Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

Dan Holm

Part-time runner helps Ankeny swimmers to 7th-place finish at state meet

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A freshman who didn't even focus on swimming full-time this fall helped the Ankeny girls' swimming team to a seventh-place finish in the state meet on Saturday at Marshalltown. Anja Peck, who was also one of the top runners on the Ankeny Centennial girls' cross country squad, placed seventh in the 100 breaststroke in her state-meet debut. She posted a … [Read more...] about Part-time runner helps Ankeny swimmers to 7th-place finish at state meet

‘It’s an amazing feeling’: Hawks outlast Dowling, will play S.E. Polk for 4A crown

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Dowling Catholic's stranglehold on the Class 4A championship trophy had to come to an end sometime. It finally did on Friday the 13th. Jase Bauer ran for the go-ahead touchdown in the second overtime, then Arland Bruce IV sealed the victory with an interception as the second-ranked Ankeny football team outlasted No. 3 Dowling, 31-24, in the Class 4A … [Read more...] about ‘It’s an amazing feeling’: Hawks outlast Dowling, will play S.E. Polk for 4A crown

THE END OF A DYNASTY: Hawks dethrone 7-time state champions

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Arland Bruce IV didn't grow up in Ankeny, but he knows all about Dowling Catholic's recent dominance of the Class 4A football landscape. Bruce intercepted a pass on Dowling's first play in the second overtime to give the second-ranked Hawks a thrilling 31-24 victory in the Class 4A semifinals on Friday night at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. The loss ended … [Read more...] about THE END OF A DYNASTY: Hawks dethrone 7-time state champions

Henning breaks AHS mark in backstroke; Carleton, Peck also advance to finals

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Ankeny swimmer Alexis Henning was hoping to break the school record in the 100 backstroke during the girls' state meet this weekend at Marshalltown. She didn't wait until Saturday's finals to do it. Henning broke the mark with a time of 57.68 seconds during the preliminaries on Friday night. She qualified for Saturday's "A" final with the sixth-fastest … [Read more...] about Henning breaks AHS mark in backstroke; Carleton, Peck also advance to finals

Ankeny’s Peters places 6th, Toth 11th and Kolars 13th at state diving meet

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The Ankeny girls' swimming team is off to a good start at the state meet--thanks to the Hawkettes' divers. All three Ankeny qualifiers placed among the top 13 finishers in the diving competition on Friday at the Marshalltown YMCA. The Hawkettes sit in third place overall with 23 points heading into the swimming portion of the meet, which begins with the … [Read more...] about Ankeny’s Peters places 6th, Toth 11th and Kolars 13th at state diving meet

Can Hawks dethrone Dowling? Here are Ankeny Fanatic’s semifinal predictions

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Let's get it on. The Class 4A semifinals get under way at the UNI-Dome in less than 24 hours. Three of the four remaining teams are from the Central Iowa Metropolitan League, setting up the (very likely) possibility of an all-CIML final next Friday. Can Pleasant Valley pull off an upset against top-ranked Southeast Polk? Will Dowling Catholic … [Read more...] about Can Hawks dethrone Dowling? Here are Ankeny Fanatic’s semifinal predictions

Blimpie Sub of the Week: Adalyn Goodwin, Ankeny volleyball

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Junior setter Adalyn Goodwin helped the Ankeny volleyball team to the Class 5A state championship last week in Cedar Rapids. She had five assists in the Hawkettes' semifinal win over Pleasant Valley on Nov. 4. Goodwin racked up 102 assists, 17 digs and 10 aces on the season. She helped the Hawkettes to a 22-2 record. "She played a true sub this year … [Read more...] about Blimpie Sub of the Week: Adalyn Goodwin, Ankeny volleyball

Centennial’s Powell commits to play for Illinois Central Community College

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Ankeny Centennial's Jackson Powell is hoping to eventually play baseball at the Division I level. The senior catcher ultimately decided that the best way to get there is to go to a junior college first. "It's been a crazy year with COVID-19, and all of the additional years of eligibility given to collegiate athletes has really messed things up with the … [Read more...] about Centennial’s Powell commits to play for Illinois Central Community College

