Seems like old times: Washington-Kennedy in a February MVC girls basketball showdown

A high-stakes girls basketball game, between two schools in the Cedar Rapids school district.

With MVC title implications. In February.

It’s been a while.

“A few years, that’s for sure,” said Chris James, head coach at Cedar Rapids Washington.

The Class 5A fifth-ranked Warriors (13-3 overall, 10-1 MVC) put themselves in control of the Valley Division race Tuesday, winning at Cedar Falls, 43-37.

Washington has won nine consecutive games. If the Warriors are the hottest team in the MVC, surging Cedar Rapids Kennedy (11-7, 8-3) is a close second.

The 14th-rated Cougars have won 11 of 13 after starting 0-5.

“The girls have bought into the process,” Kennedy Co-Coach Madi Parker said. “We’ve talked about how details matter.”

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Kennedy welcomes Washington for one of three MVC biggies Friday. Also, No. 7 Iowa City Liberty (13-5, 9-2) is at No. 9 Iowa City High (15-4, 9-2), and No. 10 Iowa City West (13-5, 9-2) visits No. 6 Cedar Falls (14-4, 9-2).

Liberty and West are tied for first in the Mississippi Division, with Kennedy a game back; Washington holds a one-game lead over City and Cedar Falls.

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Three games remain for each of the six contenders:

MISSISSIPPI DIVISION

Iowa City Liberty (13-5, 9-2): At City High, Friday; at Xavier, Tuesday; Kennedy (H), Feb. 13.

Iowa City West (13-5, 9-2): At Cedar Falls, Friday; at Kennedy, Tuesday; Xavier (H), Feb. 13.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy (11-7, 8-3): Washington (H), Friday; I.C. West (H), Tuesday; at Liberty, Feb. 13.

VALLEY DIVISION

Cedar Rapids Washington (13-3, 10-1): At Kennedy, Friday; at Clear Creek Amana (non-conf), Saturday; at Prairie, Tuesday; City High, Feb. 12.

Iowa City High (15-4, 9-2): Liberty (H), Friday; Jefferson (H), Tuesday; at Washington, Feb. 12.

Cedar Falls (14-4, 9-2): I.C. West (H), Friday; at Wahlert, Tuesday; Hempstead (H), Feb. 13.

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Washington’s last division title came in 2014. Kennedy was most recently crowned in 2010.

The Warriors have three four-year starters in their lineup. Samantha Becker, Hailey Becker and Lilly Belle Barker were freshmen in a 1-21 season in 2022-23.

“To go from there to having a chance to win a (divisional) championship, it says a lot about the character those kids have,” James said. “This core group has built a lot of trust and toughness.”

Parker is a Kennedy alum (Class of 2014). Only one of the Cougars’ top nine scorers (post Alaina Canney) is a senior.

“We’ve really focused on our defense — one-on-one defense, and team defense as well,” Parker said. “The first time we played them (a 61-44 Washington win on Dec. 12), we had a ton of turnovers.”

Elsewhere around the area ...

While much is yet to be decided in the MVC, a number of other area races have been decided:

WAMAC

Clear Creek Amana (16-0, 9-0) owns the West Division title; Mount Vernon (17-2, 7-0) is the East champion for the third year in a row.

The Clippers and the Mustangs play a non-divisional dandy Tuesday at Mount Vernon.

RIVER VALLEY

Maquoketa (16-2, 12-0) has clinched a North Division title share, and can win it outright with one win in its last two games.

In the South, Tipton (16-2, 10-1) holds a half-game lead over Iowa City Regina (15-4, 10-2) and Mid-Prairie (14-5, 10-2). The Tigers have three games to play, and will be solid favorites in all of them.

TRI-RIVERS

Springville (17-1, 8-0) got through the West Division without a scrape.

It’s likely that Lisbon (12-7, 10-1) and Bellevue Marquette (12-6, 10-1) will share the East crown. Both are heavily favored in their divisional finale.

For Lisbon, it would be its first league title since 1990.

SOUTH IOWA CEDAR

Lynnville-Sully (19-0, 15-0) has been the front-runner all season and wears the crown.

UPPER IOWA

The top two teams reside in the Small Division: Turkey Valley (17-2, 13-1) and Lansing Kee (13-5, 10-2) have a showdown tonight at Jackson Junction.

MFL MarMac (13-5, 11-3) has wrapped up the title in a competitive Large Division.

ALSO

Highland (19-2 overall, 16-0 SEISC North) won its division by four games. The Huskies put a wrap on it with a double-overtime win over Louisa-Muscatine, in which sophomore Kamryn Fink posted 28 points and 24 rebounds.

Meskwaki (14-2 overall, 10-1 Iowa Star South) has wrapped up a share of its first league title in school history, and can win it outright if wins at home Friday against Collins-Maxwell.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com