Key Rallies Lift Kennedy Girls, 65-52

Nothing much has changed for the Kennedy High girls’ basketball team. The Golden Cougars, who have not lost a league game in 11 seasons, ran their North Valley League record to 5-0 this season by taking a bite out of visiting El Camino Real, 65-52.

Kennedy forward Dawn Coleman led all scorers with a game-high 30 points and had 12 rebounds to spark the win. She also ignited 3 key rallies, 2 in the second half while scoring 29 of Kennedy’s final 49 points.

Coleman dominated the third period, scoring all 12 Kennedy points after being held to just 8 in the first half. Then Coleman scored the first 8 points of the final period to lead an 11-4 spurt that produced a 54-40 lead with 3:50 to play.

“I was wondering who was going to come out and play tonight,” Kennedy Coach Toya Holiday said.

The Conquistadores rallied briefly, putting together a 10-2 run to pull to within 6 of Kennedy, 56-50, with 2:05 left. But the Golden Cougars iced the game by scoring the next 7 points.

El Camino Real was paced by forward Alex Guidi’s 17 points and 10 rebounds. Guidi, a senior, scored 10 of the Conquistadores’ first 11 points but Kennedy still led, 16-11, after the opening period.

El Camino Real Coach Neils Ludlow had mixed feelings after his Conquistadores (9-5, 4-1) dropped their first league game.

“We played OK in spots (but) made a lot of mistakes,” Ludlow said. “You have to give Kennedy a lot of credit, they played well and put a lot of pressure on us. It was their defense that forced us to miss a lot of the shots we used to make.”

El Camino Real threatened to make a game of it early in the second quarter, pulling to within a point of Kennedy with a pair of quick baskets. But the Golden Cougars called a timeout to regroup with 6:30 remaining in the half, then went on a 15-4 run during which Coleman contributed 7 points.

Guard Falicia Stanley added 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Kennedy (7-2, 5-0).