Kirkwood Community College - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

'Relaxed' Hutchins helps Eagles clinch title

Cyerra Hutchins is admittedly hard on herself.

The Kirkwood sophomore has struggled in recent games and it was weighing on the former Prairie standout.

"She was due," Kirkwood coach Kim Muhl said. "We had a talk today about sophomoreitis. I think she was worried about some things and today she just went out and played."

Play she did. Hutchins netted a game-high 23 points, hitting 8-of-10 from the field, including all three of her 3-point attempts, as the Eagles blitzed Iowa Central, 88-51, on Saturday at Johnson Hall.

The win not only moved the No. 4 Eagles to 25-4 overall, 12-0 in the ICCAC, but secured yet another outright regular-season league championship and the top seed for the upcoming conference tournament.

Hutchins said the talk with her coach was beneficial.

"Coach just told me to go out and have some fun today," Hutchins said. "I just went out there and tried to do that. I was able to get the ball to our post players and they did a great job of finding me for open shots."

Hutchins was also on her game defensively, as were all the Eagles. She had four steals and five defensive rebounds. Kirkwood led just 34-28 late in the first half, but went on a 9-0 run to end the half and an 8-0 start to the third quarter to put the game away.

Muhl credited the defense for Kirkwood's success on Saturday.

"This is the best they've played defensively all season," Muhl said. "Our defense was good. It can wear on you. I like the way we played."

Caitlin Sudduth added 14 points for Kirkwood. Madison Wood added eight points and 10 rebounds.

Despite his many league titles since coming to Kirkwood in 1989, Muhl doesn't take them for granted.

"No, no it never gets old because it is too hard to get them," Muhl said.
"It's hard to go through this league and stay healthy. To be the No. 1 seed is really nice."

Hutchins said the team has its sights set on the national tournament.

"That's been our goal," she said. "This team has so many good players. If we play like we did today, we are a tough team to beat."

Tangy Wiseman led Iowa Central (14-6, 8-4) with 12 points. Former Cedar Rapids Washington player Jazz Royster started for Iowa Central, scoring seven points.

IOWA CENTRAL (51): Stumpf 1 0-0 2, Wiseman 3 3-3 11, Royster 2 2-2 7, Yung 0 2-5 2, Mericle 4 2-3 10, Anaya 0 0-0 0, Morgan 0 1-2 1, Kortan 1 0-0 2, Graffunder 0 0-0 0, Sillman 3 0-0 8, Altman 2 4-6 8. Totals: 16 14-21 51.

KIRKWOOD (88): Harris 3 1-2 7, Miles 2 0-0 5, Sudduth 5 3-4 14, Hutchins 8 4-5 23, Wood 3 2-3 8, Lemons 3 3-3 8, Downs 1 0-0 2, Wheatly 2 1-2 5, Oberman 3 2-3 8, Voss 1 0-0 2, Dampier 0 2-2 2, Jennings 2 0-0 4. Totals: 33 15-20 88.

Halftime – Kirkwood 43, Iowa Central 48. 3-point goals – Iowa Central 5 (Wiseman 2, Royster, Sillman 2). Kirkwood 7 (Miles, Sudduth, Hutchins 3, Oberman 2). Total fouls – Iowa Central 13, Kirkwood 24. Fouled out – Harris. Technical fouls – none.

No. 4 Kirkwood women clinch tie for title

KEOKUK - The fourth-ranked Kirkwood women's basketball team clinched at least a tie for the ICCAC conference title Wednesday night by defeating Southeastern, 70-56, in a junior college game in Keokuk.

The Eagles raised their records to 24-4 overall and 11-0 in the conference. They own a three-game lead in the conference standings with three games left in the regular season.

The Eagles can wrap up the outright title by beating Iowa Central Saturday at Johnson Hall.

Amber Lemons topped a balanced attack for Kirkwood Wednesday with 11 points. Casey Miles scored 10.

KIRKWOOD (70): Harris 2 5-6 9, Lemons 5 1-2 11, Miles 4 0-1 10, Downs 2 0-0 4, Wheatly 0 0-0 0, Oberman 2 0-0 6, Sudduth 2 1-1 5, Voss 0 1-4 1, Hutchins 1 1-2 3, Dampier 2 3-5 7, Jennings 2 1-2 5, Wood 4 1-2 9. Totals 26 14-25 70.

