Kennedy looks to go back-to-back in Class 4A

CEDAR RAPIDS - The repeat won't be easy. It never is.

But it's possible for Cedar Rapids Kennedy. It's definitely possible.

"We don't even talk about that," said Kennedy Coach Bret Hoyer. "Just go down there and play who we're supposed to play. Have fun. There's going to be pressure, whether you've won it before or not. You're going to feel some anxiety just because it's tournament baseball.

"But our guys have a tradition of embracing that pressure and thriving on it. I don't think this group will be any different."

Kennedy (31-8) is the No. 2 seed behind West Des Moines Dowling (33-7) in Class 4A and begins what it hopes will be another long stay at the state baseball tournament Wednesday night at 6 against Fort Dodge (29-12). That's the same Fort Dodge club that swept the Cougars in a regular-season double-header, though the Dodgers threw their top two pitchers in the twin-bill and Kennedy did not throw any of its top three pitchers.

State Gatorade Player of the Year Austin Christensen (7-0) will pitch Wednesday night. He was so clutch on the mound (and at the plate) during last season's special run.

"We're excited," said Kennedy's Griffin Michael. "We honestly don't care who we're playing. We feel like we're playing good baseball. We know when we've got AC on the mound, we're definitely a tough team to beat. We're just excited for whoever we play."

Kennedy is strong offensively, hitting 50 home runs this season. Christensen, a Nebraska signee, had a school-record 19 and is tied with older brother, Chad, for the most career HRs in Metro history (42).

Chad Christensen played at Cedar Rapids Washington and recently completed his sophomore season with the Cornhuskers.

But this team isn't just Austin Christensen. It's Michael, it's second baseman Terrell Sykes (.444 average), it's David Yancey (.364 BA and five saves pitching).

It's everyone. 

"Just keep hitting the ball," said Kennedy's Cody Bell, another .400 hitters. "You can't put the brakes on. You've got to keep going ... We're just going to out and play our game. We control what we can control, that's it."

Last season, Kennedy was the first Mississippi Valley Conference team since Washington in 1994 to win a 4A championship. The Metro has won eight titles, with Cedar Rapids Wilson (1947-48) the only school to go back-to-back.

"We're looking forward to it," Hoyer said. "They've been there before, and they're excited to be back."

IOWA CITY WEST (31-10) vs. SOUTHEAST POLK (31-10)

When: Noon Wednesday

Where: Principal Park, Des Moines

Noteworthy: The 4-5 game, Southeast Polk the 4 seed. These teams have identical records and overall statistics. West would desperately love to take things one step more than they have the previous two seasons, when they were state runners-up. The Trojans are the hottest team in this tournament, winning 18 of their last 19 games. Head coach Charlie Stumpff won his 500th career game early in the season. Iowa recruit Ryan Rumpf leads the club with a .509 batting average, 24 doubles and 47 RBIs. Normally West's top pitcher, he has been slowed by a sore arm. Southeast Polk countered a late-season six-game losing streak with an active six-game win streak. Junior shortstop Zach Little has a .455 BA, nine home runs and 50 RBIs.

CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY (31-8) vs. FORT DODGE (29-12)

When: 6 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Principal Park, Des Moines

Noteworthy: Kennedy is the defending state champs in 4A and the No. 2 seed in this tournament. But they lost a regular-season double-header at Fort Dodge in mid-June, 9-3 and 8-3. Kennedy ace Austin Christensen (7-0, 2.38 ERA) did not pitch either of those games, so that twin-bill has less meaning than you'd think. Kennedy hit 50 home runs this season, a school-record 19 by Nebraska recruit Christensen. He is hitting an amazing .555 with 52 RBIs. Devon Jacobus has 10 bombs for the Cougars. Fort Dodge, meanwhile, did throw its top two pitchers earlier against Kennedy, so there is familiarity there both ways. Brad Lombard is 7-2 with a 1.86 ERA, Will Kenny 5-4 with a 2.54 ERA. Senior outfielder Will Alstott has a team-best 11 home runs.