-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Ashley Hamilton of Cedar Rapids Kennedy reacts after teammate Jenna Schwartzhoff hits her first home run against Johnston during class 5A quarterfinals on Tuesday

It took 35 years, but Cedar Rapids Kennedy can finally bask in the glow of a victory at the state softball tournament.

And the Cougars had to beat the team that has been nearly unbeatable at the Rogers Sports Complex in recent years to get that monkey off their backs.

A three-run home run by Jenna Schwartzhoff in the fourth inning broke a scoreless tie and fourth-ranked Kennedy built a 7-0 lead before being forced to hang on late for a 7-4 victory over fifth-ranked Johnston in a Class 5A quarterfinal on Diamond 2 yesterday afternoon.

It was Kennedy’s fist-ever win on the front side of the state tournament bracket. Making their first state appearance since 1999, the Cougars (36-7) last triumph at state came back in 1982.

“It’s a new year and we’re a new team,” Schwartzhoff said after she went 2 for 4 with three RBI. “We’re a good team and we’re here to hang.”

Johnston (36-6) saw its streak of four straight state championship game appearances snapped. The Dragons won titles in 2014 and 2016.

“We’re both great teams, but we came into this game just being so confident,” Kennedy freshman pitcher Kaylin Kinney said after she earned the win in the circle. “We play our best when we play loose and that’s what we did.”

Schwartzhoff’s blast to left-center was her first dinger of the season and just the second of her career. To say it took her by surprise would be an understatement.

“I was just ecstatic. My face blew up,” she said. “We always do good in rally situations, so I just wanted to get that rally going.”

Trailing 7-0, Johnston began to mount its charge in the bottom of the sixth. Singles by Ally Schaer, Hannah Espeland and Sophie Maras all drove in a run to cut Kennedy’s lead to 7-3.

Emma Ford lashed a base hit up the middle to bring in another run in the seventh, but Kinney worked out of a jam with a strikeout and a pop-up.

Kinney was touched for 10 hits. She fanned five batters.

Dragons’ hurler Emily Flint was perfect through three innings. She gave up eight hits and struck out seven in a losing effort.

Iowa-bound Ashley Hamilton added a pair of base hits and scored two runs for the Cougars. Johnston’s Brooke Wilmes, a University of Missouri recruit, went 3 for 4 and Maras laced two base hits.

Kennedy will face top-ranked Waukee (39-3) in Thursday’s semifinal round at 11 a.m. on Buena Vista University Field. Johnston will tangle with 10th-ranked West Des Moines Dowling (31-11) in a consolation semifinal today at noon on Dodger Diamond.

CR Kennedy 7,

Johnston 4

CR Kennedy 000 322 0–7 8 2

Johnston 000 003 1 — 4 10 3

Kaylin Kinney and Megan Weber. Emily Flint and Ally Schaer. W — Kinney. L — Flint. HR — CRK: Jenna Schwartzhoff. RBI — CRK: Schwartzhoff (3), Abby Spore (2), K. Kinney, Ashley Winterowd; J: Schaer, Emma Ford, Hannah Espeland, Sophie Maras.