• 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

SWEET REVENGE: Jaguars oust No. 3 Waterloo West, will play Johnston next

February 28, 2023 by Dan Holm

Ankeny Centennial’s Makenna Clark puts the name of her team into the Class 5A semifinals of the state tournament bracket after the Jaguars defeated Waterloo West, 60-51, in the quarterfinals on Monday at Wells Fargo Arena. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

A year ago, the Ankeny Centennial girls’ basketball team ended its season with a loss to Waterloo West in the Class 5A quarterfinals.

On Monday at Wells Fargo Arena, the Jaguars returned the favor.

Sixth-seeded Centennial got 20 points from senior guard Makenna Clark and defeated No. 3 Waterloo West, 60-51, on the opening day of the state tournament.

Ankeny Centennial’s Averi Porter (right) hugs teammate Makenna Clark following Monday’s game. The Jaguars avenged last year’s loss to Waterloo West in the Class 5A quarterfinals. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

“It feels amazing,” said Clark. “We’ve really been working hard the last week, so I knew we were going to come here and pull out a win.”

The Jaguars (18-6) advanced to the semifinals for the second time in three years. They will play No. 2 Johnston (23-1) on Thursday at 10 a.m.

Waterloo West finished the season at 22-2, setting a school record for victories.

Ankeny Centennial coach Scott DeJong celebrates in the locker room with his players after the Jaguars advanced to the semifinals for the second time in three years. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

“That’s a great team that we played, and I couldn’t be more proud of our kids,” said Centennial coach Scott DeJong. “We competed really hard. We had kind of a slow start, but once we settled in it was good. Our defense was really spectacular all game long, I thought.”

The Wahawks got a game-high 24 points from point guard Halli Poock, but she needed 21 shots and went just 5-of-14 from inside the arc. Ten of her points came in the final period, when her team was already down by double digits.

“We definitely had some extra motivation because of that (loss in last year’s tournament). We were super prepared for this game,” said Centennial guard Averi Porter, who defended Poock for much of the game. “My plan was to face-guard her and just get through every screen. I always had to have my hand up because she’s a phenomenal player.”

Ankeny Centennial’s Averi Porter defends Waterloo West point guard Halli Poock during Monday’s game. Poock scored a game-high 24 points for the Wahawks, but needed 21 shots to do so. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

The Jaguars held West’s other star, Sahara Williams, to 11 points on 4-of-15 shooting. The McDonald’s all-American battled foul trouble the whole way and eventually fouled out on a charging call with 1 minute 20 seconds left.

“We tried to slow those two (players) down with our whole team guarding them,” DeJong said. “They’re that good, and it’s hard to stop them. But I thought Mya (Crawford) was tremendous off the ball helping.”

Crawford scored 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the win. Her basket at the buzzer gave the Jaguars a 41-31 lead after three quarters.

Mya Crawford scores at the buzzer and @ACHSGBBALL leads Waterloo West 41-31 at the end of the 3rd quarter. pic.twitter.com/xIV7T9u8WF

— ANKENY FANATIC (@AnkenyFanatic) February 27, 2023

Crawford grew up in Cedar Falls, where she often played against the Wahawks, before moving to Ankeny last summer.

“We played together our whole life being up there with them, so it’s always been a battle,” Crawford said. “They’ve always won, but I guess today we came back on top, so that’s a nice feeling.”

Centennial’s Kennedy White chipped in nine points and nine boards. Jaeden Pratt also had nine points, while Porter added seven points, six rebounds and five assists.

Ankeny Centennial’s Jaeden Pratt hauls in a rebound in front of Waterloo West’s Sahara Williams during Monday’s game. The Jaguars outrebounded West by a 37-33 margin despite a game-high 13 boards from Williams. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

The Jaguars outrebounded West by a 37-33 margin and had 14 offensive boards, five of them by Porter. That led to a 14-5 advantage in second-chance points.

“We talked about (rebounding) being a big thing,” Porter said. “It was one of the most important things to beat this team because they’re true athletes.”

The Wahawks jumped out to an early lead as Poock opened the game with a pair of steals that she converted into layups. She later made two free throws to give West a 12-9 cushion.

. @JaedenPratt gets a steal and @ACHSGBBALL has taken an 18-12 lead late in the 1st quarter. pic.twitter.com/fuCtVUzqMc

— ANKENY FANATIC (@AnkenyFanatic) February 27, 2023

However, Centennial then went on a 9-0 run to take the lead for good. Clark ignited the flurry with a 3-point goal, and Porter later capped it with a basket off a rebound.

“That was 100 percent the key,” Clark said of the rebounding battle. “Their lineup is amazing, so if we could not give them extra chances and extra shots that was good.”

The Wahawks pulled within three points on three separate occasions before White scored off another rebound to give Centennial a 29-24 lead at the break. The Jaguars had eight turnovers in the first half but made up for it by outrebounding West, 19-11.

Ankeny Centennial’s Kennedy White scores two of her nine points during Monday’s game. She also had nine rebounds for the Jaguars. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

‘We knew they were very good on the boards, and we wanted to compete with them,” DeJong said. “That was a big thing. They had a little run of it, but not too often.”

Centennial opened the second half with a 12-3 run to build a 39-27 lead. Porter had five of her points during the run.

After West closed the gap to 43-37 early in the fourth quarter, the Jaguars got back-to-back baskets from Pratt and then sealed the win at the free-throw line, going 13-of-17 the rest of the way. Clark went 11-of-12 during that stretch and finished 12-of-14 for the game.

Ankeny Centennial’s Makenna Clark shoots a free throw during Monday’s game. She went 12-of-14 at the line and scored 20 points in the Jaguars’ win. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

“I’m the point guard, so I just have to step up into that role,” Clark said. “I was just really confident from the get-go that I needed to make plays for my team and execute.”

Williams finished with 13 rebounds, six assists and five steals. But she had six turnovers and was held to just two points in the second half.

Pratt defended her most of the way, with help from Crawford and the rest of the Jaguars.

Ankeny Centennial’s Mya Crawford grabs one of her nine rebounds during Monday’s game. She also had 10 points for the Jaguars. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

“I knew I had to do my role and help Jaeden and everyone else on our team, so that’s what I did,” Crawford said.

The Jaguars will now face Johnston, which is seeking its third title in four years. The Dragons advanced with a 70-48 win over No. 7 Southeast Polk.

Aili Tanke had 16 points and 11 rebounds for Johnston, which has won 49 of its last 50 games.

Ankeny Centennial’s Jaeden Pratt celebrates with her team following Monday’s game. The Jaguars will play Johnston in Thursday’s semifinals at 10 a.m. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

“We’re definitely happy to play Johnston again,” Porter said.

The Dragons defeated Centennial twice during the regular season, 46-40 and 66-59. In the last meeting, the Jaguars held a late seven-point lead on the road before Johnston rallied to win in overtime.

“I feel like we can pull out another win if we keep practicing like we did for Waterloo West,” Clark said.

Filed Under: Girls' Basketball, Jaguars Tagged With: Averi Porter, Featured, Makenna Clark, Mya Crawford, Scott DeJong

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.