(Story by Stephen McDaniel)
The Ankeny Centennial boys’ soccer team seemed to be on its way to knocking off reigning Class 3A state champion Urbandale and potentially starting its campaign with a 5-0 record.
Despite multiple chances to put Friday’s game away, the Jaguars were limited to just one goal before the J-Hawks scored an equalizer in the 73rd minute to produce a 1-1 draw at Urbandale’s Frerichs Field.
“Like I told the boys, when you are a well-respected team and a feared team, this is what teams do to us,” said Centennial coach Brian Duax. “This is the second game in a row where teams sit in, squat and we have the ball 90 percent of the time, create 90 percent of the chances and all it takes is one let up to tie 1-1.”
Urbandale has been no stranger to limiting its opponents on the attack after the J-Hawks allowed only two goals during postseason play on its way to the 2025 state title.
Even with a 2-2-1 record going into Friday’s contest, the J-Hawks allowed only three combined goals in their losses to Waukee Northwest and Southeast Polk.
“When you play a low block press, that’s how (Urbandale) won a state championship last year,” Duax said. “They sat in, they squatted and they defended like warriors. They did that again (against us).”
The Jaguars had to find a way to break through and take the lead while Urbandale looked to limit leading scorer Tate Duax’s impact on the game.
Duax had scored at least one goal in all four of Centennial’s victories to open up the season, and Friday’s draw marked the first time that the all-state forward was held without registering a goal or an assist.
In the 62nd minute, Duax was able to thread a pass past a double team to midfielder Mason Goble, who saw an opening to cross, found an open Andrew Krueger on the backside and the fellow senior smashed in his second goal of the season to give Centennial a 1-0 lead.
“They were keying in on Tate and when they key on Tate, other guys have to step up and score goals,” Duax said. “Other guys are stepping up to score goals, which makes us even harder to defend.”
Urbandale only had a couple of chances up to that point with most coming off counter attacks. But in the 73rd minute, the J-Hawks earned a corner kick that led to the eventual game-tying goal.
Leading scorer Zack Jakobitz was able to lift his leg high enough to tap in a rebound shot after the corner kick to tie things up.
Centennial had a couple of other chances to get on the scoreboard much earlier and give itself some cushion, but just wasn’t able to capitalize on its opportunities.
Lucas De la Cuba nearly had a goal in the 6th minute, but wasn’t able to get enough power on a shot following a cross from Duax. Garrett Christensen had an open shot sail high of the goal at the end of the first half.
In the 51st minute, Urbandale goalkeeper Blake Bullerman recorded a big save on a header from Ty Sexton. Brock Brazeau had a header of his own sail high of the goal on the ensuing corner kick.
Bullerman made a save on a shot from Duax a few minutes later that Sexton was able to cross back in, and Brazeau had his shot at the goal go just wide.
“You’ve just got to be a little more opportunistic, you’ve got to have a little bit more attitude and a little bit more moxy when you get in front of their net,” Duax said. “We were in front of their net the entire game, but how many chances did we really take and how many saves did their keeper really make? Sometimes we’re waiting for the perfect goal instead of just a goal.”
With the draw, Centennial is now 1-0-1 in the CIML Conference and 4-0-1 overall. The J-Hawks are 1-2-1 in the league and 2-2-2 overall.
The Jaguars will host a conference game against Dowling Catholic on Tuesday. The Maroons are 1-1-1 and 1-2-2.
