• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

  • Home
  • About
    • Support Us
  • News
    • Podcast
  • Hawks
    • Boys’ Track
      • Schedule
    • Girls’ Track
      • Schedule
    • Boys’ Soccer
      • Roster
      • Schedule
    • Girls’ Soccer
      • Roster
      • Schedule
    • Boys’ Tennis
      • Roster
      • Schedule
    • Girls’ Tennis
      • Roster
      • Schedule
    • Girls’ Golf
      • Roster
      • Schedule
  • Jaguars
    • Boys’ Track
      • Schedule
    • Girls’ Track
      • Schedule
    • Boys’ Soccer
      • Roster
      • Schedule
    • Girls’ Soccer
      • Roster
      • Schedule
    • Boys’ Tennis
      • Roster
      • Schedule
    • Girls’ Tennis
      • Roster
      • Schedule
    • Girls’ Golf
      • Roster
      • Schedule

‘We’re putting the whole state on notice’: Hawks finish 3rd at Battle of Waterloo

December 20, 2022 by Dan Holm

The Ankeny wrestling team earned a third-place finish overall at the Battle of Waterloo on Friday and Saturday. The Hawks defeated two nationally-ranked teams and advanced to the championship bracket for the first time ever. (Photo courtesy of Jackie Frisk)

The Ankeny wrestling program is moving into uncharted territory.

The Hawks turned in a spectacular performance on Friday and Saturday at the Battle of Waterloo, where they advanced to the championship bracket for the first time ever and defeated two nationally-ranked teams en route to a third-place finish overall.

“I tried to stay in the moment because this stuff doesn’t happen every day, but we’re hoping that this can become the standard or the expectation for our program,” said Ankeny coach Jack Wignall, whose team has since moved up to fourth in the latest Class 3A rankings by the Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association. “I’m just trying to take it all in and appreciate how well the guys are wrestling as a team right now.”

After advancing to Saturday’s four-team championship bracket, Ankeny posted a 2-1 record along with Waverly-Shell Rock and Osage, but the Hawks finished third based on criteria. The outcome was decided by the fourth criteria–the least individual penalty points, of which Osage had none.

Still, Ankeny improved to 10-1 on the season.

“I was really happy with our team,” said Ankeny senior Jace Anderson. “We beat two nationally-ranked teams, and I think we’re putting the whole state on notice. This is the best team we’ve had in a long time, and it’s a lot of fun to be a part of.”

Ankeny opened the tournament on Friday with a 75-3 victory over Union (LaPorte City). The Hawks followed with a 40-21 win over Indianola, then rolled past top-seeded Linn-Mar (Marion), 48-24, to win the Pool C championship.

👀 @ankenywrestling is rolling in Waterloo with a win over No. 1 seed Linn-Mar.

The Hawks are headed to the championship bracket. #IAhswr pic.twitter.com/2h2cSum7bV

— IAwrestle (@IAwrestle) December 17, 2022

Linn-Mar had been 50th nationally in the Fab 50 rankings. All nine returning state participants for the Lions wrestled, but they went just 4-5 in the dual.

The fifth-ranked Anderson posted a 3-2 decision over No. 2 Grant Kress at 152 pounds. He had been pinned by Kress in last year’s Battle of Waterloo.

“That was a big win for Jace,” Wignall said.

Then, on Saturday, Ankeny dropped a 36-28 decision to Waverly-Shell Rock in its opening match. The Go-Hawks’ head-to-head win eventually determined second place overall.

No. 9 Will Hinrichs nearly had a fall for the Hawks at 220, but he had to settle for a 10-6 decision over Tyler Gast.

“Will had the kid on his back and he was flat, but the ref didn’t call it,” Wignall said. “Truman (Folkers) lost 4-0 (at 113) and Teagen (Peiffer) lost to a kid that he had beaten before (at 170), so if Will gets a pin and we win either of those other matches, we would have beaten them. We are right there with the best teams in the state.”

Ankeny’s Jace Anderson lifts Chase Thomas of Osage off the mat during a 152-pound match at the Battle of Waterloo on Saturday. Anderson posted a 3-1 decision to help the Hawks to a 37-36 victory over Osage, the No. 48 team nationally. (Photo courtesy of Jackie Frisk)

Ankeny proved that again in its next match with a 37-36 victory over eventual champion Osage, the No. 48 team nationally. Wignall was proud of the way his team bounced back from its first loss of the season.

