Ankeny Fanatic

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Archives for February 2025

Grand View’s Murray named to Heart of America Athletic Conference first team

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Grand View junior Cleao Murray has been named to the Heart of America Athletic Conference women's basketball first team. The junior guard has helped the Vikings to a 23-6 record heading into Friday's game at home against Benedictine College (Kan.) in the semifinals of the conference tournament. Murray, a former Ankeny Centennial … [Read more...] about Grand View’s Murray named to Heart of America Athletic Conference first team

FROSH PHENOMS: Johnson, Winkel named to all-conference first team

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Ankeny natives Carson Johnson and Luke Winkel have both been named to the all-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference first team, the league office announced on Thursday. They were the only two freshmen among the 12 men's basketball players on the first team. Johnson, a former Ankeny star, earned the honor despite playing in only 17 games for MSU Moorhead … [Read more...] about FROSH PHENOMS: Johnson, Winkel named to all-conference first team

Missouri recruit Zuber repeats as Iowa’s Gatorade cross country runner of the year

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Two-time state champion Ethan Zuber of Ankeny has been named Iowa's Gatorade cross country runner of the year for the second straight season. The senior pulled away in the final half mile to defend his boys' Class 4A title on Nov. 1 at Fort Dodge. He posted a time of 15:01.2 in the 5K race. Zuber was part of the lead pack for the first two miles before … [Read more...] about Missouri recruit Zuber repeats as Iowa’s Gatorade cross country runner of the year

Ankeny senior Shaw bowls 548 series, places 22nd in Class 3A state tournament

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Ankeny's Johanna Shaw earned a 22nd-place finish in the girls' Class 3A state bowling tournament on Wednesday at Cadillac XBC in Waterloo. Shaw, a senior at Ankeny Christian Academy, became the first Ankeny girl to qualify for state as an individual since Emma Bryant and Brianna Payton both advanced in 2012. "This year was her first year of high school … [Read more...] about Ankeny senior Shaw bowls 548 series, places 22nd in Class 3A state tournament

Blackmore’s jumper ends scoring drought, sends Jaguars back to state tournament

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It might have been the biggest basket of Finley Blackmore's high school career. The 5-foot-10 guard scored only two points on Tuesday night, but her pull-up jumper with 1 minute 50 seconds left helped the fourth-ranked Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team to a 42-37 victory over No. 13 Southeast Polk in a Class 5A regional final at Centennial, sending … [Read more...] about Blackmore’s jumper ends scoring drought, sends Jaguars back to state tournament

‘That’s really been the story of our season’: Ankeny’s late rally falls short at No. 3 NW

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The Ankeny girls' basketball team is still looking to get over the hump. The 14th-ranked Hawkettes ended their season on Tuesday with a 43-37 loss at No. 3 Waukee Northwest, which closed out the game with a 9-3 run. Ankeny lost in a Class 5A regional final for the fifth straight year. The last four losses have come by a total of 15 points. "We just … [Read more...] about ‘That’s really been the story of our season’: Ankeny’s late rally falls short at No. 3 NW

Jaguars overcome slow start to rout S.C. North, will face No. 4 Waukee NW Friday

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The Ankeny Centennial boys' basketball team is guaranteed to finish the season with a losing record. But that doesn't mean that the Jaguars can't make some noise in the postseason. Centennial kept its season alive on Monday by rolling to a 78-47 victory at Sioux City North in a Class 4A substate quarterfinal. The Jaguars were one of three teams from … [Read more...] about Jaguars overcome slow start to rout S.C. North, will face No. 4 Waukee NW Friday

Bayless makes another buzzer-beater, allows Hilltoppers to edge Louisiana Tech

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Braxton Bayless needed only four dribbles to go the length of the court to make his latest buzzer-beater. The former Ankeny basketball star made a go-ahead layup with .4 seconds remaining to give Western Kentucky a 64-63 win over Louisiana Tech on Saturday night at Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky. "Coach (Hank Plona) said if we get it, go," said … [Read more...] about Bayless makes another buzzer-beater, allows Hilltoppers to edge Louisiana Tech

Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Kash Johnson, Ankeny wrestling

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Sophomore Kash Johnson helped the Ankeny wrestling team to a 12th-place finish in the Class 3A state tournament last week at Wells Fargo Arena. The Hawks scored a total of 80.5 points. Johnson was one of four placewinners for the squad, earning an eighth-place finish at 150 pounds. He finished the season with a 26-19 record. Here is some inside info on … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Kash Johnson, Ankeny wrestling

