Megan Weber lifts No. 4 Kennedy to 9-0

CEDAR RAPIDS — Why so much buzz?

Two returning Division-I players, for sure. A wunderkind eighth-grader, absolutely.

But when dissecting Cedar Rapids Kennedy's softball evolution into a blossoming powerhouse, don't discount the growth of Megan Weber.

A junior who batted a modest .297 last year, Weber has been a nearly impossible out in the first two weeks of the season.

'I've worked a lot with (former University of Iowa coach Gayle Blevins),' Weber said after the Class 5A fourth-ranked Cougars swept Dubuque Hempstead, 8-3 and 7-5, in a Mississippi Valley Conference softball double-header Thursday night at Kennedy High School.

'I'm a lot more positive with myself, a lot more confident.'

Weber hit two home runs in the second game, sending her total to a state-leading five. Her offensive averages (.714 batting, .828 on-base, 1.476 slugging) are staggering.

Her last home run was an estimated 240 feet, one-hopping the outfield fence — of the baseball diamond.

'Every home run she has hit has been to the opposite field,' said Kennedy Coach Dan Gratz, who has piloted a three-year turnaround from second-division to state-tournament contender. 'It's not just her. There is a noticeable difference in everybody's swing. They've worked at it from August until now.'

Kennedy (9-0 overall, 8-0 MVC) banged out 14 hits in the first game, and the Cougars' 10 hits in the nightcap was enough to erase the blemish of six errors and complete the sweep; Hempstead slipped to 6-3 and 4-2.

'It's nice to know, we don't have to be perfect to win,' Gratz said. 'In Year 1 and Year 2, we did.'

Mention 'Kennedy softball,' and Weber isn't the first name that comes to mind. It could be junior shortstop Ashley Hamilton (already an Iowa commit). Or senior outfielder Tianna Drahn (a UNI signee who had four hits out of her leadoff spot).

Eventually, it will be Kaylin Kinney, the hard-throwing eighth-grade pitcher who came on in relief in both games, earning both wins.

'We have a unique (pitching) staff,' Gratz said. 'We have a kid (Ashley Winterowd) who can move the ball. We have a kid (Jenna Schwartzhoff) who hits her spots. And we have a kid (Kinney) who throws gas.'

And they're creating a buzz. Kennedy hasn't reached the state tournament since 1999.

'We're just going out and having fun,' Weber said. 'We're more committed as a team. We want to go to state, and we want to win it.'

Three years ago, that seemed laughable. Nobody's chuckling now.

CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY 8-7, DUBUQUE HEMPSTEAD 3-5

At C.R. Kennedy

Game 1

Dubuque Hempstead 000 300 0 — 3 6 2

C.R. Kennedy 301 121 x — 8 14 1

Julia Meehan, Malarie Huseman (6) and Alana Cooksley. Jenna Schwartzhoff, Kaylin Kinney (4) and Peyton Baskerville. W — Kinney (2-0). L — Meehan (1-2).

Game 2

Dubuque Hempstead 101 111 0 — 5 10 1

C.R. Kennedy 203 020 x — 7 10 6

Malarie Huseman and Kayla LaPage. Ashley Winterowd, Kaylin Kinney (4) and Megan Weber. W — Kinney (3-0). L — Huseman (4-1). HR — CRK: Weber 2 (5).

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com