• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

  • Home
  • About
    • Support Us
  • News
    • Podcast
  • Hawks
    • Baseball
      • Roster
      • Schedule
    • Softball
      • Roster
      • Schedule
  • Jaguars
    • Baseball
      • Roster
      • Schedule
    • Softball
      • Roster
      • Schedule
You are here: Home / Hawks / Fall / Football / Unstoppable force vs. Immovable object? Here is Fanatic’s prediction

Unstoppable force vs. Immovable object? Here is Fanatic’s prediction

November 20, 2020 by Dan Holm

Ankeny running back Colin Kadolph takes a handoff from quarterback Jase Bauer during the Hawks’ 24-14 victory at Southeast Polk in the opening round of last year’s Class 4A playoffs. The two teams will meet again on Friday in the Class 4A championship game at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. (Photo by Dan Holm)

Well, my predictions for last week’s Class 4A semifinals were right on the mark, so I’m going to tempt fate and try to make another good call.

So here we go. Here’s my analysis of Friday’s state championship game at the UNI-Dome:

Southeast Polk (10-0) vs. Ankeny (10-1): This is the matchup that many people have wanted to see all season long, because both teams boast multiple Division I prospects. Several Ankeny players have told me throughout the playoffs that they felt like they were on a collision course with the Rams. Now, they’ll get to find out which team is actually better–and who gets to take the trophy home. The Hawks are looking to win their third state title, but this would be their first since the split into two high schools. The previous crowns came in 1997 and 2012, when legendary coach Jerry Pezzetti guided the program before he left in 2013 to become the co-head coach at Ankeny Centennial along with his son, Ryan. Pezzetti was replaced by Brad Zelenovich, who coached the Hawks for two years before leaving to take over at Southeast Polk, where he has now built a powerhouse program. Zelenovich is trying to win his first state championship, and so is Ankeny coach Rick Nelson–who was a longtime college coach at Northern Iowa before coming to Ankeny in 2015. These coaching staffs are very familiar with each other, so I don’t think either side has an edge in the coaching department. This game, then, will be decided on the field. On paper, this is a matchup between an unstoppable force and an immovable object. According to the latest BC Moore rankings, Southeast Polk boasts the top-ranked offense and the No. 2 defense in Class 4A. Ankeny has the No. 2 offense and the No. 3 defense. There will be playmakers all over the field. So what are the key matchups? Dowling Catholic assistant coach Andy Pollock–who knows more about offensive line play than I ever will–said on the Ankeny Fanatic weekly podcast that he thinks Southeast Polk has a slight edge in the trenches. If the Rams can establish the run on offense or stop Ankeny’s running attack on defense, that would make things more difficult for the Hawks. But Ankeny has shown an ability to overcome adversity. The Hawks committed four turnovers in their third-round playoff game against Cedar Falls and still won convincingly. Ankeny’s offense sputtered in the first half against Dowling, but the Hawks found their groove in the second half. I also think Colin Kadolph will play a bigger role in this game after carrying the ball just four times in the semifinals. Zelenovich told me on the podcast that his program is still building and isn’t where he wants it to be yet. “We’re still climbing the mountain,” he said. Three of Southeast Polk’s best players–quarterback Jaxon Dailey, running back Titus Christiansen and defensive back Xavier Nwankpa–are juniors. Another, offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor, is a sophomore. The Rams will be downright scary next year. But are they ready to win a title now? Ankeny Fanatic’s crystal ball says that Ankeny quarterback Jase Bauer and receiver Brody Brecht, who were both part of the Hawks’ baseball team that nearly captured a state title back on August 1, will not let another crown slip away. Those two, along with Arland Bruce IV, will again be the difference–just like they were in the semifinals. Prediction: Ankeny 35, Southeast Polk 24.

Filed Under: Football, Hawks Tagged With: Featured

Primary Sidebar

Support Ankeny Fanatic

Recent Posts

  • No. 13 Cedar Falls rallies twice to sweep doubleheader against No. 2 Centennial
  • Jaguars sweep No. 7 Valley, move into tie for first place atop CIML Conference
  • ‘We’ve got some guys dinged up’: Hawks drop 2 to Ames as tough week continues
  • ‘We for sure feed off each other’: Jaguars blast 5 home runs in sweep at No. 3 Valley
  • ‘We had a lot of kids step up’: Hawkettes make adjustments, romp past Dowling

Find Us on Facebook

Ankeny Fanatic

Archives

  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017

Categories

  • Hawks
    • Fall
      • Boys’ Cross Country
      • Boys’ Golf
      • Football
      • Girls’ Cross Country
      • Girls’ Swimming
      • Volleyball
    • Spring
      • Boys’ Soccer
      • Boys’ Tennis
      • Boys’ Track
      • Girls’ Golf
      • Girls’ Soccer
      • Girls’ Tennis
      • Girls’ Track
    • Summer
      • Baseball
      • Softball
        • Roster
    • Winter
      • Boys’ Basketball
      • Boys’ Bowling
      • Boys’ Swimming
      • Girls’ Basketball
      • Girls’ Bowling
      • Boys’ Wrestling
  • Jaguars
    • Fall
      • Boys’ Cross Country
      • Boys’ Golf
      • Football
      • Girls’ Cross Country
      • Girls’ Swimming
      • Volleyball
    • Spring
      • Boys’ Soccer
      • Boys’ Tennis
      • Boys’ Track
      • Girls’ Golf
      • Girls’ Soccer
      • Girls’ Tennis
      • Girls’ Track
    • Summer
      • Baseball
      • Softball
    • Winter
      • Boys’ Basketball
      • Girls’ Basketball
      • Wrestling
  • Top Sports Stories
    • Football
    • Volleyball
  • Baseball
  • Softball

© 2025 Ankeny Fanatic. All rights reserved.