For the first time in Kennedy’s 55-year history, the Kennedy Boys’ Varsity Basketball team has had an undefeated regular season. The season finale and senior night against Waterloo East were canceled due to weather on Thursday, Feb 16, the final games of the traditional season. Not only does this regular season-ending make history for the Cougars, it also does so for the Cedar Rapids Metro area. The 2022-2023 Cougars basketball team is only the second Metro team to finish with an undefeated regular season following the season of the 2010-2011 Linn-Mar Lions.

Coming off of wins against Cedar Rapids Xavier, West Des Moines Valley and Cedar Rapids Jefferson, the Kennedy Cougars have been put in a prime position heading into the playoffs.

“That’s a good basketball team,” said Cedar Rapids Xavier Head Coach Mike Freeman to the Cedar Rapids Gazette, following The Battle of 42nd Street on Feb 14. The game ended in a 70-43 win for Kennedy. 

Due to this season’s record, the Cougars have been placed in the second wave in the brackets of state playoffs. They will play the winner of the Davenport West and Davenport North game in the substrate semi-final on Feb 24 at a third-party school.

Heading into post-season play, the Kennedy Cougars are led by senior Colby Dolphin with 315 points, 139 rebounds from junior Micah Schlaak and senior Kenzie Reed with 140 assists.

“[It] feels great knowing that our team will be engraved in Kennedy sports history,” said Dolphin. “But it speaks to the preparation everyone on the team has done to earn this record.”