Kennedy Girls Swimming

Ross, Benedict named Coaches of Year

Cedar Rapids Kennedy girls swimming coach John Ross and former Kennedy girls tennis coach Joe Benedict have been named Iowa Coaches of the Year for the 2014-15 school year.

The awards are made in conjunction with a program run by the National High School Federation. Ross and Benedict are now eligible for sectional and national recognition.

The honor recognizes coaches for significant achievement in their sport throughout their careers.

Lovig, Bagby share Metro Spotlight Award

Kassidy Lovig and Maddie Bagby of Cedar Rapids Kennedy are the co-winners of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school girls this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday.

Lovig and Bagby won two events at the Mississippi Valley Conference swimming meet in Cedar Falls Saturday. The Cougars made a strong run for the championship and finished second behind Cedar Falls, 413.5 to 408.

Lovig, a freshman, captured the 200 freestyle and swam on the triumphant 400 freestyle relay with Bagby, MacKinzee Macho and Lydia Yang. She also finished second in the 500 freestyle and helped Kennedy place second in the 200 freestyle relay.

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Cougars shine at MVC swim meet

CEDAR FALLS - Cedar Falls Coach Dick Marcussen has won so many Mississippi Valley Conference swimming titles during his legendary career that he's lost track.

"Twenty-five?," he guessed Saturday after winning another, trying to remember the exact number.

The Kennedy Cougars made Marcussen and the Cedar Falls girls work for this one.

Kennedy and Cedar Falls waged a see-saw battle all afternoon at Holmes Junior High School before the Tigers emerged with a slim 5 1/2-point victory, edging the Cougars 413.5 to 408 in a two-horse race.

Marcussen, 79, has won nine girls state titles since starting the program at Cedar Falls in 1967. He plans to retire from coaching after this season and has another strong club.

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No. 7 Cougars sink Linn-Mar

The seventh-ranked Kennedy Cougars won all 12 events Tuesday night and dunked Linn-Mar, 137-48, in a Mississippi Valley Conference swim meet at Kennedy.

Maddie Bagby was a four-time champ for Kennedy. She captured the 100 free and 200 free and swam on the triumphant 200 and 400 freestyle relays.

MacKinzee Macho and Kassidy Lovig were triple-champs for the Cougars. Jessica Williams, Raquel Green and Taylor Golden participated in two victories.

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