The night started slow for both Kennedy and Jefferson.  It didn't stay that way long for the Cougars, who heated up and took it to the visiting J-Hawks in a 61-38 victory Friday night at Kennedy.

Jefferson (4-8, 4-6) and Kennedy (5-7, 5-5) both came in to the game looking to get back to .500 in the Mississippi Valley Conference.

It looked like it would be a long night for both teams as they both shot poorly in the first quarter. The J-Hawks shot just 27 percent, the Cougars shot 31 percent. The score was only 3-2 in favor of Jefferson with two minutes left in the quarter. Both teams heated up and the quarter ended with Kennedy leading 12-11.

The second was all Cougars as they used a variety of presses and tough man to man defense to shut down the J-Hawks. The Cougars went on a 15-0 run to start the second quarter that propelled Kennedy into a 33-18 halftime lead.

“We starting hitting our shots,” Coach Dennis Roloff said. “When we start making shots, it becomes contagious.”

Kennedy went on an 8-0 run to start the third quarter. Kennedy kept the J-Hawks out of rhythm, continuing to throw a variety of presses at Jefferson.  The J-hawks shot a dismal 22 percent and Kennedy held sophomore Taylor Jacobson, Jefferson’s leading scorer, to one point in the second half.

“We knew to slow them (J-Hawks) down, it started with Jacobson and (senior Brittney) Steffeny in order to give us a better chance to win,” Roloff said. “I thought Shauna Happel and Courtney Strait did a great job on Steffeny and Jacobson.”

Kennedy coasted through the fourth quarter, pulling the starters with four minutes to play. Jefferson’s starters were all out by the two-minute mark.

Kennedy helped themselves by winning the battle of the boards 39-30 and limited the J-Hawks, who have been good offensive rebounders, to 13 offensive boards.

“We emphasized rebounding on both ends in practice all week,” Roloff said.

Kennedy hosts Linn-Mar next Friday night. The J-Hawks host Davenport Central Tuesday.

JEFFERSON (38): Kaitlyn Davidson  0 0-0 0, Madison Blietz 0 0-0 0, Taylor Jacobson  2 2-5 8, Rachel Broghammer  4 1-2 9, Britteny Steffeny  3 7-10 13, Dani Stromert  0 1-2 1, Alleigha Green  0 0-0 0, Kieley Brathwaite  0 0-0 0, Ashley Madsen  0 2-2 2, Amber Grimm  1 0-0 2, Whylie Massey  0 0-0 0, Maddie Koolbeck  0 3-4 3, Kadijah Bush  0 0-0 0. Totals 10 16-25 38.

KENNEDY (61): Olivia Meier  4 2-3 11, Courtney Strait  4 2-2 11, Kassi Nunnikhoven  1 1-2 3, Shauna Happel  2 3-3 7, Kali Hildebrand  2 1-1 5, Kaylese Johnson  4 0-0 11, Dominique Wright  1 0-0 3, Mariah Simmons  0 0-0 0, Kristen Huebsch  0 0-0 0, Valerie Ross  1 2-2 4, Ashley Schlueter  0 2-4 2, Katherine Schulz  2 0-0 4, Haley Corkery  0 0-0 0, Capria Davis  0 0-0 0, Grace Reinhart  0 0-0 0, Marissa Klinger  0 0-0 0. Totals 21 13-17 61.

Halftime – Kennedy 33, Jefferson 18.  3 point goals -- Kennedy 6 (Meier, Strait, Johnson 3, Wright), Jefferson 2 (Jacobson 2).