Jeff Hrubes gets a front-row seat for a special Cedar Rapids Kennedy basketball season, almost 30 years after his own

CEDAR RAPIDS — Jeff Hrubes remembers the elation, the celebration, the sense of accomplishment that comes with winning it all.

He remembers something else about being a starter for Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s state basketball championship team in 1984.

“More or less, it was just a relief,” Hrubes said.

No one associated with the Cougars program has been more invested long term than Hrubes. He and Larry Williams are in their 25th season as assistant varsity coaches, though Williams played his high school ball across town at Cedar Rapids Washington.

Hrubes IS Kennedy basketball: played for the school, was on the team that won its last hoops title, had a son, Cole, he coached at Kennedy. He coached the fathers of current Cougars players Kenzie Reed and Trevan Krumrei, too.

He’s around for a season that has seen the Cougars finish unbeaten in the regular season for the first time in school history and be ranked No. 1 in Class 4A. Kennedy (21-0) began the postseason with a 97-46 substate semifinal win Friday night over Davenport West.

“I do think about it,” Hrubes said. “They’re different type of seasons, as far as expectations. Our year, 1984, we had Al Lorenzen, who was going to Iowa, so it was almost like there was this different type of pressure because there was a lot of expectation that if you were to get to the state tournament, you should win it. There was a little bit more of a load that way.

“This year, we just kind of broke the season down into chunks: before Christmas, after Christmas, the postseason and everything else. If you think about it, two weeks from today we could be getting ready for a state championship game. You think about that and what it would mean to a lot of people, the kids especially. Then everything that comes along with it: great energy for the school, great energy to the program.”

Let’s be clear that no one (Hrubes included) is saying this Kennedy team is going to win a state championship. That’d be foolish.

But considering they made it to the 4A semifinals last season, are unbeaten and top ranked this season, it’d be foolish not to think these Cougars have some sort of realistic chance.

“If you look at us, it’s not like we just walk on the floor, and we’re physically imposing,” Hrubes said. “It’s kind of like we’re the shortest team we’ve gone against all season. We have to play well and do good things.”

Which certainly they’ve done up to this point. Kennedy will play Tuesday night against North Scott (17-5) for a berth in the state tournament.

“Every season there has been a reason to go back and keep doing (coaching),” Hrubes said. “You enjoy the coaches here. Everyone has their own personality, but we all have kind of the same sense of humor. We enjoy being around each other for four straight months and not wanting the season to end.”

The hope is this season won’t end for a couple more weeks.

Kennedy set a school record with 18 3-pointers in this game. The Cougars completely pulled away in the third quarter by outscoring West by a 28-4 margin.

Colby Dolphin led Kennedy with 21 points, one of five players to score in double figures (Micah Schlaak had 13, Kenzie Reed 12, Trey McKowen 11 and Carter Newhouse 10).

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Photos: Cedar Rapids Kennedy vs. Davenport West in boys’ basketball substate semifinals

AT CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY

DAVENPORT WEST (46): Elijah Reed-Scott 1 1-1 3, Jermilyn Gardner 1 0-0 2, Cleo Grandberry 1 0-0 2, Jovohn Davis 0 0-0 0, Layton Burt 0 0-0 0, Davante Bradford 2 3-3 7, Landon Winston 2 3-3 7, Dishaun Turner 0 0-0 0, Tayshaun Scott 0 0-0 0, Idris Thomas 6 2-2 15, Keylin Lacourse 0 0-0 0, Keshawn Spencer 1 1-2 3, Javonte Payen 0 0-0 0, Cailen Shadrick 1 0-0 3. Totals 15 10-12 46.

C.R. KENNEDY (97): Kenzie Reed 3 4-4 12, Jace Scott 1 0-0 3, Colbin Dolphin 7 2-2 21, Cyrus Courtney 2 1-2 64, Griffin Gerdes 2 0-0 6, Trey McKowen 4 0-0 11, Reid Hall 0 0-0 0, Micah Schlaak 6 0-0 13, Carter Newhouse 4 0-0 10, Nolan Grawe 1 0-0 2, Trevan Krumrei 2 0-0 4, Landon Deiters 2 0-0 4, Tristan Steichen 0 0-0 0, Pierce McCrary 0 0-0 0, Donovan Slick-Osborn 0 0-0 0, Colton Smith 1 0-0 3, Micah Jauhiananen 1 0-0 0, Reece Murray 0 0-0 0 0. Totals 36 7-8 97.

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