CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY 68, WAUKEE 50

After struggling late in the regular season, the Cedar Rapids Kennedy Cougars are on a roll now.

Kennedy followed a victory over defending state champion Iowa City High in its regional final with an impressive performance at state, beating Waukee 68-50 Wednesday in a first-round Class 4A game.

The ninth-ranked Cougars have an all-junior starting lineup and they got solid efforts from everyone. Jade Rogers led the way with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Laura Boenish, who averages 7.7 points, came through with 17 to go with six rebounds, while Mariah Duke added 14 points and six assists.

Kennedy has rebounded after losing its last four-regular season games and will take a 17-7 record into a semifinal match with No. 2 Sioux City North at noon on Friday.

Eighth-ranked Waukee had upset No. 3 Des Moines East in its regional final and stayed with the Cougars for a while. They gave up a 17-16 lead in the second quarter, fell behind by 11, then scored the final six points of the period to trail just 32-27 at halftime.

But Kennedy started the third quarter with a 14-4 run to open a 46-31 lead and was in control the rest of the way.

Kennedy was able to get inside repeatedly for good shots and outscored Waukee 36-14 on points in the paint. The Cougars shot 67 percent in the second half and 56 percent for the game.

Waukee relied heavily on its 3-point shooting this season and made four shots from long range in the first quarter. But Kennedy did a good job getting out on the shooters after that and Waukee made only two more 3s the rest of the way, the second not coming until late in the game.

Kiersten Orton, Megan Hogg and Megan Goodson each scored nine points to lead Waukee, which finished 17-7.