Cedar Rapids Washington overcomes inspired Kennedy girls’ basketball effort

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Kennedy Cougars played with a purpose. Passion. And, considering the circumstances, poise.

How do you combat that?

The Washington Warriors had Hannah Stuelke.

The University of Iowa recruit posted 32 points and 11 rebounds, and Cedar Rapids Washington topped Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 53-45, in an emotion-filled Mississippi Valley Conference girls’ basketball game Friday night at Washington High School.

“Our defense really stepped up, and we came together as a team,” Stuelke said. “We knew (Kennedy was) going to be ready for us. We just did the best we could to match it.”

Kennedy played its first game without head coach Andy Courtney, who underwent cardiac surgery Wednesday at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

“It’s been really hard,” a red-eyed Tori Knight said afterward. “We have a group chat, and (assistant coach) Madi (Meier) told us what had happened. My heart dropped. I had to walk out of class.

“We wanted to win for him tonight so bad.”

Meier will serve as interim coach for the remainder of the season. She heard the news in a text from Courtney’s wife, Amy, Wednesday morning.

“My world just kind of turned upside-down,” Meier said. “Andy’s like a big teddy bear. The girls love him, and he cares so much for them. The rest of their season is for him.”

The Cougars played hard, for sure, and led for most of the first half. But as was the case in the first meeting between the teams, Stuelke was just too much.

She scored 20 of the Warriors’ 23 second-half points.

Her basket at the 6:04 mark of the fourth quarter put the Warriors (13-6 overall, 8-5 MVC) in front for good, 41-39.

Kennedy (10-8, 8-5) was within 48-45 when Kaliyah Sain scored with 45 seconds left, but Stuelke scored the final five points, including an exclamation-point layup at the horn.

Stuelke scored 42 points in the first meeting earlier this season, a 73-57 Washington victory.

Knight and Sain led Kennedy with 14 points apiece. Ella Cadenhead tallied 11.

Cedar Rapids Washington 53, Cedar Rapids Kennedy 45

At C.R. Washington

C.R. KENNEDY (45): Ella Cadenhead 4-6 0-0 11, Ella Moser 0-2 0-0 0, Tori Knight 3-8 7-8 14, Addy Alber 2-3 0-2 4, Kaliyah Sain 4-10 4-4 14, Kyla Holm 0-5 0-0 0, Janelle Minor 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 14-36 11-14 45.

C.R. WASHINGTON (53): Keara Powers 3-9 0-0 9, Aeri Thomas 0-3 0-0 0, Jaliea Havel 2-7 1-1 6, Hannah Stuelke 12-18 8-14 32, Deja Redmond 1-4 1-4 3, Jocelyn Doyle 0-0 0-0 0, Anna Peckosh 1-1 0-0 3, Jamiah Malone 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-42 10-19 53.

C.R. Kennedy 18 9 9 9 — 45

C.R. Washington 13 17 9 14 — 53

3-point goals: Kennedy 6-16 (Cadenhead 3-3, Moser 0-1, Knight 1-4, Sain 2-7, Holm 0-1), Washington 5-16 (Powers 3-8, Thomas 0-2, Havel 1-3, Stuelke 0-2, Peckosh 1-1). Team fouls: Kennedy 13, Washington 14. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Kennedy 20 (Knight, Sain 5), Washington 31 (Stuelke 11). Assists: Kennedy 7 (Cadenhead, Knight, Sain 2), Washington 9 (Stuelke 3). Steals: Kennedy 12 (Sain 4), Washington 11 (Stuelke 5). Turnovers: Kennedy 15, Washington 16.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com