(Story by Gabe Ploeger)
The Ankeny Centennial football team just couldn’t seem to find a rhythm Friday against visiting Waukee Northwest.
It resulted in a 17-7 loss for the 10th-ranked Jaguars, whose record dropped to 4-4 on the season. No. 7 Northwest (6-2) likely improved its playoff positioning behind quarterback Sam Johnson, who rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns.
Despite the rainy weather, Centennial’s defense still had its bright moments. Defensive end Isaiah Bassett recorded two sacks and multiple tackles for losses. The Jaguars also held Northwest on a handful of fourth-down attempts, including a stop on a fake punt in the first quarter.
Offensively, the Jaguars weren’t able to put much together. The weather made passing the ball difficult, but Centennial used a trick play to set up its lone touchdown in the second half.
Running back Elijah Porter completed a 30-yard pass to get some momentum going. He then scored on a 6-yard run on the next play–his ninth rushing touchdown of the season–to cut the Wolves’ lead to 10-7 with 7 minutes 33 seconds left in the third quarter.
However, Northwest answered with a score on its ensuing possession. Johnson broke free and dashed 47 yards to the end zone to make it 17-7 with 5:13 to go in the period.
Centennial’s offense continued to struggle the rest of the way. Carter Blakeley picked off a pass and recovered a fumble for the Wolves.
Northwest held a 10-0 lead at halftime. Johnson fired a 33-yard pass to Maverick Inman early in the first quarter, setting up Johnson’s 15-yard touchdown run less than 3 minutes into the game.
The Wolves extended their margin when Aidan Gucfa kicked a 22-yard field goal with 6:52 remaining in the half.
Although the Jaguars had a rough night offensively, they still had a few big plays, including a 20-yard pass from quarterback Trenton Smith to Porter. Smith also found his tight end, Chase Schutty, on a crucial third down for a gain of 8 yards in the second quarter.
Defensively, Reed Anderson recovered a fumble for Centennial, but the Jaguars eventually wore down against Northwest’s relentless rushing attack. The Wolves racked up nearly 300 yards on the ground, with running backs Ryan Woodruff and Caleb James combining for 151 yards on 37 carries.
Centennial will travel to Urbandale (4-4) on Friday for its final game of the regular season. The J-Hawks are coming off a 21-2 loss to Johnston.
Urbandale was 16th in the latest RPI rankings and will likely need a victory to have any chance of making the playoffs. It will also be a critical game for the Jaguars, who may not be able to afford another loss.
