Ankeny Fanatic

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Boys' Cross Country

No. 1 Centennial girls place 4th at Bobcat Invitational, suffer their first loss of season

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The top-ranked Ankeny Centennial girls' cross country team suffered its first loss of the season on Thursday. After winning their first two meets, the Jaguars placed fourth among 17 teams in the Bobcat Invitational at Marshalltown Community College. They finished with 115 points. No. 3 Johnston scored 76 points and captured the title for the fourth … [Read more...] about No. 1 Centennial girls place 4th at Bobcat Invitational, suffer their first loss of season

‘Our girls came prepared’: Jaguars win title in heat, while Ankeny boys place 3rd

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The conditions were brutal for the 58th Kirk Schmaltz Invitational cross country meet on Thursday in Ames. The 90-degree temperatures and high humidity didn't seem to bother the Ankeny Centennial girls' team, though. The top-ranked Jaguars easily won the team title on the Iowa State course with 57 points, finishing 23 points ahead of No. 2 Waukee … [Read more...] about ‘Our girls came prepared’: Jaguars win title in heat, while Ankeny boys place 3rd

Centennial’s Alvarez, Ankeny’s Brown race to victories at Jaguar Early Bird Invite

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Jax Alvarez of Ankeny Centennial and Gus Brown of Ankeny didn't put much pressure on themselves heading into Tuesday's season-opening cross country meet. The duo responded with a pair of boys' victories in the Jaguar Early Bird Invitational at DMACC. Alvarez, a senior, pulled away from the field to win the 11/12 race in a time of 15 minutes 53 seconds. … [Read more...] about Centennial’s Alvarez, Ankeny’s Brown race to victories at Jaguar Early Bird Invite

‘Our goals remain the same’: Hawks have high aspirations despite young squad

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For the second year in a row, the Ankeny boys' cross country team will have to rebuild after losing its top runner to graduation. Isaiah Smith qualified for last year's Class 4A state meet as an individual and placed 27th in a time of 16:01.5. He was a four-time state qualifier who earned a spot on the awards podium as a sophomore in 2023, when he took … [Read more...] about ‘Our goals remain the same’: Hawks have high aspirations despite young squad

Hawkettes, Jaguars close out epic Drake Relays with huge day on historic blue oval

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It seems only appropriate that both the Ankeny and Ankeny Centennial track teams were involved in the final girls' high school event at this year's Drake Relays. The Hawkettes and Jaguars had been lighting up the blue oval all weekend. Ankeny closed out a spectacular three-day meet by placing second in the 4x400 relay on Saturday. The foursome of … [Read more...] about Hawkettes, Jaguars close out epic Drake Relays with huge day on historic blue oval

Centennial’s Cogdill, Fickbohm named Class 4A at-large XC coaches of the year

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Ankeny Centennial cross country coaches Eric Cogdill and Chad Fickbohm have been named Class 4A at-large coaches of the year by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches. The IATC announced the awards following its fall meeting on Sunday. This is the seventh time that Cogdill has been honored. He guided the Centennial girls' team to a fifth-place finish in … [Read more...] about Centennial’s Cogdill, Fickbohm named Class 4A at-large XC coaches of the year

Ankeny’s Madetzke, Smith overcome adversity to finish careers at state meet

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Ankeny seniors Makenna Madetzke and Isaiah Smith closed out their high school cross country careers on Saturday in similar fashion. They both competed in the Class 4A state meet at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge as individuals after their respective teams failed to qualify. "It was a little different, but I train a lot alone in the winter time," … [Read more...] about Ankeny’s Madetzke, Smith overcome adversity to finish careers at state meet

Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Isaiah Smith, Ankeny boys’ cross country

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Ankeny senior Isaiah Smith has qualified for Saturday's state cross country meet in Fort Dodge. He placed fourth in a boys' Class 4A district meet on Wednesday at Marshalltown with a time of 16 minutes 2 seconds. Smith is a four-time state qualifier who placed 65th in Class 4A as a freshman, took 15th as a sophomore and then finished 37th in 2024. He … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Isaiah Smith, Ankeny boys’ cross country

Smith, Madetzke advance to state, but qualifying streak ends for Ankeny squads

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Ankeny cross country standout Isaiah Smith has earned a fourth consecutive trip to the boys' Class 4A state meet. Another senior, Makenna Madetzke, has qualified for the third time in the girls' race. This year, though, their respective teams will not be joining them. "It's really sad and kind of tragic to not have the team behind me," said … [Read more...] about Smith, Madetzke advance to state, but qualifying streak ends for Ankeny squads

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

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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