MOSS’D AGAIN: Ex-Centennial star gets pick-six off Lombardi in Hawkeyes’ victory

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There must be something about Rocky Lombardi that brings out the best in Riley Moss. Whatever it is, Moss just seems to have Lombardi's number. On Saturday, the former Ankeny Centennial defensive back intercepted a pass from Lombardi in the second quarter and returned it 54 yards for a touchdown to give Iowa a 35-0 lead over Michigan State at Kinnick … [Read more...] about MOSS’D AGAIN: Ex-Centennial star gets pick-six off Lombardi in Hawkeyes’ victory

Centennial’s Cogdill, VanderWilt earn coaching awards from IATC

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The Ankeny Centennial girls' cross country team enjoyed the best season in school history. Now, the Jaguars' coaches have been honored for leading their team to a third-place finish in the Class 4A state meet on Oct. 30. Head coach Eric Cogdill has been named the Class 4A Coach of the Year by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches. "This doesn't … [Read more...] about Centennial’s Cogdill, VanderWilt earn coaching awards from IATC

Ankeny’s Schrader named to all-CIML first team for third straight year

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Ankeny volleyball standout Phyona Schrader has been named to the all-conference first team for the third straight year. Schrader, a senior setter, was selected to the CIML Iowa Conference first team after leading the Hawkettes to the Class 5A state title. She also led her team to the league crown. Schrader, who surpassed the 2,000-assist career mark … [Read more...] about Ankeny’s Schrader named to all-CIML first team for third straight year

Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Lexi Stephens, Ankeny volleyball

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Junior libero Lexi Stephens helped the Ankeny volleyball team capture the fifth state championship in school history last week in Cedar Rapids. She racked up a team-high 272 digs as the Hawkettes posted a 22-2 record and finished the season with a 19-match winning streak. Stephens also had 69 assists. She was named to the CIML Iowa Conference second … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Lexi Stephens, Ankeny volleyball

Hawkette swimmers place 2nd at regional, qualify for state in every event

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The Ankeny and Johnston girls' swimming teams battled down to the wire on Saturday for the overall crown in a regional meet at Summit Middle School. The eighth-ranked Hawkettes held a two-point lead going into the final event. But No. 4 Johnston then won the 400 freestyle relay in a time of 3:38.07, defeating Ankeny by about 2 seconds. That victory … [Read more...] about Hawkette swimmers place 2nd at regional, qualify for state in every event

Bruce explodes for IV touchdowns, leads No. 2 Ankeny to the UNI-Dome

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Ankeny quarterback Jase Bauer has played with and against a lot of great athletes during his high school football career. He isn't sure if he's seen anyone like Arland Bruce IV. "He's just a dude," Bauer said of the Iowa recruit. "I mean, he's one of the best players I've ever seen. The dude can just flat-out play. When the play is not there, he's … [Read more...] about Bruce explodes for IV touchdowns, leads No. 2 Ankeny to the UNI-Dome

DOMEWARD BOUND: Hawks ride Bruce past Waukee, into Class 4A semifinals

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Next stop: the UNI-Dome. The second-ranked Ankeny football team earned a trip to the Class 4A semifinals with a 28-7 victory at No. 4 Waukee on Friday. The Hawks (9-1) won their eighth straight game since dropping a 21-17 decision at Waukee (7-3) on Sept. 4. "I'm just happy for the kids," said Ankeny coach Rick Nelson. "I can't say enough about them. … [Read more...] about DOMEWARD BOUND: Hawks ride Bruce past Waukee, into Class 4A semifinals

JUMP FOR JOY!: Hawkettes, Whims capture their 5th state championships

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When Dave Whims came out of retirement in 2019 to coach the Ankeny volleyball team once again, he thought the Hawkettes had the potential to eventually win another state championship. It happened faster than he expected. Second-ranked Ankeny defeated No. 5 Iowa City Liberty in four sets to capture the Class 5A title on Thursday at the Alliant Energy … [Read more...] about JUMP FOR JOY!: Hawkettes, Whims capture their 5th state championships