3-point goals - Kirkwood 4 (Miles 2, Oberman 2).

Kirkwood rolls by Loras JV, 113-64

Da'Rion King and Kaliph Fagan scored 16 points apiece Tuesday night as the 14th-ranked Kirkwood Eagles pummeled the Loras junior varsity, 113-64, in a men's basketball game at Johnson Hall.

Nick Richards scored 13 points for Kirkwood (22-4). Al'Tavius Jackson, Josh Meier and Cristen Wilson had 12 points apiece as six Eagles scored in double figures.

Jake Toman led Loras with 17 points.

LORAS JV (64): Chavez 4 2-2 12, McDermott 2 0-0 6, Shute 2 0-0 5, Toman 6 3-5 17, Young 3 2-2 8, Khan 1 0-0 2, Fanara 0 0-0 0, Baker 0 0-0 0, Duffy 0 2-2 2, Lange 0 0-0 0, Reiter 1 3-4 5 Kelley 3 0-0 7. Totals 22 12-15 64.

KIRKWOOD (113): Bartlett 2 0-0 6, Rhodes 3 0-0 8, Richards 4 4-4 13, Olson 3 0-1 6, King 8 0-0 16, Jackson 2 7-10 12, Harp 2 2-2 6, Fagan 6 3-4 16, Meier 5 2-2 12, Wilson 4 4-6 12, Henry 1 0-0 2, Triplett 2 0-0 4. Totals 42 22-29 113.

Halftime - Kirkwood 55, Loras JV 27. 3-point goals - Loras JV 8 (Chavez 2, McDermott 2, Toman 2, Shute 1, Kelley 1), Kirkwood 7 (Bartlett 2, Rhodes 2, Richards 1, Jackson 1, Fagan 1).

No. 4 Eagles cruise past SWCC

Madison Wood and Mesha Wheatley each scored 15 points as No. 4 Kirkwood rolled to an 87-42 ICCAC win over Southwestern on Saturday at Johnson Hall.

Caitlin Sudduth added 10 for the Eagles (23-4, 10-0).

Julainie Carter led the Spartans (7-15, 1-9) with 12 points

SOUTHWESTERN (42): Alford 1 0-0 3, M. Carter 0 2-4 2, J. Carter 4 1-1 12, Wilson 1 2-4 4, Bronner 0 0-0 0, Sams 1 0-0 3, Schluter 3 0-0 9, Reifert 1 1-2 3, Slack 1 2-2 4, Fountain 1 0-2 2. Totals 13 8-15 42.

KIRKWOOD (87): Lemons 4 3-5 11, Miles 2 0-0 5, Downs 2 0-0 4, Wheatly 6 2-5 15, Oberman 2 0-0 6, Sudduth 3 2-2 10, Voss 1 0-0 2, Harris 3 0-0 8, Hutchins 3 0-0 6, Jennings 2 2-2 6, Wood 6 2-2 14. Totals 34 11-16 87.

Halftime: Kirkwood 41, Southwestern 25. 3-point goals: Southwestern 7 (Alford, Carter 3, Schluter 3). Kirkwood 8 (Miles, Wheatly, Oberman 2, Sudduth 2, Harris 2).

Eagles blitz No.4 Southwestern, 86-55

Offense has come pretty easy for the Kirkwood men's basketball team this season.

It's the defense that has been a problem at times for Coach Bryan Petersen's team.

On Saturday, the No. 14 Eagles picked a great time to click on both ends of the court. They scored the first 11 points of the game en route to an 86-55 rout over No. 4 Southwestern, 86-55, in an ICCAC game at Johnson Hall.

The win avenged an earlier 85-75 loss to the Spartans in Creston and pulled the Eagles back to within a game of Southwestern in the league standings.

Needless to say, Petersen didn't expect to hang a 31-point loss on Southwestern.

