Another dominant weekend by the Ankeny and Ankeny Centennial girls’ soccer teams sets up a huge showdown between the crosstown rivals on Tuesday for Jag-Hawk supremacy.
Second-ranked Ankeny and No. 4 Centennial each went 3-0 on Friday and Saturday in the Tournament of Champions at Burlington. The Hawkettes are now 12-0 and still have yet to allow a goal all season, while the Jaguars raised their record to 10-2 while extending their winning streak to six games.
“I really hope that somebody will score against us soon,” said Ankeny coach Simon Brown. “I want to see how we react to that.”
Ankeny closed out the tournament on Saturday with a 2-0 victory over Collinsville (Ill.). Teja Pritchard scored both goals for the Hawkettes, giving her seven goals in just eight games this season.
Alli Macke and Emma Gott each had an assist. Macke joined the squad on Saturday after running track the day before at the Drake Relays, where she smashed her own school record in the 800.
“She’s a great kid and she’s all in on both sports,” Brown said. “Her energy on the field is unmatched. She just never stops running on the field. She’s constantly pressing looking for the ball.”
Goalkeepers Jasmine Moser and Taevah Ganahi recorded another clean sheet for Ankeny. Moser made five saves before Ganahi took over for the final 10 minutes and had two of her own.
“We didn’t really know what to expect as far as the level of competition, but we faced a couple of really good sides,” Brown said. “It was a good test for the girls. They were very, very tired by the end of it. We faced a forward (from Collinsville) that is going to St. Louis, and that’s the type of player we’re going to be coming up against in the next couple of weeks.”
Centennial, meanwhile, capped off the tournament with a 2-0 win over Dunlap (Ill.). Kate Bergan had three saves as the Jaguars posted their ninth shutout of the season.
“Dunlap was probably the best of the three teams that we faced,” said Centennial coach Chris Allen. “This year they have at least one Division I player, but hat’s off to our midfield for really handling her. She really didn’t have much of an opportunity to create for them.”
After a scoreless first half, Centennial took the lead in the 51st minute when Alanna Pennington finished a cross by Izzy Sash with a fabulous header. It was her team-leading 10th goal of the season.
In the 65th minute, Cady Compton added an insurance goal when she blasted a shot past the keeper and just inside the right post. It was her ninth goal of the year.
“Cady was a nightmare for some of the outside backs that we faced,” Allen said.
On Friday, Centennial opened the tournament with a 3-0 triumph over Peoria (Ill.) Notre Dame. Clinging to a 1-0 lead in a driving rain, the Jaguars scored back-to-back goals early in the second half to seal the win.
Olivia Kroska, Ava Martin and Averi Porter each had a goal. Compton contributed two assists, giving her a team-high eight on the year.
Bergan and Teagan Hall combined on the shutout with each making one save.
“Every year you grow as a team, and I think we hit a lot of milestones this weekend,” Allen said. “We were able to handle the adversity of weather conditions. We pretty much played one game in a downpour on Friday, and then the wind came in on Saturday. We were able to handle all of that.”
Centennial later posted a 4-1 victory over Normal (Ill.). The Jaguars clinched the verdict when Porter scored off a cross from McKenna Hilton in the 65th minute, shortly after Normal converted a free kick for its only goal.
Kroska, Pennigton and Compton also had goals for Centennial. Ella Becker added an assist.
“We’ve faced some tough competition this year and haven’t always been able to close out those games, and this weekend we were able to,” Allen said.
Ankeny opened the tournament with a 5-0 win over Quincy (Ill.). Avery Matthews led the way with two goals and an assist, giving her eight goals and a team-high nine assists on the season.
Camryn Dietz and Pritchard each had a goal, and the Hawkettes also scored an own goal. Gott and Allie Heller each had an assist.
Ankeny later defeated Wheaton (Ill.) North, 2-0. Moser had six saves en route to the shutout.
Matthews and Eden Gibson each scored a goal. Pritchard and Kennedy Macke each had an assist.
“We took 20 kids to the tournament, and they all got to play,” Brown said. “But that’s why we go over there. So we can play some tough competition and get ready for the tough CIML games coming up.”
Ankeny will now try to defeat the Jaguars for the first time since 2015. The two teams will collide on Tuesday at 7:45 p.m. at Ankeny Stadium, following the boys’ game between the crosstown rivals.
“We’ll do our research on them and do our usual game plan,” Brown said. “They’ve beat us every year, but we’ve been able to come back from those losses and still have successful seasons. We know a loss doesn’t define our season, and a win can kind of galvanize you for the rest of it. We’re excited for the game.”
Allen said his team is looking forward to the matchup, too.
“That’s the game–trying to solve problems,” he said. “Their defense is absolutely stout, and that includes their mid(fielder)s and their keeper as well. But I think our defense is coming along, too. The only goal we gave up at Burlington came on an amazing free kick. I think both defenses are going to pose problems for one another.”
Brown said he knows the Centennial players will be fired up to extend their winning streak in the series.
“They’re chomping at the bit because they want to be the first team to score against us,” he said.