“To win that dual meet after getting beat, it was just an unbelievable performance by our kids,” he said. “They weren’t sulking and they weren’t sad that they lost. They just came out and wrestled lights out and beat a nationally-ranked team. I think that really told the kids where they are at.”

Ankeny then closed out the tournament with a 36-25 win over Don Bosco, the No. 1 team in Class 1A.

“I can live with that,” Wignall said of the third-place finish. “The Osage coach said after our meet that they just couldn’t keep up with us in terms of bonus points. That’s quite a compliment coming from the No. 1 team in 2A and the winner of the Battle of Waterloo.”

Ankeny’s Xander Kenworthy tries to turn Ledger Nehls of Osage onto his back during a 182-pound match at the Battle of Waterloo on Saturday. Kenworthy eventually pinned Nehls in 1 minute 11 seconds. He went 6-0 in the tournament with five falls. (Photo courtesy of Jackie Frisk)

Ankeny was led by No. 7 Xander Kenworthy, who went undefeated in the tournament with five falls at 182. Kenworthy was sick during Thursday’s dual meet against Ankeny Centennial and was not expected to wrestle on Friday.

“For him to go 6-0 on the weekend after being as sick as he was, that’s just a testimony to how tough that kid is,” Wignall said.

Ben Walsh at 106 and No. 4 Ben Hansen at 138/145 each went 5-1 in the tournament with four pins. Hansen’s only loss came against Waverly-Shell Rock, when he bumped up to 145 and was pinned by No. 1 Bas Diaz in 3 minutes 56 seconds.

“Bas got him in a cradle in the second period, and Ben fought it for about 35 seconds but got pinned with about 5 seconds left,” Wignall said.

The No. 6 Folkers went 5-1 with a pair of falls and two major decisions. Anderson went 5-1 with two pins and a major decision at 152/160, while Leo Perez Perez went 5-1 with a technical fall and a major decision at 126/132.

No. 5 Cade Bennethum went 4-1 with two pins at 195. His only loss came to Waverly-Shell Rock, where he was pinned by No. 1 McCrae Hagarty for the second time in eight days.

Hinrichs went 4-2 with a pin. No. 8 JJ Maihan also went 4-2 at 120/126.

Peiffer went 3-3 with a pair of falls. Heavyweight Joe Kingston also went 3-3 with a pair of pins.

“Joe was down by a point in the third period against (Jaxson Boyd of) Indianola and got an escape with 1 second left to tie it up,” Wignall said. “And then he pins the kid about 10 seconds into OT. It was really an amazing match. Joe is such a big part of our team. Being a senior and wanting to play football in college, he doesn’t have to be out there wrestling but he’s out there for his buddies and his team. He’s just doing an incredible job.”

Wignall liked the fight that his team showed all weekend.

“Our kids really fought off their back when the chips were down,” he said. “Alex (Cox) was wrestling the No. 2 kid from Don Bosco (at 145). That kid was all over him, but Alex ended up fighting off his back and didn’t give up a tech or a pin. That was just one example of many. Our kids just fought so hard.”

The Hawks will return to CIML Conference action on Tuesday. They will travel to Waukee for a triangular against the host Warriors and No. 13 Waukee Northwest.

Filed Under: Boys' Wrestling, Hawks Tagged With: Featured, Jace Anderson, Jack Wignall

Primary Sidebar

Support Ankeny Fanatic

Recent Posts

  • Talented Ankeny girls focusing more on process goals rather than outcomes
  • ‘We had a great meet’: Pratt, Crawford shine for Jaguars at Johnston Quad
  • ‘Be a goldfish’: Ankeny golfers look to have fun, improve a little bit each day
  • ‘It really could have gone either way’: Jaguars fall to Roosevelt on windy day
  • SOCCERTOWN: Centennial, Ankeny girls are 1-2 in first Class 3A rankings of 2023

Find Us on Facebook

Ankeny Fanatic

Archives

  • 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

© 2023 Ankeny Fanatic. All rights reserved.