Ankeny Fanatic

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Archives for March 2021

Phipps earns all-state second-team honors from Iowa Print Sports Writers

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Chalk up another postseason honor for Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball standout Maggie Phipps. Phipps has been named to the Class 5A all-state second team by the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association. The senior guard led Centennial to a 16-3 record this season. Phipps was earlier selected to the Class 5A first team by the Iowa Girls' Coaches … [Read more...] about Phipps earns all-state second-team honors from Iowa Print Sports Writers

Blimpie Sub of the Week: Jackson Snyder, Centennial boys’ basketball

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Junior guard Jackson Snyder is a member of the Ankeny Centennial boys' basketball team. He helped the Jaguars to a 14-5 record this season. Snyder averaged 4.7 points and 1.2 rebounds per game. He shot 35.3 percent from 3-point range (12-of-34). Snyder scored a career-high 20 points in the Jaguars' 72-62 victory at Marshalltown on Dec. 18, going … [Read more...] about Blimpie Sub of the Week: Jackson Snyder, Centennial boys’ basketball

‘It’s been a long year without track”: Jags return 7 state qualifiers from 2019

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Like many of the coaches in the spring sports, Andrew Kruzich has yet to set any goals for his Ankeny Centennial girls' track team. He's just happy to be back at practice with the Jaguars. "We haven't set particular goals yet--we just don't know enough about our team, or the rest of the state for that matter," said Kruzich. "We're just happy to be … [Read more...] about ‘It’s been a long year without track”: Jags return 7 state qualifiers from 2019

Phipps, Johnson earn all-state honors from Iowa Girls’ Coaches Association

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Maggie Phipps of Ankeny Centennial and Abby Johnson of Ankeny were among 12 girls' basketball players from the Central Iowa Metropolitan League to earn all-state honors from the Iowa Girls' Coaches Association. A total of 24 players was honored in Class 5A. Phipps, a senior guard, was named to the Class 5A first team. Johnson, a senior forward, was a … [Read more...] about Phipps, Johnson earn all-state honors from Iowa Girls’ Coaches Association

Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Cleao Murray, Centennial girls’ basketball

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Junior wing player Cleao Murray scored nine points on Thursday as the fifth-ranked Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team lost to No. 1 Waukee, 50-29, in the Class 5A semifinals at Wells Fargo Arena. She went 3-of-5 from the field, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range. Murray played in the final seven games after recovering from offseason knee surgery. … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Cleao Murray, Centennial girls’ basketball

Phipps joins Ankeny’s Johnson, Pitz on CIML Iowa Conference first team

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Maggie Phipps led the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team to the semifinals of the Class 5A state tournament in her only season as a Jaguar. Abby Johnson and Jenna Pitz led Ankeny to its first winning record since the split into two high schools. All three players have been named to the CIML Iowa Conference first team by a vote of the league's … [Read more...] about Phipps joins Ankeny’s Johnson, Pitz on CIML Iowa Conference first team

‘It felt like a second home’: Ankeny’s Riggs to play football at St. Ambrose

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As the backup quarterback for the Ankeny football team, Colin Riggs didn't see a lot of playing time during the Hawks' run to the Class 4A state championship last fall. However, he still did enough on the field to catch the attention of college coaches. Riggs has verbally committed to play for St. Ambrose University in Davenport. He announced his … [Read more...] about ‘It felt like a second home’: Ankeny’s Riggs to play football at St. Ambrose

Waukee’s Dinnebier named captain of Class 5A all-tournament team

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Waukee guard Katie Dinnebier was named the captain of the Class 5A all-tournament team after leading her team to the state title on Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena. Dinnebier poured in 29 points as the top-ranked Warriors rolled to a 71-43 victory over No. 2 Johnston, avenging last year's loss to the Dragons in the Class 5A final. She went 11-of-14 from … [Read more...] about Waukee’s Dinnebier named captain of Class 5A all-tournament team

‘We couldn’t buy a basket’: Long shooting drought dooms Jaguars’ title hopes

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The Waukee girls' basketball players were well aware of Ankeny Centennial's ability to come back from a double-digit deficit. The top-ranked Warriors weren't about to let it happen again. Waukee built a 28-18 halftime lead, then used a 17-0 run in the fourth quarter to pull away for a 50-29 victory over No. 5 Centennial in the Class 5A semifinals on … [Read more...] about ‘We couldn’t buy a basket’: Long shooting drought dooms Jaguars’ title hopes

