The Ankeny Centennial football team got hot at the right time last season, advancing to the Class 5A semifinals as a No. 13 seed.
The Jaguars are hoping to reach the UNI-Dome again this year–perhaps as a higher seed.
Centennial returns 10 all-district players from a team that finished with a 7-5 record under co-head coaches Jerry and Ryan Pezzetti.
“With our schedule, if you can survive and be healthy at the end of the year, you have a shot,” said Ryan Pezzetti, whose team is No. 3 in The Des Moines Register’s preseason rankings. “Valley has proven that, and we have proven that. We felt we had as good a team as anybody at the end of the year. Having everybody healthy was the key, and then Eli(jah Porter) came down with food poisoning and that obviously diminished our chances a little bit (in the semifinals against Ankeny).
“You’re not going to win a state title in week one, but you do have to survive and get better. The only ranking that means anything is the one in November,” he added.
Centennial boasted one of the state’s most explosive offenses last year and returns several key players from that unit. Leading the way will be running backs Braeden Jackson and JJ Morgan and offensive linemen Max Dickinson, Lucas Juravich and Gavin Humphrey.
Jackson, a senior, rushed for 669 yards and eight touchdowns on 102 carries. He also caught 31 passes for 354 yards and four more scores.
Morgan, a junior, ran 38 times for 168 yards and three touchdowns. He had 12 receptions for another 131 yards.
“They both will have good years,” Pezzetti said. “They’re both outstanding kids and work their tails off.”
Dickinson, Juravich and Humphrey are all seniors. Dickinson, who has committed to play for Sioux Falls, was named to the District 1 first team along with Humphrey and Jackson.
Juravich was a second-team pick, while Morgan received honorable mention.
“We do have some solid kids back, and we have five or six on the offensive line who have played before and that’s huge,” Pezzetti said. “That’s where the games are won or lost–in the trenches.”
The Jaguars also return a strong nucleus on defense. The top returnees are senior linemen Isaiah Bassett and Mitchell Grider and linebacker Reed Anderson, who were all first-team all-district selections.
Anderson led the team last year with 72 tackles. He made 48 solo stops.
Grider racked up 45 tackles. Bassett added 38 stops, including a team-high 7.5 sacks, while also serving as the team’s punter.
Senior defensive back Chase Kluver is among the other returnees. He had 49 tackles a year ago and intercepted three passes, returning them for 27 yards.
“Our defense at the end of the year was playing as well as they could possibly play,” Pezzetti said. “It’s nice to have those pieces of the puzzle back, but we also have some holes to fill.”
Kluver, who was named to the all-district second team, will join Dickinson at Sioux Falls next year. He will also take over the quarterback duties and become a two-way starter.
“That’s unprecedented in 5A football, but we’ve done it before. Many years ago (at Ankeny), Aaron Jarosh played every down on defense and on offense, so it can be done,” Pezzetti said. “You do need to manage those snaps and the collisions he takes, but Chase comes from a great family here and he fits right in with the Kluver lineage. He’s proud of who he is and what he does, and he definitely wants the opportunity to do it.”
Also back on the defensive side of the ball are senior Cael Woods, junior Houston Luce and sophomore Carlos Blount. Luce made 19 tackles a year ago, Blount had 15, and Woods added 10.5.
Senior place-kicker Ryan Bendezu is also back for the Jaguars. Bendezu, who made 3-of-8 field goals and 50-of-54 PAT attempts, received all-district honorable mention.
Centennial has been strengthened by the addition of senior Malachi Curvey, who previously attended the school before transferring to Waukee two years ago. He helped the Warriors to an 8-3 record last season.
Curvey, a defensive end, made 29.5 tackles as a junior. He also caught four passes for 26 yards as a receiver.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Curvey is the No. 248 overall prospect in the 2025 class, according to the On3Industry. The nation’s No. 27 linebacker and the No. 2 recruit in Iowa, Curvey committed to play for Kansas after also receiving offers from Iowa State, Kansas State and Missouri, as well as interest from a handful of other programs.
“Malachi moved back to Ankeny, and he’ll be an influential part of our defense,” Pezzetti said. “He’s always had friends here at Centennial even when he left. When he came back here, it was flawless. He set the tone with our leaders and became a leader as well. We’re excited to have him.”
Curvey was ranked No. 8 on The Register’s list of the top 100 players in Iowa. Anderson (No. 41), Kluver (No. 44) and Bassett (No. 72) also made the list.
“Our practices have been good,” Pezzetti said. “Things have been highly competitive, and to this point we’ve stayed pretty much healthy. That’s the name of the game in football.”
The Jaguars will open the season on Friday against No. 2 Ankeny.