"Obviously, we got off to a good start," said Petersen, who saw his team move to 21-4 overall, 7-2 in league play. "They're a really good team. There's a reason they are ranked the way they are. We really didn't break it open until the middle of the second half."

Kirkwood may not have broken it open, but it never seemed like Southwestern ever got comfortable running its offense. The Eagle defense was aggressive from start to finish, forcing 16 turnovers and holding the Spartans to 38 percent shooting from the field for the game.

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No. 4 KCC women raise mark to 22-4

BOONE - The fourth-ranked Kirkwood women's basketball team rained in 11 3-pointers Wednesday night and caged the 13th-ranked DMACC Bears, 71-66, in an ICCAC conference game in Boone.

The Eagles raised their overall record to 22-4 and stayed perfect in the conference at 9-0.

Caitlin Sudduth tossed in four 3-pointers and scored 15 points for Kirkwood. Addie Oberman also hit four triples and scored 12 points. Madison Wood contributed 13 points and four steals.

Deleyah Harris and Cyerra Hutchins grabbed eight rebounds for Kirkwood. Casey Miles collected seven caroms.

DMACC fell to 20-5 overall and 6-3 in the league.

KIRKWOOD (71): Harris 3 0-0 7, Lemons 0 2-2 2, Miles 1 2-2 5, Downs 0 0-0 0, Wheatly 2 0-1 4, Oberman 4 0-0 12, Sudduth 5 1-2 15, Voss 2 0-0 4, Hutchins 2 3-4 8, Jennings 0 1-2 1, Wood 4 5-5 13. Totals 23 14-18 71.

3-point goals - Kirkwood 11 (Oberman 4, Sudduth 4, Harris 1, Miles 1, Hutchins 1).

Rhodes paces Kirkwood by DMACC

BOONE - Hunter Rhodes pumped in 27 points Wednesday night as the 14th-ranked Kirkwood Eagles trimmed DMACC, 83-80, in an ICCAC conference game in Boone.

The DMACC Bears missed two 3-pointers in the final seconds that would have tied the game.

Jacob Olson contributed 15 points for Kirkwood (20-4, 6-2). Shakur Tripplett added 10 points for the Eagles.

Jafar Kinsey scored 15 points for DMACC (15-9, 2-6).

KIRKWOOD (83): Bartlett 2 0-0 6, Rhodes 9 7-11 27, Richards 3 0-1 6, Harp 1 2-2 5, Fagan 2 0-0 4, Olson 4 6-8 15, Meier 0 0-0 0, Wilson 1 0-0 2, Triplett 4 2-2 10, King 3 2-2 8. Totals 29 19-26 83.

DMACC (80): Kinsey 4 4-5 15, White 3 3-4 10, Rowan 2 3-4 7, Epps 3 0-0 8, Benson 5 0-0 13, Larsen 5 2-3 13, Lipovsky 1 1-2 4, Steele 3 2-4 8, Noah 1 0-0 2. Totals 27 15-22 80.

Halftime - Kirkwood 49, DMACC 39. 3-point goals - Kirkwood 6 (Rhodes 2, Bartlett 2, Harp 1, Olson 1), DMACC 11 (Kinsey 3, Benson 3, Epps 2, White 1, Larsen 1, Lipovsky 1).

Lueck commits to Indiana State volleyball

Kirkwood All-American Halle Lueck plans to continue her volleyball career at Indiana State next season.

Lueck, a Cedar Rapids Prairie grad, finished second in the nation at the NJCAA Division II level last season with 1,761 assists and was named a first team All-American.

Kirkwood placed seventh at the national tournament in 2015.

Wood helps KCC women roll again

Madison Wood is a long drink of water for the Kirkwood women's basketball team at 6-foot-3.

Long and lean.

"Scrawny," is her own description.

Scrawny, perhaps, but she's good and getting better.

Wood collected 12 points, seven rebounds and six blocked shots Saturday as the fourth-ranked Eagles dunked Iowa Lakes, 69-46, at Johnson Hall to remain undefeated in ICCAC conference games.

Wood, who prepped at Cedar Falls, leads Kirkwood in three major categories at 11.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game.

Wood has long arms and long legs, and she puts them to good use on the basketball floor.

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