Ankeny Centennial Activities Director Nate Lingren didn’t have to look very far to find replacements for legendary basketball coaches Scott DeJong and Bob Fontana.
Both of the Jaguars’ new coaches were already in the building.
Matt Delger, Fontana’s former assistant, has been hired to take over the boys’ program. He was introduced on Wednesday.
“I am very excited,” said Delger. “I’ve always wanted to be a head coach. I was kind of waiting for the right time, and with Centennial being my home and my kids are going to go there, it was the perfect fit.”
Then, on Thursday, Des Moines Christian girls’ coach Chris Harken was named DeJong’s successor. Harken is a teacher at Centennial.
“Following Scott DeJong is always going to be a struggle, but it’s a great opportunity,” said Harken. “I’m very grateful that I’ve been hired for this position.”
According to Lingren, there was a talented pool of candidates for both positions. But Delger and Harken eventually emerged as the top choices.
“We had some really good applicants, and it was tough competition–which is what you want. You want to get the best of the best,” said Lingren. “But it’s always comforting as an administrator in this building when your best candidates are already here. That means we’re doing the right things. We’re attracting the right people early on in their education careers, whether they’re teaching or coaching, and that they’re here and they want to stay here.”
Harken guided Des Moines Christian to a 45-6 record over the last two seasons. The Lions reached the Class 3A semifinals in 2024, then advanced to the state tournament again last month.
Harken said the biggest adjustment for him in going from the West Central Conference to the CIML will be replacing most of Centennial’s roster. The Jaguars will graduate nine seniors from a team that went 17-8 and reached the Class 5A semifinals, including all-staters Mya Crawford and Jaeden Pratt.
“We’re going to be a very inexperienced team, something that Centennial probably hasn’t experienced since the split,” Harken said. “We’re going to have to find our identity.”
Harken has previously coached in the CIML at lower levels. He coached at Johnston on both the boys’ and girls’ staffs, and he was a part of Ankeny’s run to the boys’ Class 4A championship in 2020.
Harken also spent a year coaching under DeJong.
“There’s a lot of similarities we have,” he said. “We both value defense, and that’s going to be one of the common things that fans and spectators are really going to appreciate. I’ll also add in some of my own things.”
Harken boasts six years of head coaching experience, including three seasons at Ankeny Christian Academy.
“Chris is a tremendous person,” Lingren said. “He’s very well-respected here in the classroom at Centennial. We’re thrilled that he’s in the building and can’t wait to see what he can do.”
After commuting to western Urbandale for the Des Moines Christian games and practices the last two years, Harken is happy that he’ll now be in the same building with his athletes.
“It does benefit in a lot of ways,” he said. “Just being able to go downstairs for practice, and just being able to see the girls in the hallways if I need to talk to one of them very quickly. Those opportunities are a blessing.”
Delger also boasts some head coaching experience. He was the boys’ coach for three years at CAL (Latimer) before spending two years at East Union (Afton), where he also served as Athletic Director.
Delger was the interim girls’ coach at Ankeny for one year before joining Fontana’s staff at Centennial, where he spent eight years in the sophomore program before becoming a varsity assistant for the last three.
“I’m very grateful to Bob and the many opportunities that he gave me,” Delger said. “He’s given me a lot more responsibility and allowed me to have my input and control on things these last three years.”
Delger is already familiar with the talent on the north side. He has worked with the ACBC Club and directed the program’s camps for many years.
“I’ve really gotten to know a lot of the kids that are coming up,” he said. “I’m really excited about the talent that we have in all of our classes. I do think we can sustain (the success that we’ve had). Priority No. 1 will be establishing the culture that I want to have. From there, I think we can do a lot.”
Fontana guided Centennial to a fourth-place finish in Class 4A in 2020. The Jaguars advanced to state again in 2023, but then took a step backwards last season, when they finished 5-17 with a young and inexperienced squad.
“We were able to get a lot of young kids some really good experience in the CIML, more than probably any other program,” Delger said. “There’s a lot of talent there that we think we can get this thing going and build around.”
Lingren is confident, too, that the program can quickly return to its winning ways.
“We’re thrilled to pass the baton to Matt. We are excited for Matt to take this opportunity,” he said. “Matt’s teaching acumen will translate well to the court. Matt is an elite human. Parents should be thrilled that their students get to be a part of his teaching and his program.
“We’re looking forward to the future of the program,” he added.