Ankeny Centennial’s Olivia Kroska found herself in the right place at the right time.
The freshman midfielder scored on a rebound for the game’s only goal to give the fourth-ranked Jaguars a 1-0 victory over No. 2 Ankeny in a CIML Iowa Conference girls’ soccer showdown on Tuesday at Ankeny Stadium.
“They really came at us in the second half, to be honest,” Centennial coach Chris Allen said of the Hawkettes. “They probably had the run of play most of the half, but we weathered that and took advantage of an opportunity that probably they typically take advantage of–they’re really good on set pieces.”
Kroska’s goal came in the 66th minute after Ankeny was called for a foul. Courtney Kovacs took the free kick from about 35 yards out and booted the ball past two defenders.
The ball bounced twice on the turf before Ankeny goalkeeper Jasmine Moser tried to grasp it. It slipped through her hands, however, and Kroska was there to clean it up.
“It deflected off the goalie, and I just rebounded it back in,” said Kroska, who scored for the fourth time this season.
It was the first goal allowed by the Hawkettes in 2022. They had opened the year with 12 consecutive shutouts.
“Jasmine has been perfect all season,” said Ankeny coach Simon Brown. “She’s stepped up and saved us when we needed her. It was the mistake of giving the ball away, giving the foul, and letting the ball go through to Jasmine that hurt us. She’s the one taking it on the chin, but it’s not her fault.”
It was the seventh straight victory for Centennial, which improved to 4-0 in the conference and 11-2 overall. The Jaguars took over sole possession of first place in the league.
“In the end, a win is a win,” Allen said. “Hat’s off to (Ankeny)–they changed some things up and started sending their backs forward into the attack, and I thought that was a pretty good tactic. They were willing to risk that, and we couldn’t get in behind it. But our girls dug down deep and fought hard and found a way (to get the win).”
Ankeny’s records dropped to 3-1 and 12-1. The Hawkettes have not beaten Centennial since 2015.
“We have great kids, and we’ve lost to these guys ever since I’ve been here, and we’ve still had great seasons and gone on to state,” Brown said. “The girls know what it’s like to be in this dark place–losing to these guys–and then we know how to bounce back. We’ve been here before. As bad as it sounds, we know how to lose this game and still go on to have a successful season. That’s what matters at the end of the day.”
Ankeny defender Eden Gibson tried to look ahead after the loss.
“I know we always end up losing these games, but it gives us reason to keep on going and look at the bigger picture,” she said. “It was really frustrating (to give up a goal), but Simon always says he wants us to lose so we can appreciate winning. I think we’ll do that.”
Neither team was able to generate much of an attack in the first half. It was the kind of defensive battle that Allen expected.
“We knew it was going to be pretty scrappy. It wasn’t a very pretty game,” he said. “That second half especially was just a lot of back and forth. Hopefully, we can get to a point where we don’t get caught up in that and play with some composure.”
The Hawkettes eventually threatened a few times, but could not find the net. Centennial goalkeeper Kate Bergan finished with three saves in the Jaguars’ 10th shutout of the season.
“The second half we showed what we’re about and created a couple of chances, but we really didn’t lay a glove on them,” Brown said. “We didn’t have a good shot on goal. It was only going to come from a mistake. Offensively, I don’t think both teams were great.”
Kroska was confident, though, that the Jaguars would become the first team to score against Ankeny.
“We just had to stay composed and play our game,” she said.
The game was part of the “Pack the Pitch” doubleheader that drew a crowd of more than 3,800 fans. It was a memorable night of soccer, despite some chilly temperatures.
“It was great to have the crowd here supporting all four teams. It was a great showcase for the town,” Brown said. “This is what it’s going to be like playing at state, so the girls have to get used to it.”
Both teams will be back in action on Friday with non-conference games. The Jaguars will host Des Moines East (3-10), while the Hawkettes will play at No. 13 Johnston (7-4).
