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Jaguars rally to defeat Whitefish Bay, finish 2-1 at Tournament of Champions

April 29, 2024 by Dan Holm

Ankeny Centennial’s McKenna Hilton chases after the ball during a game against visiting Urbandale on April 2. Hilton scored a pair of goals in the Tournament of Champions at Bettendorf on Friday and Saturday, helping the Jaguars to wins in two of their three games. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

The Ankeny Centennial girls’ soccer team completed a 2-1 weekend in the Tournament of Champions at Bettendorf by defeating Whitefish Bay (Wis.), 2-1, on Saturday. All three games were played indoors.

Ava Martin scored the go-ahead goal for the sixth-ranked Jaguars, who overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit to raise their overall record to 8-3.

“I thought this weekend was great for our team,” said Martin. “We played against three really good teams and stuck with them all. We got to experience different styles and players we weren’t used to from these teams as well. I think we learned a lot about ourselves and showed that we can have resilience against good competition. Many players stepped up and it was a great weekend on and off the field, and it was a good statement for the rest of our season.”

After splitting a pair of games on Friday, Centennial fell behind in the opening half against Whitefish Bay.

“We were maybe a little lethargic at the start,” said Centennial coach Chris Allen. “We challenged the girls to refocus, and we were able to score two goals in the second half.”

McKenna Hilton got the equalizer for the Jaguars. Martin later scored her team-leading eighth goal of the season for the game-winner.

“In the first half we were getting chances and connecting, but it was inconsistent,” said Centennial senior Avery Lewis. “We had a moment where they capitalized on our mistakes. The second half we refocused on our keys of the game and what we needed to change. We went out and finished our opportunities and honestly ran the second half. Our connections were beautiful, and we were clearly playing with passion. We generated multiple goal-scoring opportunities and kept them under a lot of pressure. Our defense did a great job staying organized and initiated a lot of moments to build out of the back. Our midfield was winning 50/50s and connecting all over the field.

“Overall, I’m really proud of our team for such a positive response. We were tired from playing two games on Friday so to come back from being down is seriously awesome,” she added.

Centennial opened the tournament on Friday with a 2-1 victory over Divine Savior (Wis.) in a shootout. Hilton broke a scoreless tie with a goal in the 52nd minute, but Divine Savior answered with a penalty kick shortly thereafter.

“We got up and probably had a team celebration that ticked off the other team,” Allen said. “They got a little motivated and came down and drew a PK.”

The Jaguars eventually prevailed in penalty kicks, 4-3.

“I think we played amazing this game,” said Hilton. “Everyone put in the work, and we made great runs and plays as a team collectively. We were very put together this game defensively as well as throughout the midfield. There were a couple times where I recognized things we worked on in practice that we showcased during the game.

“We had one lapse that led us to PKs, and I know it was because I played a square ball so that’s something I need to work on for the future,” she added.

Centennial, which lost sophomore forward Piper Zeman to an injury in the first game, later dropped a 2-0 decision to Lockport Township (Ill.). Lockport scored both of its goals in the second half.

“That was a very talented Lockport team,” Allen said. “They have nine Division I players on their side, and it was such a high-level game. I was super proud of the girls’ effort. That was definitely one of the best teams we’ve seen, and I thought we went blow-for-blow with them for most of the game.”

Filed Under: Girls' Soccer, Jaguars Tagged With: Ava Martin, Avery Lewis, Chris Allen, Featured, McKenna Hilton

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