Senior pitcher and infielder Eli Starr has helped the Ankeny Centennial baseball team to a 17-13 record this season. He is batting .375 with one home run and five RBIs. On the mound, Starr has compiled a 3-2 record with a 3.82 ERA and a team-high 44 strikeouts. He will play for Lake Land College (Ill.) in the fall. Here is some inside info on … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Eli Starr, Ankeny Centennial baseball
‘It was great to see them respond’: Hawks top MOC-Floyd Valley, Davenport West
The Ankeny baseball team wasn't satisfied with ending a 10-game losing skid on Saturday. After rolling to a 10-3 victory over Class 3A No. 2 MOC-Floyd Valley in the Brent Prange Classic, the Hawks followed with a 9-5 triumph over Davenport West to start a winning streak of their own. "The kids played hard," said Ankeny coach Joe Balvanz, whose team is … [Read more...] about ‘It was great to see them respond’: Hawks top MOC-Floyd Valley, Davenport West
Hawkettes defeat Marion at Linn-Mar Invite before dropping next three games
The Ankeny softball team got off to a good start at the Linn-Mar Invitational this weekend before scoring a total of just four runs in its last three games and falling to 11-20 on the season. The Hawkettes opened the tournament on Friday with a 6-3 victory over Marion (16-14). Freshman Abby Buenzow made her first start of the season and got the win, … [Read more...] about Hawkettes defeat Marion at Linn-Mar Invite before dropping next three games
‘It was a good win for us’: Loutsch hurls Jaguars past Algona at Prange Classic
The Ankeny Centennial baseball team extended its winning streak to four games with a 7-2 victory over Algona before dropping an 8-4 decision to third-ranked Cedar Rapids Prairie in the Brent Prange Classic on Saturday at Centennial. Jack Loutsch was named the team's MVP in the win over Algona (17-9). Cade Newman earned the honor in the loss to Prairie … [Read more...] about ‘It was a good win for us’: Loutsch hurls Jaguars past Algona at Prange Classic
Spiegel, Hatfield outduel Iowa City Liberty duo in Centennial’s doubleheader sweep
The home run binge finally came to an end, but Ankeny Centennial's dominance on the softball field continued on Friday with a doubleheader sweep over visiting Iowa City Liberty. The second-ranked Jaguars swept the non-conference twinbill by scores of 3-0 and 7-1. They raised their overall record to 31-2, while the Lightning dropped to 17-13. The … [Read more...] about Spiegel, Hatfield outduel Iowa City Liberty duo in Centennial’s doubleheader sweep
‘It felt really good off the bat’: Wyble’s slam allows Jags to split with Waukee NW
On a night when its 21-game winning streak came to an end, the Ankeny Centennial softball team still managed to pull off another dramatic, come-from-behind victory. After dropping a 7-3 decision in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday at top-ranked Waukee Northwest, the No. 2 Jaguars fell behind in the nightcap, 7-3, and were just three outs away … [Read more...] about ‘It felt really good off the bat’: Wyble’s slam allows Jags to split with Waukee NW
Centennial baseball team rallies for win over Wolves, avenges doubleheader loss
A five-run outburst in the sixth inning allowed the Ankeny Centennial baseball team to rally for a 5-2 victory at 10th-ranked Waukee Northwest on Thursday. The Jaguars avenged a doubleheader loss on June 5 while moving within a game of third place in the CIML Conference. They are now 10-9 in the league and 16-12 overall, while Northwest's records dropped … [Read more...] about Centennial baseball team rallies for win over Wolves, avenges doubleheader loss
Williams tosses gem, leads S.E. Polk to victory as Hawks’ skid reaches 10 games
The Ankeny baseball team managed just three hits and dropped a 5-1 decision at Southeast Polk on Thursday, extending the Hawks' losing skid to 10 games. The Rams earned their fourth straight win behind a dominant pitching performance from Alex Williams, who allowed just one unearned run and racked up 13 strikeouts over the first 6 1/3 innings. He departed … [Read more...] about Williams tosses gem, leads S.E. Polk to victory as Hawks’ skid reaches 10 games
Arringdale hits 10th homer of season, but Hawkettes drop 13-4 decision at S.E. Polk
The sixth-ranked Southeast Polk softball team avenged a doubleheader loss from last week by posting a 13-4 victory over visiting Ankeny in four innings on Thursday. The Hawkettes were looking to complete a sweep of the season series, but Southeast Polk pounded out 11 hits off three Ankeny pitchers and also capitalized on six walks to turn the game into a … [Read more...] about Arringdale hits 10th homer of season, but Hawkettes drop 13-4 decision at S.E. Polk
Jaguars earn top seed in Class 5A Region 2, while Hawkettes will play on road
The second-ranked Ankeny Centennial softball team has been awarded the top seed in Class 5A Region 2 by the Iowa Girls' High School Athletic Union. Ankeny, meanwhile, has been placed in Region 4. The Hawkettes (10-16) are seeded third and will play at 11th-ranked Cedar Rapids Prairie (16-8) in a regional semifinal on Saturday, July 11 at 7 … [Read more...] about Jaguars earn top seed in Class 5A Region 2, while Hawkettes will play on road