Hawkettes earn another shot at Waukee Northwest by rolling past Sioux City East

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) As soon as the light turned green, the Ankeny girls' basketball team slammed its foot down on the gas and the Hawkettes never bothered to look back. Ankeny turned in one of its best games of the season to open up postseason play as the 14th-ranked Hawkettes posted a 66-14 victory over visiting Sioux City East in a Class 5A … [Read more...] about Hawkettes earn another shot at Waukee Northwest by rolling past Sioux City East

Jaguars rout Marshalltown, will meet S.E. Polk for 3rd time in 19 days for state berth

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The Marshalltown girls' basketball team entered Saturday's Class 5A regional semifinal at Ankeny Centennial with a chance to reach double digits in victories for the first time since the 2006-07 season. The fourth-ranked Jaguars quickly made sure, though, that it wouldn't happen. Centennial jumped out to a 33-2 lead at the end of the first quarter, … [Read more...] about Jaguars rout Marshalltown, will meet S.E. Polk for 3rd time in 19 days for state berth

‘I had to prove everybody wrong again’: Dhabolt wins Class 3A title at 157 pounds

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The title drought is over for the Ankeny Centennial wrestlers. In their seventh appearance in a Class 3A championship match, the Jaguars finally got an individual state championship on Saturday night courtesy of sophomore Max Dhabolt, who became the first boy in school history to capture a crown. "Oh my gosh, it's been a long time coming," said … [Read more...] about ‘I had to prove everybody wrong again’: Dhabolt wins Class 3A title at 157 pounds

No. 4 Jaguars, No. 14 Hawkettes advance to regional finals with lopsided victories

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The Ankeny and Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball teams opened postseason play on Saturday night with lopsided victories. The fourth-ranked Jaguars rolled to a 68-17 triumph over visiting Marshalltown, while the No. 14 Hawkettes cruised to a 66-14 win over visiting Sioux City East in another Class 5A regional semifinal. We'll have stories on both games … [Read more...] about No. 4 Jaguars, No. 14 Hawkettes advance to regional finals with lopsided victories

Bruhl, Rathjen make impressive runs on bracket’s back side to place 3rd, 4th

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Ankeny Centennial's Isaac Bruhl bounced back from a disappointing loss in a big way. Ankeny's Calvin Rathjen made a similar run through the consolation bracket of the Class 3A state wrestling tournament. The fifth-seeded Bruhl rebounded from a quarterfinal loss on Thursday with four consecutive wins. He posted a 4-2 decision over No. 6 Elijah Blewitt … [Read more...] about Bruhl, Rathjen make impressive runs on bracket’s back side to place 3rd, 4th

Jaguars move into 8th place, will have 4 placewinners along with Ankeny wrestlers

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Ankeny Centennial wrestling coach Jay Groth has vowed to get a tattoo the first time a Jaguar wins an individual state title. Now, it's possible that he might have to get two. Centennial's Cale Vandermark and Max Dhabolt both advanced to Saturday's championship matches by recording technical falls in the semifinal round of the Class 3A tournament on … [Read more...] about Jaguars move into 8th place, will have 4 placewinners along with Ankeny wrestlers

DYNAMIC DUO: Vandermark, Dhabolt advance to Saturday’s finals in Class 3A

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The Ankeny Centennial duo of Cale Vandermark and Max Dhabolt advanced to Saturday's finals in the Class 3A state wrestling tournament at Wells Fargo Arena with technical falls on Friday. "It's good to be back in the finals again. It's been a little while since we've been there," said Centennial coach Jay Groth, whose last finalist came in 2019. "Those two … [Read more...] about DYNAMIC DUO: Vandermark, Dhabolt advance to Saturday’s finals in Class 3A

‘We still have confidence’: Hawks gear up for substate play after season-ending loss

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) It wasn’t exactly the way they wanted to close out the regular season, but the Ankeny boys' basketball players are still confident heading into substate play. The Hawks traveled to Waukee Northwest on Thursday for a showdown against the fourth-ranked Wolves. After a strong start turned into a 90-52 loss, the Ankeny players … [Read more...] about ‘We still have confidence’: Hawks gear up for substate play after season-ending loss

‘We knew it was going to be a dogfight’: Jaguars fall to S.E. Polk in season finale

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It's time for the Ankeny Centennial boys' basketball team to put the regular season in the rear-view mirror. "The records don't matter in the postseason," said Centennial senior Sean Tunks. The Jaguars closed out the regular season on Thursday with a 53-49 loss to visiting Southeast Polk. It was a matchup of two squads trying to avoid finishing in the … [Read more...] about ‘We knew it was going to be a dogfight’: Jaguars fall to S.E. Polk in season finale