Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

Archives for October 2025

Wartburg’s Sash named Defensive Player of the Week for 2nd time this season

by

Former Ankeny Centennial volleyball standout Anna Sash was named the American Rivers Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 13 for the second time this season. The Wartburg College sophomore middle hitter was also honored on Sept. 29. Sash showcased her dominance at the net, recording nine total blocks across a pair of Wartburg victories — a … [Read more...] about Wartburg’s Sash named Defensive Player of the Week for 2nd time this season

Akers catches his first collegiate pass for 7-yard touchdown in Huskies’ loss at Ohio

by

Devon Akers will never forget the first reception of his college football career. The former Ankeny standout caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Josh Holst during the second quarter of Northern Illinois' 48-21 loss at Ohio on Saturday afternoon. It was the second career game for the tight end, who sat out his initial season in 2024 as a … [Read more...] about Akers catches his first collegiate pass for 7-yard touchdown in Huskies’ loss at Ohio

Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Ella Leever, Ankeny Christian volleyball

by

Senior outside hitter and defensive specialist Ella Leever has helped the ninth-ranked Ankeny Christian Academy volleyball team to a 25-13 record. The Eagles posted a 25-14, 25-9, 25-19 victory over Moravia on Thursday to win the Bluegrass Conference championship at Seymour. Leever leads the Eagles with 215 kills and 277 digs. She has also contributed 28 … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Ella Leever, Ankeny Christian volleyball

‘The campus felt like a great fit’: Clark verbally commits to play for Panthers

by

It's been a good weekend for Ankeny senior defensive back La'Marious Clark. On Friday, he made three tackles while helping the fifth-ranked Hawks to a 34-26 victory over No. 3 Valley in a top-five showdown at Ankeny Stadium. Then, on Sunday, he announced his verbal commitment to play football for the University of Northern Iowa. "I checked out a few … [Read more...] about ‘The campus felt like a great fit’: Clark verbally commits to play for Panthers

‘We earned it’: Hawks overcome 2 costly mistakes to knock off No. 3 Valley, 34-26

by

Entering Friday's showdown at Ankeny Stadium, the third-ranked Valley football team had allowed a total of just seven points in its previous three games. But the Tigers had not faced an opponent during that stretch with as many offensive weapons as No. 5 Ankeny. Kael Roush passed for 315 yards and three touchdowns while Daniel Larmie ran for 136 yards … [Read more...] about ‘We earned it’: Hawks overcome 2 costly mistakes to knock off No. 3 Valley, 34-26

Jaguars tumble to No. 2 Dowling, will host S.C. North next with playoff berth at stake

by

(Story by Stephen McDaniel) On a night when two of the top three football teams in Class 5A got beat, the 12th-ranked Ankeny Centennial Jaguars wanted to get in on the action of knocking off a top seed. But Centennial just couldn’t find its footing offensively, and No. 2 Dowling Catholic took control in the second half as the Jaguars dropped to 4-4 on … [Read more...] about Jaguars tumble to No. 2 Dowling, will host S.C. North next with playoff berth at stake

‘It was a good night for us’: Jaguars place 4th, earn highest finish ever at CIML meet

by

It's already been a successful fall for the Ankeny Centennial boys' cross country team. Wednesday's CIML Conference meet at Johnston was just another sign of the Jaguars' progress this season. Ninth-ranked Centennial placed fourth in the nine-team field with 105 points. The Jaguars had finished eighth, seventh and sixth in the previous CIML meets since … [Read more...] about ‘It was a good night for us’: Jaguars place 4th, earn highest finish ever at CIML meet

‘It was another great day for racing’: Jags place 3rd, Ankeny takes 7th at CIML meet

by

The Ankeny Centennial girls' cross country team was hoping to win its first CIML Conference title since 2022, which was also the last time the meet was held at Johnston. After placing second behind Johnston in each of the last two years, the third-ranked Jaguars raced to a third-place finish on Wednesday. They finished with 67 points. No. 2 Waukee … [Read more...] about ‘It was another great day for racing’: Jags place 3rd, Ankeny takes 7th at CIML meet

‘It was just to have fun’: Seniors race their coaches following victory over S.E. Polk

by

(Story by Stephen McDaniel) Madi Trosper anchored the final relay of the night on behalf of the Ankeny girls' swimming team, and it came down to a photo finish on Tuesday at Trail Point Aquatics Center. But by that point, seventh-ranked Ankeny had already defeated No. 17 Southeast Polk, 136-50, for its first CIML Conference victory of the … [Read more...] about ‘It was just to have fun’: Seniors race their coaches following victory over S.E. Polk

