Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

Dan Holm

A PERFECT DOZEN: Jaguars top No. 3 Dowling Catholic for 12th straight win

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After being ranked fourth in the Class 4A preseason rankings, the Ankeny Centennial baseball team got off to a slow start this season, posting a 7-9 record in its first 16 games. Since then, the Jaguars have been unbeatable. Centennial used a three-run sixth inning to beat visiting Dowling Catholic, 6-3, in a non-conference game on Friday. The Maroons … [Read more...] about A PERFECT DOZEN: Jaguars top No. 3 Dowling Catholic for 12th straight win

Roland named girls’ wrestling coach for new Ankeny, Centennial program

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Former Des Moines Lincoln wrestling coach Dustin Roland has been named the head coach for the new girls' wrestling program at Ankeny and Ankeny Centennial. Here is a press release from the Ankeny School District announcing the hiring of Roland: Dustin Roland has been named as the head girls wrestling coach for the new girls wrestling program at Ankeny … [Read more...] about Roland named girls’ wrestling coach for new Ankeny, Centennial program

Regional softball pairings announced by Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union

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If the Ankeny and Ankeny Centennial softball teams meet in the postseason, it will have to be at the Class 5A state tournament. The sixth-ranked Jaguars and No. 9 Hawkettes have been placed in separate regions by the Iowa Girls' High School Athletic Union. The postseason pairings were announced on Friday. Centennial (16-11) is the top seed in Region 6. … [Read more...] about Regional softball pairings announced by Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union

Jaguars pound out 29 hits, 7 of them for extra bases, in sweep at Urbandale

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It's been a tough week for the Ankeny Centennial softball team. Thursday's non-conference doubleheader at Urbandale provided the Jaguars with a chance to get back on the winning track. They took advantage of it. Sixth-ranked Centennial pounded out 29 hits, seven of them for extra bases, and swept the J-Hawks by scores of 10-2 and 9-3. The Jaguars, … [Read more...] about Jaguars pound out 29 hits, 7 of them for extra bases, in sweep at Urbandale

‘JIM’ DANDY: Lacey outduels NW’s Watts; Jaguars tie for league lead with sweep

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Catcher Nick Severson and his teammates on the Ankeny Centennial baseball squad were prepared to face one of the state's top pitchers on Wednesday. Severson hit a go-ahead triple in the fifth inning and the Jaguars went on to beat Anthony Watts and ninth-ranked Waukee Northwest, 5-4, in the first game of a doubleheader at Centennial. Watts had tossed a … [Read more...] about ‘JIM’ DANDY: Lacey outduels NW’s Watts; Jaguars tie for league lead with sweep

Hawkettes split at Ames, move ahead of Centennial and into 3rd place

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One of the oldest cliches in sports is that it's difficult to beat the same team three times. It's even more difficult to beat the same opponent five times. The Ankeny softball team discovered that reality on Wednesday, when the 14th-ranked Hawkettes split a doubleheader at No. 12 Ames. Ankeny posted a 7-2 victory in the opener for its fourth … [Read more...] about Hawkettes split at Ames, move ahead of Centennial and into 3rd place

Hawks rout Ames in 5 innings before Little Cyclones win nightcap to earn split

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After watching his team drop the second game of a doubleheader on Wednesday at Ames, Ankeny baseball coach Joe Balvanz tried to look on the bright side. "I wanted two (wins) there tonight, but I will take a split and playing well against a good arm," Balvanz said. "Facing a kid like (Ben) Amador is only going to help us in the postseason." Amador … [Read more...] about Hawks rout Ames in 5 innings before Little Cyclones win nightcap to earn split

‘We just didn’t quite get over the hump’: Jaguars are swept by No. 1 Waukee NW

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The Ankeny Centennial softball team needed just one more big hit to knock off top-ranked Waukee Northwest in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday at Centennial. Unfortunately, the No. 5 Jaguars didn't get it. Northwest held on for a 5-4 victory, then completed a sweep of the season series by winning the nightcap, 13-2, in five innings. "Our … [Read more...] about ‘We just didn’t quite get over the hump’: Jaguars are swept by No. 1 Waukee NW

