Cedar Rapids Kennedy continues recent surge with surprising runner-up finish at MVC tournament

NORTH LIBERTY — The best team in the Mississippi Valley Conference volleyball tournament? That was Iowa City Liberty.

The happiest team? That’s a no-doubter, too.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

The Cougars were a surprising runner-up in the championship pool Tuesday at Liberty High School.

First, they reversed a regular-season loss to Valley Division champion Western Dubuque. Then, after a loss to Liberty, they concluded a 2-1 showing by knocking off Class 4A top-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier.

“It’s just really exciting,” Kennedy senior Jacey Powell said. “Winning two matches today, that’s definitely what we were hoping for. We were able to get our block up, and we figured out what shots would work.”

The Cougars were jubilant after the Xavier match, and for good reason. It was their first conquest of the Saints since 2016, ending an 0-10 stretch against their 42nd Street rivals.

When Powell knocked down the clinching kill of the three-set triumph (20-25, 26-24, 15-11), the bench stormed the auxiliary gym floor, and — judging by their volume late in the match — a handful of students and parents would have liked to have joined them.

After spending the first half of the season around the .500 mark, Kennedy (20-11) has won 13 of its last 16 matches and is ranked No. 11 in Class 5A. The Cougars host Bettendorf (16-13) in a 5A regional semifinal Oct. 20.

Touring the other conference tournaments

WAMAC

Instead of the traditional two-day, pool-to-bracket format the Wamac has used in the past, officials opted for a one-night bracket this year due to the fact that the league is in an awkward one-year 11-team membership.

Mount Vernon High School hosts the entire event Thursday, beginning at 4 p.m. The championship match is scheduled for 8.

Class 3A No. 3 Mount Vernon (28-5) is the defending champion and the favorite, but the Mustangs probably will have to get through 4A No. 6 West Delaware (26-13) in the semifinals and 4A No. 3 Marion (31-5) in the championship match to repeat.

RIVER VALLEY

Instead of a single conference tournament, each division will conduct separate events Thursday, the North at Goose Lake and the South at Wilton.

Class 3A No. 14 Monticello (20-9) is the regular-season champion in the North and is expected to face 2A No. 14 Dyersville Beckman (23-10) in the championship match.

In the South tournament, 3A No. 6 West Liberty (26-7) is a clear favorite.

TRI-RIVERS

Thursday’s pool play is at four locations, with the final eight teams congregating into bracket play Saturday at Central City.

West Division champion Springville (1A No. 1, 29-2) and East champ Lisbon (2A No. 6, 31-2) appear to be on a path to meet in a championship-match showdown; though North Cedar (1A No. 11, 20-8) is a capable spoiler.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com