‘That sealed the deal’: Northern St. lands Ankeny’s Brandhorst after game day visit

by

The Northern State University football program has landed a verbal commitment from Ankeny's leading receiver. Senior Andrew Brandhorst has committed to play for the Wolves, an NCAA Division II program located in Aberdeen, S.D. "I looked at a lot of schools, but it wasn’t necessarily a tough decision," said Brandhorst. "Coach (Kyle) Weisman, the … [Read more...] about ‘That sealed the deal’: Northern St. lands Ankeny’s Brandhorst after game day visit

‘We are on a mission’: Jaguars sweep S.E. Polk in potential preview of regional final

by

The Ankeny Centennial volleyball team still needs to win two matches in order to qualify for the Class 5A state tournament, but the Jaguars appear to be well on their way to Coralville. The second-ranked Jaguars closed out the regular season on Tuesday with a 25-10, 25-15, 25-15 sweep at Southeast Polk. The two teams could meet again in a regional final … [Read more...] about ‘We are on a mission’: Jaguars sweep S.E. Polk in potential preview of regional final

‘It was a complete team effort’: Hawkettes cruise past Urbandale on Senior Night

by

The Ankeny volleyball team celebrated its Senior Night on Tuesday with a convincing sweep. The sixth-ranked Hawkettes closed out the regular season by cruising to a 25-8, 25-16, 25-5 victory over visiting Urbandale. "It was a fantastic night to celebrate our seniors against an opponent we are familiar with," said Ankeny coach Liz Baethke, who coached … [Read more...] about ‘It was a complete team effort’: Hawkettes cruise past Urbandale on Senior Night

‘I’ll always have great memories’: Miller closes out career by tying for 58th place

by

Ankeny Centennial's McCoy Miller finished in a tie for 58th place in the boys' Class 4A state golf meet on Tuesday at Hyperion Field Club in Johnston. Miller shot an 8-over-par 80 in the final round to post a 36-hole total of 163. He had tied for 27th at last year's meet with a 157 total. "At the end of the day I am not happy with how I played, but I … [Read more...] about ‘I’ll always have great memories’: Miller closes out career by tying for 58th place

Jaguars’ Miller shoots an 83 in opening round of boys’ Class 4A state golf meet

by

Ankeny Centennial's McCoy Miller carded an 11-over-par 83 in the opening round of the boys' Class 4A state golf meet on Monday at Hyperion Field Club in Johnston. He is part of an eight-way tie for 57th place in the field of 82 golfers. Miller began his round on the back nine and got off to a good start, making a par on each of the first three holes. But … [Read more...] about Jaguars’ Miller shoots an 83 in opening round of boys’ Class 4A state golf meet

‘Today was huge!’: Jags get over semifinal hump, top No. 4 PV to win Westside Invite

by

The Ankeny Centennial volleyball team finally got over the semifinal hump at the Westside Invitational. The second-ranked Jaguars captured the title at the Cedar Rapids Jefferson tournament on Saturday with a 25-19, 25-17 victory over No. 4 Pleasant Valley. They raised their record to 29-5 by sweeping all six of their opponents on the day. Centennial … [Read more...] about ‘Today was huge!’: Jags get over semifinal hump, top No. 4 PV to win Westside Invite

Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Maggie Blackmore, Ankeny girls’ swimming

by

Ankeny sophomore Maggie Blackmore earned a pair of top-eight individual finishes in the Johnston Invitational girls' swimming meet on Saturday, helping her team to a fifth-place finish overall. She placed seventh in the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:03.67 and finished sixth in the 100 freestyle in 57.69 seconds. Blackmore anchored Ankeny to a third-place … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Maggie Blackmore, Ankeny girls’ swimming

‘It was exactly what we needed’: Hawkette spikers finish 3-0 at Ankeny Quadrangular

by

The Ankeny volleyball team defeated one ranked opponent and outlasted two other foes in three sets to finish a perfect 3-0 in the Ankeny Quadrangular on Saturday. The sixth-ranked Hawkettes posted a 25-14, 25-19 win over Norwalk, the No. 5 team in Class 4A. They defeated Omaha (Neb.) Westside by scores of 25-18, 23-25, 15-13 and rallied for a 21-25, … [Read more...] about ‘It was exactly what we needed’: Hawkette spikers finish 3-0 at Ankeny Quadrangular

Villhauer posts automatic state qualifying time in 100 butterfly at Johnston Invite

by

Ankeny sophomore Charlie Villhauer punched her ticket to the girls' state swimming meet with a fifth-place finish in the 100 butterfly on Saturday in the Johnston Invitational at Summit Middle School. Villhauer posted an automatic state qualifying time of 59.48 seconds, dropping more than 2 seconds off her previous season-best of 1:01.54. She had been … [Read more...] about Villhauer posts automatic state qualifying time in 100 butterfly at Johnston Invite