Hannah Stuelke’s record night sends Washington past Kennedy, 73-57

CEDAR RAPIDS — Hannah Stuelke had a to-do list for her final basketball season at Cedar Rapids Washington.

Single-game scoring record? Check that one off.

Stuelke posted 42 points and 14 rebounds, and Class 5A 10th-ranked Washington bested Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 73-57, in a Metro battle Friday night at Kennedy High School.

“She has a way of making it look easier than it probably is,” Washington Coach Chris James said.

She made it look simple Friday.

A University of Iowa recruit, Stuelke was effective from all three levels — the perimeter, the midrange and the drive — making 18 of 23 shots.

“I had a list before the season of things I wanted to accomplish,” she said.

Was this high on the list?

“I don’t know,” she said. “It was on the list.”

She was able to cross it off with 1:32 left, when she was scored and fouled. She converted the free throw for the final point of a brilliant night.

That sent her past Marsha Frese, who scored 40 points in a game in 1990.

“I was aware (of the record),” Stuelke said. “I just looked at my mom (when I got it).”

Washington (5-1) got some separation early, when Aeri Thomas nailed three consecutive 3-pointers in a 15-2 run that put the Warriors in front, 21-9.

“We had to get them out of their zone,” said Thomas, who added 13 points. “When we got them out of their zone, it opened things up for Hannah and Deja (Redmond).”

“They were sagging inside, but they couldn’t keep sagging,” Stuelke said.

The Warriors added an 8-0 surge to start the second quarter for a 31-17 lead, and took a 40-29 advantage into intermission.

Stuelke had 21 points (on 9-of-12 field-goal shooting) and nine rebounds at halftime. By the end of the third, a couple of 3-pointers had sent her total to 35.

“She gives us so much energy,” Thomas said. “She gets us hyped up. She’s very caring. She wants to see all of us doing our best.”

Kennedy (2-2) closed within 66-57 on Kaliyah Sain’s 3-pointer with 3:07 left, but the Warriors scored the final seven points, including Stuelke’s record-breaker.

“(The Cougars) scare the crap out of me,” James said. “Every time we play them, if we get a 10-, 12-, 14-point lead, it’s never comfortable.”

The Warriors finished with 16 assists, five from Keara Powers.

Sain led Kennedy with 21 points and six rebounds. Ella Cadenhead added 16 points, hitting four 3-pointers.

The game does not count in the Mississippi Valley Conference standings. The rematch, Feb. 4 at Washington, does.

Cedar Rapids Washington 73, Cedar Rapids Kennedy 57

At C.R. Kennedy

C.R. WASHINGTON (73): Keara Powers 2-5 0-0 5, Aeri Thomas 5-13 0-0 13, Jaliea Havel 0-2 2-2 2, Hannah Stuelke 18-23 4-7 42, Deja Redmond 4-6 1-4 9, Jocelyn Doyle 0-1 0-0 0, Marie Jackson 0-0 0-0 0, Anna Peckosh 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 30-52 7-13 73.

C.R. KENNEDY (57): Aleksyia LeClere 3-8 0-0 6, Janelle Minor 0-2 1-2 1, Tori Knight 3-10 1-2 9, Addy Alber 1-2 0-0 2, Kaliyah Sain 7-17 6-7 21, Ella Cadenhead 6-8 0-0 16, Ella Moser 0-5 0-0 0, Rylee VanDresar 1-1 0-0 2, Kyla Holm 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-53 8-11 57.

C.R. Washington 23 17 21 12 — 73

C.R. Kennedy 17 12 19 9 — 57

3-point goals: Washington 6-19 (Powers 1-3, Thomas 3-10, Havel 0-2, Stuelke 2-3), Kennedy 7-27 (LeClere 0-2, Minor 0-1, Knight 2-8, Sain 1-7, Cadenhead 4-6, Moser 0-3). Team fouls: Washington 13, Kennedy 18. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Washington 31 (Stuelke 14), Kennedy 28 (LeClere, Sain 6). Assists: Washington 16 (Powers 5), Kennedy 12 (Sain, Moser 3). Steals: Washington 8 (Powers 3), Kennedy 9 (Cadenhead 3). Turnovers: Washington 12, Kennedy 15.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com