 0, Ben McDermott 4-12 1-2 11, Trey Sampson 0-2 0-0 0, Matt Nelson 2-5 0-0 4, Tanner Frazier 0-6 1-2 1, Brian Ropp 1-2 0-0 3, Alec Clasen 1-7 0-0 3. Totals 16-54 8-11 45.

C.R. KENNEDY (59): Cody Bell 4-6 0-2 10, Elliott Christians 2-6 3-4 7, Josiah Coleman 1-2 7-12 9, Trevor Heitland 0-7 9-10 9, Darius Fuller 7-10 2-4 16, Josh Jahlas 1-2 0-0 2, Alex Hayden 1-3 0-0 3, Patrick Martin 0-1 0-0 0, Ben Struss 1-2 1-3 3. Totals 17-39 22-35 59.

Halftime – Kennedy 27, Xavier 14.

3-point goals – Xavier 5-13 (Hosch 1-2, Mattke 0-1, McDermott 2-4, Sampson 0-1, Frazier 0-2, Ropp 1-1, Clasen 1-2), Kennedy 3-8 (Bell 2-3, Heitland 0-2, Hayden 1-3).

Rebounds – Xavier 25 (Hosch 8), Kennedy 40 (Coleman 11).

Total fouls – Xavier 20, Kennedy 13.

Fouled out – Clasen.

Turnovers – Xavier 11, Kennedy 15.