Jaguars’ magical postseason run ends with semifinal loss to No. 1 Waukee

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The Comeback Kids couldn't do it again. After reaching the Class 5A semifinals with back-to-back rallies from double-digit deficits, the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team finally dug itself a hole that it couldn't overcome. Top-ranked Waukee built a 28-18 halftime lead, then used a 17-0 run in the fourth quarter to defeat No. 5 Centennial, … [Read more...] about Jaguars’ magical postseason run ends with semifinal loss to No. 1 Waukee

‘Bradley was the perfect fit for me!’: Ankeny’s Scheib to play for Braves

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Ankeny volleyball standout McKenna Scheib will be taking her talents to Peoria, Ill. The senior middle hitter has committed to play for Bradley University. "My decision wasn’t very hard," Scheib said. "It is coming to the end of my high school career and I needed to move on, and Bradley was the perfect fit for me! From the first time I talked to the … [Read more...] about ‘Bradley was the perfect fit for me!’: Ankeny’s Scheib to play for Braves

PURPLE REIGN: Ankeny Fanatic’s predictions for the Class 5A semifinals

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I'm not sure if Thursday's Class 5A semifinals in the girls' state basketball tournament can match the intensity and the drama of Monday's quarterfinals, but you never know. That's why they play the games. The Final Four includes three teams from the CIML as well as sixth-ranked Iowa City West, which avenged an earlier loss to No. 3 Waterloo West to reach … [Read more...] about PURPLE REIGN: Ankeny Fanatic’s predictions for the Class 5A semifinals

‘It was a tough one’: Centennial boys tumble to No. 3 Ames in substate final

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In order to reach the state tournament, the Ankeny Centennial boys' basketball team needed a couple breaks to go its way. It didn't help when junior guard Caden Kelling re-injured his ankle shortly after entering Tuesday's Class 4A substate final against third-ranked Ames. Later, senior forward Colin McAleer took a hard fall and briefly left the game, but … [Read more...] about ‘It was a tough one’: Centennial boys tumble to No. 3 Ames in substate final

‘Our guys didn’t back down’: Hawks put up a fight in loss to No. 2 Waukee

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When the Ankeny boys' basketball team suffered a 65-28 loss to Waukee on Dec. 21, the Hawks clearly had a long way to go to compete with one of the state's best squads. Ankeny showed some signs of progress a month later, when the Hawks trailed Waukee by just eight points at halftime before dropping a 65-37 decision. On Tuesday, the Hawks closed the gap … [Read more...] about ‘Our guys didn’t back down’: Hawks put up a fight in loss to No. 2 Waukee

Blimpie Sub of the Week: Karson Wehde, Ankeny boys’ basketball

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Sophomore forward Karson Wehde helped the Ankeny boys' basketball team to a 10-10 record. He scored six points as the Hawks ended their season with a 74-54 loss to second-ranked Waukee in a Class 4A substate final on Tuesday at Indianola. Wehde averaged 3.3 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. He placed third on the team with 15 3-point goals, shooting 35.7 … [Read more...] about Blimpie Sub of the Week: Karson Wehde, Ankeny boys’ basketball

MARCH MADNESS BEGINS: Jaguars erase 14-point deficit, top Rams at buzzer

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March Madness is off to a roaring start at Wells Fargo Arena. Jackie Pippett scored the winning basket at the buzzer to give the fifth-ranked Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team a 47-45 victory over No. 4 Southeast Polk in the Class 5A quarterfinals on Monday. "I really didn't even think I was going to get the ball," said Pippett. "But I did, and … [Read more...] about MARCH MADNESS BEGINS: Jaguars erase 14-point deficit, top Rams at buzzer

Pippett’s buzzer-beater caps Jaguars’ amazing rally to beat S.E. Polk

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Holy comeback. For the second straight game, the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team pulled off an amazing rally. Jackie Pippett scored the winning basket as time expired and the fifth-ranked Jaguars overcame a 14-point deficit to beat No. 4 Southeast Polk, 47-45, in the quarterfinals of the Class 5A state tournament on Monday at Wells Fargo … [Read more...] about Pippett’s buzzer-beater caps Jaguars’ amazing rally to beat S.E. Polk