Centennial boys place 4th, Hawks take 12th in state meet preview at Fort Dodge

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Thursday's Fort Dodge Invitational offered a little bit of a preview of next month's state cross country meet, which will also be held at Lakeside Golf Course. Both the Ankeny Centennial and Ankeny boys' teams are hoping to be back in Fort Dodge on Nov. 1. And Thursday's meet was another step forward in potentially meeting that goal. The eighth-ranked … [Read more...] about Centennial boys place 4th, Hawks take 12th in state meet preview at Fort Dodge

Smith returns to lineup, helps Hawks to 6th-place finish at Steve Johnson Invite

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The return of Isaiah Smith to the lineup provided a huge boost for the Ankeny boys' cross country team on Saturday. Smith placed 24th in the Steve Johnson Invitational at Waverly to lead the Hawks to a sixth-place finish in the 35-team field. He posted a time of 16 minutes 36 seconds in the 5K race. Smith had been sidelined due to an injury since he … [Read more...] about Smith returns to lineup, helps Hawks to 6th-place finish at Steve Johnson Invite

‘It was another good competitive effort’: Jaguar boys take 5th at Heartland Classic

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The fifth-ranked Ankeny Centennial boys' cross country team earned a fifth-place finish in the Heartland Classic on Saturday at Central College in Pella. The Jaguars scored 179 points. Ankeny, meanwhile, took 13th in the 24-team field with 327 points. "It was another good competitive effort from the guys," said Centennial coach Chad Fickbohm. "It was … [Read more...] about ‘It was another good competitive effort’: Jaguar boys take 5th at Heartland Classic

Centennial boys, Ankeny teams turn in strong races at ‘competitive’ Bobcat Invite

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A total of 40 boys' and girls' cross country teams competed in the Bobcat Invitational on Thursday at Marshalltown Community College, including both Ankeny squads and the Ankeny Centennial boys' team. The fourth-ranked Jaguars placed fourth among 23 squads in the boys' division with 151 points. "It was another confidence-building race for us," … [Read more...] about Centennial boys, Ankeny teams turn in strong races at ‘competitive’ Bobcat Invite

No. 5 Jaguars nearly capture another title, place 2nd behind NW at Schmaltz Invite

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After being 17th in the Class 4A preseason rankings, the Ankeny Centennial boys' cross country team proved in its opening meet that the Jaguars were vastly underrated. Centennial moved up to No. 5 in the Week 2 rankings after winning the Jaguar Invitational on Aug. 26 for its first team title since 2020. Then, on Thursday, the Jaguars nearly picked up … [Read more...] about No. 5 Jaguars nearly capture another title, place 2nd behind NW at Schmaltz Invite

‘I think we will surprise a lot of people’: Hawks boast high hopes despite losses

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Ankeny boys' cross country coach Jon Lindaman has been in this situation before. Lindaman will have to replace two-time Class 4A state champion Ethan Zuber, who is now competing for Missouri. Zuber led the Hawks to an eighth-place finish a year ago after helping them to back-to-back third-place finishes in 2022-23. It won't be easy, but at least … [Read more...] about ‘I think we will surprise a lot of people’: Hawks boast high hopes despite losses

Iowa Association of Track Coaches’ preseason cross country rankings are out

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The preseason cross country rankings have been released by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches. Here is the complete top 20 for both the girls and boys in Class 4A: Girls 1. Johnston 2. Pleasant Valley 3. Waukee Northwest 4. Waukee 5. Iowa City High 6. Cedar Falls 7. Dubuque Senior 8. ANKENY 9. Valley 10. Dubuque … [Read more...] about Iowa Association of Track Coaches’ preseason cross country rankings are out

Missouri recruit Zuber repeats as Iowa’s Gatorade cross country runner of the year

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Two-time state champion Ethan Zuber of Ankeny has been named Iowa's Gatorade cross country runner of the year for the second straight season. The senior pulled away in the final half mile to defend his boys' Class 4A title on Nov. 1 at Fort Dodge. He posted a time of 15:01.2 in the 5K race. Zuber was part of the lead pack for the first two miles before … [Read more...] about Missouri recruit Zuber repeats as Iowa’s Gatorade cross country runner of the year

‘It’s the greatest feeling ever’: Zuber wins 2nd title, leads Hawks to 8th-place finish

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Ankeny's Ethan Zuber raised his arms in triumph as he crossed the finish line on Friday. The senior pulled away in the final half mile to defend his boys' Class 4A state cross country title at Fort Dodge. He posted a time of 15:01.2 in the 5K race. "It's the greatest feeling ever to come across with that win," said Zuber. "I'm very excited to see how … [Read more...] about ‘It’s the greatest feeling ever’: Zuber wins 2nd title, leads Hawks to 8th-place finish