For only the second time ever, the Ankeny girls’ tennis team earned a win against its crosstown rival.
The Hawkettes posted an 8-3 victory over Ankeny Centennial on Tuesday at the Prairie Ridge courts, avenging last year’s loss by the same score. They are now 1-1 in the CIML Conference and 2-2 overall, while the Jaguars’ records dropped to 0-2 in the league and overall.
“It’s great to get a win against your crosstown rival, but as an Ankeny native I just like seeing all four teams and our fans come together for a great cause,” Ankeny coach Steve Smith said of the Pink Out event, which raises funds to fight cancer. “And as someone who bleeds maroon and gold, it was cool to see my team after our meet rush over and cheer on our Hawk boys to a victory in their meet’s deciding match.”
Centennial coach Alli Gustafson said the Pink Out fundraiser was a great way to honor the memory of former Centennial boys’ coach Tami Lewton, who lost her battle against cancer last summer.
“The Pink Out meet is always a special event for our town to come together as one, and it was especially meaningful this year as we continue to honor Tami,” said Gustafson. “It’s a great reminder of the strength and spirit of our community.”
The win was Ankeny’s first over the Jaguars since 2022, when the Hawkettes rolled to a 10-1 triumph. Seniors Lilith Francel, Sophie Schmitz and Kira Smith also played in that match.
“Given the quality of Centennial’s program, it says a lot about this senior class to split their four meets in their careers,” Smith said.
Smith’s daughter returned to the lineup after missing the last two meets due to an abdominal strain that she suffered a week ago. Ankeny’s top player did not compete in singles, but then teamed up with Olivia North for a 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 2 doubles.
“It was definitely fun,” said Kira. “I haven’t played a match in a while, so to get out there (and play)…it was good.”
Smith was limited by the injury, though. She could only serve the ball underhanded.
“I haven’t done that before, so it was interesting. But we made it work,” she said. “I just didn’t want to risk anything at this point. I’m hoping by the end of this week I’ll be good. I think rest is just what I need.”
Susan Hanley, another senior, got her first singles win for the Hawkettes. Schmitz, North and KJ Quirk also had singles victories, then added wins in doubles as well.
“I loved that Sophie, Liv and KJ continued their strong play with double dubs (two wins),” Smith said. “I liked how our Nos. 4 and 5 doubles teams played tonight. I think we’re a better doubles team this year.”
Centennial’s Samara Peterson romped to an easy win at No. 1 singles. Ella Sutherland also won in straight sets at the No. 5 spot, then teamed up with Makenzie Piper for a three-set win at No. 3 doubles.
“Ella had a great performance in singles, demonstrating consistency with her groundstrokes. She is a very valuable part of our team,” Gustafson said. “In doubles, Makenzie and Ella showed resilience and teamwork, battling through a tough match and ultimately winning a super-tiebreaker with dominant net play.”
The meet had already been decided when Ankeny won the No. 1 doubles match due to injury default.
“You never want to win that way in the second (set),” Smith said. “I just hope Mara (Peterson) heals quickly. She’s a very good player.”
Despite the loss, Gustafson was still proud of her squad’s effort.
“Our team continues to grow and improve with each match,” she said. “While we’re still gaining valuable experience, the effort and determination from our players are clear. I’m incredibly proud of the team’s perseverance and progress. Every practice and match helps us grow stronger, gain experience, and improve as a team.”
Ankeny will host a conference match against Waukee (1-2) on Thursday. Centennial will host a non-conference meet against North Polk (3-4) on Wednesday before traveling to Urbandale on Thursday for a conference matchup against the J-Hawks (2-2).
Here are the match-by-match results from Tuesday’s meet:
Ankeny 8, Ankeny Centennial 3
Singles: Peterson (AC) beat Francel, 6-1, 6-1; Schmitz beat Bhat, 6-0, 6-2; North beat Hanson, 6-4, 2-6, 1-0 (10-5); Hanley beat Swanson, 6-3, 6-4; Sutherland (AC) beat Gorrela, 7-5, 6-0; Quirk beat Piper, 6-2, 6-3.
Doubles: Francel-Schmitz beat Peterson-Bhat, 6-3, 4-5, injury default; North-Smith beat Hanson-Swanson, 6-1, 6-1; Sutherland-Piper (AC) beat Hanley-Gorrela, 7-5, 6-7 (6-8); 1-0 (10-5); Quirk-Dietrich beat Carr-Gorsh, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3; Ventura-Doyle beat Bohnenkamp-Schultz, 6-2, 6-0.