‘When we play with the lead, we are really tough’: Eagles raise record to 22-0

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The Ankeny Christian Academy baseball team took its perfect record to Principal Park on Wednesday morning. The seventh-ranked Eagles scored two runs in the first inning and two more in the third to beat Class 2A Cardinal (Eldon), 4-0, and improve to 22-0 on the season. "This team has done a great job all year of getting on top early," said ACA coach … [Read more...] about ‘When we play with the lead, we are really tough’: Eagles raise record to 22-0

‘We’re really confident in ourselves’: Jaguars’ winning streak reaches 9 games

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The foundation for the Ankeny Centennial baseball team's recent success has been laid in the mornings on the practice field. Kyle Miller homered twice and the Jaguars completed a sweep of Monday's doubleheader against visiting Fort Dodge with a 10-0 victory in five innings. "We're happy with how we're playing," said Miller, who went 2-for-3 and drove … [Read more...] about ‘We’re really confident in ourselves’: Jaguars’ winning streak reaches 9 games

Hawks hold off Mason City to complete sweep, remain atop league standings

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It wasn't easy, but the Ankeny baseball team held off host Mason City to sweep a doubleheader on Monday and maintain sole possession of first place in the CIML Iowa Conference. The eighth-ranked Hawks scored three runs in the seventh inning to post a 6-3 victory in the opener, then built an early 12-0 lead en route to a 14-10 win in the nightcap that … [Read more...] about Hawks hold off Mason City to complete sweep, remain atop league standings

‘The Dodgers came out ready to play’: No. 4 Fort Dodge tops Jaguars twice

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A big week for the Ankeny Centennial softball team got off to a rough start on Monday. The fifth-ranked Jaguars were swept by No. 4 Fort Dodge in a CIML Iowa Conference doubleheader at Centennial. The Dodgers posted a 5-1 victory in the opener, then rolled to a 10-1 win in the nightcap to complete a sweep of the season series. Fort Dodge moved into a … [Read more...] about ‘The Dodgers came out ready to play’: No. 4 Fort Dodge tops Jaguars twice

Hawkettes sweep Mason City, move into 3rd-place tie with Centennial in league

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It might be too late for the Ankeny softball team to contend for the CIML Iowa Conference title. But the 14th-ranked Hawkettes could still finish ahead of their crosstown rival. Ankeny won both games of a doubleheader on Monday at Mason City, 4-0 and 13-0 in four innings, to move into a third-place tie in the league with No. 5 Ankeny Centennial--which … [Read more...] about Hawkettes sweep Mason City, move into 3rd-place tie with Centennial in league

Pezzetti to be inducted into National Coaches Association Hall of Fame

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Ankeny Centennial co-head football coach Jerry Pezzetti will be inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame on Tuesday night at Prairie Meadows. Pezzetti, Iowa's all-time winningest coach with 435 career victories, will be one of 41 inductees from across the nation in the 2022 Hall of Fame class. "I'm proud to be … [Read more...] about Pezzetti to be inducted into National Coaches Association Hall of Fame

Hawkettes place 5th at Fort Dodge Invite after losing to eventual champ on Friday

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The Ankeny softball team posted a 7-4 victory over Ballard (Huxley) to place fifth in the Fort Dodge Invitational on Saturday. The 14th-ranked Hawkettes won three of four games in the two-day, 16-team tournament. They improved to 16-7 on the season, while Ballard fell to 9-11. "We love this tournament," said Ankeny coach Dave Bingham. "It's really good … [Read more...] about Hawkettes place 5th at Fort Dodge Invite after losing to eventual champ on Friday

Jaguars roll past Davenport North, extend their winning streak to 7 games

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It was a perfect week for the Ankeny Centennial baseball team. The Jaguars extended their winning streak to seven games by defeating Davenport North, 13-3, in six innings in the Tim Heggen Classic on Saturday at Centennial. Centennial used a five-run third inning to take a 6-3 lead. After scoring two runs in the fourth, the Jaguars added five more runs … [Read more...] about Jaguars roll past Davenport North, extend their winning streak to 7 games

Hawks overcome 4-0 deficit, beat Davenport North at Tim Heggen Classic

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The Ankeny baseball team rallied from an early 4-0 deficit to beat Davenport North, 6-4, in the Tim Heggen Classic on Saturday at Ankeny Centennial. After North scored three runs in the top of the second inning to make it 4-0, the 10th-ranked Hawks answered with a run in the bottom of the frame. They scored two in the third and one in the fourth to tie it … [Read more...] about Hawks overcome 4-0 deficit, beat Davenport North at Tim Heggen Classic