Lincicum blasts record-setting homer, helps Jaguars to sweep over Hawkettes
The Ankeny Centennial softball team seemed destined to break the state's all-time single-season home run record during Wednesday's doubleheader at Ankeny. It took only five pitches for the second-ranked Jaguars to make some history in the first game. Leadoff batter Kori Lincicum hit a three-ball, one-strike pitch from Sophie Schoeppner well beyond the … [Read more...] about Lincicum blasts record-setting homer, helps Jaguars to sweep over Hawkettes
Central Bank Athlete of the Month: Kori Lincicum, Ankeny Centennial senior
Lincicum hits a leadoff blast at Ankeny to allow the Jaguars' softball team to break the all-time single-season home run record. … [Read more...] about Central Bank Athlete of the Month: Kori Lincicum, Ankeny Centennial senior
‘We’re very happy that we got two wins’: Jags sweep Ankeny behind Houser, Starr
(Story by Stephen McDaniel) A hot start to open things up and some late game heroics fueled the Ankeny Centennial baseball team in its doubleheader sweep at crosstown rival Ankeny on Wednesday. The Jaguars started off strong and picked up a 7-3 victory in the opener before turning around and outlasting Ankeny in a pitchers' duel for a 4-1 win in eight … [Read more...] about ‘We’re very happy that we got two wins’: Jags sweep Ankeny behind Houser, Starr
‘The girls did a great job!’: Hawkettes rally past No. 8 Dowling for 11-9 road victory
The Ankeny softball team is setting some smaller goals in an effort to achieve some bigger things. That approach paid off on Tuesday with a come-from-behind 11-9 victory at eighth-ranked Dowling Catholic. "The girls were working for a BINGO, and this helps us to set small goals throughout the game and keep challenging each other," said Ankeny coach … [Read more...] about ‘The girls did a great job!’: Hawkettes rally past No. 8 Dowling for 11-9 road victory
‘These boys will definitely rebound’: Jags look to learn from 14-3 loss to S.E. Polk
(Story by Dom Tornabane) The Ankeny Centennial baseball team got the best of Southeast Polk in both games of a doubleheader a few weeks ago, but this time the Rams got some revenge. Southeast Polk used a pair of six-run innings to defeat the Jaguars, 14-3, in six innings on Monday night. “It was a team loss, and hopefully we will learn from the … [Read more...] about ‘These boys will definitely rebound’: Jags look to learn from 14-3 loss to S.E. Polk
HISTORIC BLAST: Jaguars equal HR mark, rally past S.E. Polk on Ott’s 3-run shot
(Story by Stephen McDaniel) Mady Ott couldn’t have picked a better time to help etch the Ankeny Centennial softball team into the record books. A sixth-inning three-run homer from Ott was not only the catalyst for the second-ranked Jaguars’ 5-3 come-from-behind victory over No. 6 Southeast Polk, but it helped Centennial tie the all-time single-season … [Read more...] about HISTORIC BLAST: Jaguars equal HR mark, rally past S.E. Polk on Ott’s 3-run shot
‘We had a tough 2nd inning’: Urbandale scores 4 unearned runs to beat Hawks
The Urbandale baseball team stayed in the thick of the CIML Conference race with a 7-3 victory at Ankeny on Monday. The seventh-ranked J-Hawks completed a sweep of the season series while improving to 10-5 in the league and 19-7 overall. They remained one game behind No. 5 Waukee at the top of the standings heading into a Thursday showdown between the two … [Read more...] about ‘We had a tough 2nd inning’: Urbandale scores 4 unearned runs to beat Hawks
Traynor, J-Hawks spoil Ankeny’s Senior Night by posting first conference victory
The Ankeny softball team was hoping to celebrate its Senior Night with a victory over visiting Urbandale on Monday. Unfortunately, the J-Hawks picked a bad time to earn their first win in CIML Conference play. Payton Traynor allowed just one unearned run on three hits and had five strikeouts to lead Urbandale to a 5-1 triumph over the Hawkettes. … [Read more...] about Traynor, J-Hawks spoil Ankeny’s Senior Night by posting first conference victory
Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Ava Faber, Ankeny Centennial softball
Senior second baseman Ava Faber has helped the second-ranked Ankeny Centennial softball team to a 25-1 record. The Jaguars extended their winning streak to 18 games by winning the Fort Dodge Invitational over the weekend, capped off by a 9-3 win over No. 5 Cedar Rapids Kennedy in Saturday's championship game. Faber is batting .329 with three home runs, … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Ava Faber, Ankeny Centennial softball
Jaguars cruise to Fort Dodge crown, move within one homer of all-time state record
The Ankeny Centennial softball team's march toward the all-time state home run record continued over the weekend at the Fort Dodge Invitational, where the second-ranked Jaguars blasted seven more homers and cruised to the tournament crown to extend their winning streak to 18 games. Mady Ott hit three of the homers to lead the way, two of them on Saturday. … [Read more...] about Jaguars cruise to Fort Dodge crown, move within one homer of all-time state record