All she does is win: Kennedy Woolston sets her own pace at Lone Peak
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- Lone Peak junior Kennedy Woolston and junior Lave Holdcraft get fired up during the 6A championship game against Copper Hills at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025.
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- Lone Peak junior Kennedy Woolston shoots a shot during the 6A championship game against Copper Hills at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025.
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- Lone Peak junior Kennedy Woolston drives to the basket during the 6A semifinal game against Davis at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025.
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- Lone Peak junior Kennedy Woolston shoots a 3-pointer during the 6A semifinal game against Davis at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025.
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- Lone Peak junior Kennedy Woolston encourages her team during the 6A championship game against Copper Hills at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025.
When Kennedy Woolston was a young child playing Junior Jazz, she followed around her older sister, Kailey, trying to do the same things on the basketball court.
Here’s another way Kennedy has mirrored Kailey: She’s the 2025 Daily Herald Girls Basketball Valley Player of the Year.
Kailey Woolston, who starred at BYU as a freshman and is now serving a church mission, won the award twice (2022 and 2023) while leading Lone Peak to a pair of state championships.
Kennedy Woolston, a 5-foot-11 junior, has been a part of three state titles with the Knights, including one playing with Kailey (2023) and one this year.
That’s the Woolstons for you: All they do is win championships and trophies.
“The people I’ve had around me the past three years, amazing teammates and coaches, I couldn’t have won anything without them,” Kennedy Woolston said. “They’ve helped me a lot with my leadership, helping me become the best I can be.”
Kennedy Woolston put up solid numbers for Lone Peak during her junior year: 14.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2.7 steals per game while making 63 3-pointers. That included a 26-point outburst in a win against Layton and double-figure scoring in 20 of Lone Peak’s 27 games.
The Knights started slowly this season, losing to Bountiful and three out-of-state teams early in the season. Lone Peak lost twice to Westlake and finished second in Region 3, earning a No. 7 seed in the 6A state tournament.
The Knights had been the No. 1 seed for their 2022 and 2023 championships and a No. 3 seed when winning the title in 2024. So this was a new challenge to get to the final day at the Huntsman Center.
With Kennedy Woolston at the lead, Lone Peak beat No. 10 Riverton, No. 2 Syracuse and No. 7 Davis to reach the state championship game against No. 1 Copper Hills. The Knights held the Grizzlies to just 12 points in the second half and Kennedy did her thing (nine points, five rebounds, four assists, five steals and zero turnovers) in a 46-42 win, Lone Peak’s fourth straight state title.
“The coaches put us in that position and everyone just bought into what we had to do,” she said. “We have a saying that we use, and that’s ‘stay together.’ We did what we had to do to win.”
Lone Peak coach Nancy Warner knows she has one of the state’s top players in Kennedy Woolston.
“What makes Kennedy a winner is her work ethic and coachability,” Warner said. “She is someone who is always wanting to be coached and learn. She’s never satisfied and that allows her to continue to do what she’s capable of doing. On top of that, especially this year, for us she was a huge leader. She kept the team together and focused on right things, which helped us find success.
“Her ability to shoot is incredible. She’s composed and she runs the offense. She executes so well. She really stepped up her defense and her rebounding this year. She has the ability to find people with her passing. She has a well-rounded game and that’s what makes her such a great player.”
Kennedy Woolston said she’s been playing club basketball since she was in first grade and often played up an age group or two. She currently plays for Mountain West Premier and after taking a few days to celebrate the state championship joined her club at a tournament in Colorado the next weekend.
Kennedy Woolston committed to BYU last year but with the recent coaching change said she is going to take her time making a decision about her next steps.
“I think I want to wait until after the club season,” she said. “I just want to see what options I have.”
During her down time, Kennedy Woolston said she loves cooking and baking for her family.
“Any food or any dessert,” she said. “I love making homemade mac and cheese and alfredo sauce. I also love reading and listening to audio books.”
As for others measuring her against her sister, Kennedy has no problem with that.
“I love being compared to Kailey, she’s amazing,” Kennedy said. “I take it as compliment. I think it’s awesome that she’s such an incredible player and person.”
Warner said, “Kennedy would be the first to say she’s proud to be in her sister’s shadow, but she doesn’t get caught up in that. She’s very much making a name for herself. She wants to focus on what she can do and what she can control. I love that she owns that piece of her game.”
