‘We don’t see any weaknesses’: Jaguars look to build on last year’s success

Ankeny Centennial’s Andrew Heckenlaible tries to gain control of the ball during the Jaguars’ victory over Ankeny last season. Heckenlaible scored 17 goals as a freshman and is one of eight returning starters for Centennial. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

On paper, the Ankeny Centennial boys’ soccer team appears to have a lot of experience.

The Jaguars return 12 varsity players, including eight starters, from a squad that posted a 15-5 record and won the CIML Iowa Conference title a year ago.

“We return a lot of players with varsity experience, but every year is different,” said Centennial coach Brian Duax. “We will have new players in crucial positions as well as many new varsity players. How quickly we can get everyone up to speed will determine how far we can go.”

Centennial advanced to the Class 3A state tournament last season in dramatic fashion, posting a 2-1 victory at Waukee in a shootout to end the Warriors’ 46-game winning streak. The Jaguars then dropped a 1-0 decision to Valley–also in a shootout–in the Class 3A quarterfinals.

**Ankeny Centennial’s Evan Larson controls the ball during a game against Southeast Polk last season. Larson, a defender, was a second-team all-state pick as a junior. (Photo by Dan Holm)**

Several standouts are back from that team, led by senior defender Evan Larson. Larson was a second-team all-state pick as a junior, when he helped the Jaguars post 11 shutouts.

Among the other returnees are senior defender Jackson Helmkamp, senior midfielder Emmanuel Reichart, sophomore midfielder Ty Duax and sophomore forward Andrew Heckenlaible. Those four players joined Larson on the Iowa Conference first team.

Heckenlaible emerged as a prolific scorer in his freshman season, producing a team-high 17 goals–including a school-record six in a 9-2 win over Marshalltown. He also contributed four assists.

Reichart had eight goals and seven assists, despite battling some lower back and hip spasms late in the season. He converted a penalty kick for the game-winner in the historic victory over Waukee.

Ankeny Centennial’s Emmanuel Reichart is defended by two Waukee players during a Class 3A substate final last year at Waukee. Reichart converted a penalty kick to give the Jaguars a 2-1 victory in a shootout to end Waukee’s 46-game winning streak. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

Duax finished with seven goals and 10 assists. Helmkamp had two assists and was also a key part of the Jaguars’ stingy defense.

The other returning starters are senior defender Clayson Cox, senior midfielder Kellen Welsch and sophomore midfielder Braden Thiele. Cox, who had one goal and one assist, joined Welsch on the all-conference second team.

Thiele scored two goals and had a pair of assists. He received all-conference honorable mention.

Also back for the Jaguars are senior midfielders Quinn Geiger and Broden Haley, senior defender Nate Willey and sophomore goalkeeper Andrew Nelson. Nelson saw limited action as the team’s No. 3 goalkeeper last season.

“We don’t see any weaknesses,” Duax said. “We do have things to work on and get better at. But the day I stop seeing things for us to improve on is the day I should probably retire.”

**Ankeny Centennial’s Ty Duax battles for the ball during a game against Dowling Catholic last season. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)**

Centennial will open its season on April 2 at the Iowa City West Invitational.

“Practice hasn’t started yet, but the open gyms and open turfs have been going well,” Duax said.

The Jaguars’ goals will remain the same.

“Expectations are as always,” Duax said. “We want to bring home the big trophy. We will strive to get better every day and hopefully be playing at our very best come the end of May. (If we) get a couple of bounces to go our way, who knows? We could be fighting in games during the last weekend.”