Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

CEDAR RAPIDS – Regina ended last season with a heartbreaking regional final loss to Cascade at Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

In the same gymnasium where last season ended Regina started this season with a massive statement.

Class 2A ninth-ranked Regina raced to a 20-point first quarter lead and rolled to a 79-59 win over Class 5A Cedar Rapids Kennedy on Tuesday in the season opener for both teams.

“We knew coming here, losing to Cascade here last year it was on everyone’s mind, and we wanted to come here and play, and we wanted to start our new journey here tonight on a high note,” Regina coach Mary Rogers said. “Our girls were dialed in tonight.”

It was Cascade that ended Regina’s season a year ago but the Regals took out their offseason disappointment on regional host Cedar Rapids Kennedy on Tuesday.

Regina never trailed and led by as many as 33 in the fourth quarter of the 20-point win.

Freshman Addie McLaughlin scored 26 points in her prep debut while senior guard Morgan Miller added 25 as Regina shot 57 percent from the field.

“We all walked in the gym and it felt like a get back game,” Miller said. “We weren’t nervous we wanted to take the opportunity to play a 5A team in the gym we lost in. We knew if we came out aggressive we would play well.”

Miller and McLaughlin each hit 3-pointers in the opening two minutes as Regina scored the first six points.

The Regals were just getting starter.

Regina used a 17-2 run that spanned four minutes in the opening quarter to take a 26-6 lead before Cedar Rapids Kennedy sophomore Payton Their banked in a 3-pointer at the first quarter buzzer.

The Regals made 9-of-12 field goal attempts in the first quarter, including 5-of-7 3-pointers.

“I think it helped a lot to build confidence to get off to a good start,” McLaughlin said.

“We were good in transition and we have good chemistry and we are a talented group.”

Miller and McLaughlin combined for 23 of the Regals’ 26 first-quarter points.

The duo made 8-of-10 field goals and was a combined 4-of-5 from 3-point range in the first quarter.

“When we saw we were playing a 5A team in our first game we saw it as a big opportunity to come out and make our statement,” Miller said. “We just knew we were going to have to come out aggressive from the beginning.”

Regina led 40-21 at the half and pushed the lead to 75-42 midway through the fourth quarter.

McLaughlin finished 11-of-20 from the field in her varsity debut and was 4-of-10 from 3-point range.

“Not surprised by what she did at all,” Miller said of McLaughlin. “She is such a talented player and it’s so nice to have her. She is great on offense, defense and we all trust her. She doesn’t play like a freshman.”

Senior guard Ella McLaughlin made 3-pointers and added 15 points for Regina which was 11-of-23 from beyond the 3-point arc.

Senior Caitlin Martin had six points and six rebounds and Ella Keune had four points and four boards for Regina.

“We all know how much talent we have on this team and how many offensive weapons we have,” Miller said. “We share the ball and we all trust each other to hit the shots that we need to and when we share the ball we are going to get good shots.”

Regina had a string of two consecutive state tournament appearances snapped with its regional final loss to Cascade last season and finished 19-5.

Tuesday’s opener quickly showed why this year’s team has high expectations.

“It’s setting the bar high but we tell the girls this is the first step in the process of this whole journey and we can’t get too far ahead, we want to be where our feet are but we have expectations, we have goals. We know who we have on our team and the unit that we have and we will go game by game but it’s a solid start.”

Regina                        26  14  22  17  –  79

CR Kennedy               9   12  17  21  –  59

Regina (79) – Morgan Miller 9-14 3-4 25, Ella Keune 1-2 2-2 4, Caitlin Martin 2-5 2-3 6, Ella McLaughlin 6-9 0-0 15, Addie McLaughlin 11-20 0-0 26, Adalee Klein 0-1 3-4 3, Totals 29-51 10-13 79.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy (59) – Isabella Senters 0-1 0-0 0, Bentley Dill 4-12 4-4 14, Abby Wedemeier 1-3 0-0 3, Ella Moser 5-10 2-3 13, Payton Their 2-7 1-2 7, Lexi Moore 4-10 0-2 8, Alaysia Williams 1-3 0-0 3, Alaina Canney 3-6 2-4 8, Lola Sain 1-1 0-0 2, Addison Stallman 0-5 1-2 1, Totals 21-58 10-17 59.

3-point field goals – Regina 11-23 (Miller 4-6, Martin 0-1, E. McLaughlin 3-6, A. McLaughlin 4-10), Kennedy 7-28 (Dill 2-8, Wedemeier 1-3, Moser 1-4, Their 2-5, Moore 0-1, Williams 1-3, Stallman 0-4). Rebounds – Regina 30 (Martin 6), Kennedy 34 (Canney 8). Turnovers – Regina 11, Kennedy 15. Total fouls – Regina 12, Kennedy 14. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.