Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

Football

Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Lio Aguirre, Ankeny boys’ basketball

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Senior guard Lio Aguirre has helped the Ankeny boys' basketball team to an 11-6 record, including an 8-5 mark in the CIML Conference. He is averaging 12.4 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds per game. Aguirre scored 10 points on Friday as the Hawks posted a 76-63 victory over eighth-ranked Ankeny Centennial, ending a three-game losing streak in the … [Read more...] about Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Lio Aguirre, Ankeny boys’ basketball

Bauer named Class 5A Coach of the Year by Iowa Football Coaches Association

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With only five returning starters, the Ankeny football team entered last season with some tempered expectations. Coach Jeff Bauer never believed them, though. Bauer guided the Hawks to a 9-4 record and a runner-up finish in Class 5A in his first season as head coach. Now, he has been named the Class 5A Coach of the Year by the Iowa Football Coaches … [Read more...] about Bauer named Class 5A Coach of the Year by Iowa Football Coaches Association

Six Ankeny players, four Centennial stars earn IPSWA all-state football honors

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Six Ankeny football players and four more from Ankeny Centennial have earned all-state honors from the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association. The teams were selected by the IPSWA in conjunction with the Iowa Football Coaches Association. Senior receiver Devon Akers, junior offensive lineman Lukis Beroth, senior linebacker Connor Kayser and senior … [Read more...] about Six Ankeny players, four Centennial stars earn IPSWA all-state football honors

‘There wasn’t anything about NIU that I didn’t like’: Akers commits to Huskies

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Ankeny wide receiver Devon Akers has verbally committed to play football at Northern Illinois. The 6-foot-6 Akers blossomed into one of the state's best deep-ball threats this season, catching 52 passes for 959 yards and eight touchdowns. He ranked second in Class 5A and 12th in the entire state in receiving yards. Akers helped Ankeny to a 9-4 record … [Read more...] about ‘There wasn’t anything about NIU that I didn’t like’: Akers commits to Huskies

Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Caden Henkes, Ankeny football

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Junior running back Caden Henkes accounted for 105 total yards and two touchdowns in the Ankeny football team's 49-21 loss to top-ranked Southeast Polk in the Class 5A championship game on Friday at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. He ran eight times for 28 yards, including an 8-yard score late in the third quarter, and also caught four passes for 77 … [Read more...] about Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Caden Henkes, Ankeny football

Hawks finish memorable postseason journey with 49-21 loss in 5A title game

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Ankeny couldn't have asked for a better start in Friday's Class 5A championship football game. Unfortunately, the Hawks needed a lot more than a 90-yard kickoff return from Evan Irlmeier to knock off mighty Southeast Polk at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. The top-ranked Rams got five touchdown runs from CJ Phillip, forced six Ankeny turnovers and rolled … [Read more...] about Hawks finish memorable postseason journey with 49-21 loss in 5A title game

Can Hawks dethrone S.E. Polk? Here is Fanatic’s prediction for Class 5A final

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If you missed this week's Ankeny Fanatic podcast sponsored by Coldwell Banker Mid-America, check it out. We broke down Friday night's Class 5A championship game with eight different guests, including both of Ankeny's coordinators, offensive tackle Lukis Beroth and defensive back Kinnick Vos. So will the Hawks capture their second title in four years and … [Read more...] about Can Hawks dethrone S.E. Polk? Here is Fanatic’s prediction for Class 5A final

Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Jacob Mohrfeld, Ankeny football

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Senior defensive back Jacob Mohrfeld made four tackles, blocked a field goal and intercepted a pass to help the Ankeny football team to a 10-7 victory over Ankeny Centennial in the Class 5A semifinals on Friday at the UNI-Dome. For the season, Mohrfeld has racked up 36.5 tackles for the 9-3 Hawks, including 28 solo stops. He has recorded six … [Read more...] about Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Jacob Mohrfeld, Ankeny football

‘THAT WAS A BATTLE’: Ankeny edges Jaguars again, earns shot to play for title

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Ankeny's Jacob Mohrfeld couldn't believe what had just happened at the UNI-Dome. "It doesn't feel real," Mohrfeld said. "I can't believe it, man. It's crazy." The senior defensive back blocked a field goal and had one of his team's three interceptions as the Hawks knocked off crosstown rival Ankeny Centennial, 10-7, in the Class 5A semifinals on Friday … [Read more...] about ‘THAT WAS A BATTLE’: Ankeny edges Jaguars again, earns shot to play for title

An analysis of the Jag-Hawk showdown in Class 5A semifinals at UNI-Dome

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For only the second time ever, the Ankeny and Ankeny Centennial football teams will meet in the playoffs. In 2016, the Jaguars posted a 34-24 victory in the opening round. This time, the stakes will be considerably higher. The crosstown rivals will collide under the bright lights of the UNI-Dome in the Class 5A semifinals on Friday. Kickoff is at 7 … [Read more...] about An analysis of the Jag-Hawk showdown in Class 5A semifinals at UNI-Dome

Ankeny Fanatic Podcast: Episode 239 (Part 2)

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In part two of the latest edition of the Ankeny Fanatic weekly podcast sponsored by Coldwell Banker Mid-America, publisher Dan Holm breaks down Friday's Jag-Hawk showdown in the Class 5A semifinals at the UNI-Dome with junior running back Braeden Jackson and senior defensive back Nate Christiansen of Ankeny Centennial and junior quarterback Luke Anderson and … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Podcast: Episode 239 (Part 2)

‘Our kids are just relentless’: Hawks stun No. 2 Dowling, earn trip to UNI-Dome

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(Story by Gabe Ploeger) The only thing standing in the way of Ankeny’s ticket to the Class 5A semifinals was the powerhouse of Dowling Catholic, which had handed the Hawks one of their three losses during the regular season. This time, however, David defeated Goliath in stunning fashion. No. 7 Ankeny pulled off a 14-7 upset on Friday at Williams … [Read more...] about ‘Our kids are just relentless’: Hawks stun No. 2 Dowling, earn trip to UNI-Dome

‘We were just mentally stronger’: Hawks oust Johnston, earn shot at No. 2 Dowling

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(Story by Gabe Ploeger) Late into the fourth quarter, in the moment where it mattered most, the Ankeny Hawks secured their ticket to the quarterfinals of the Class 5A football playoffs. With only 2 minutes to go, the Hawks held a 14-9 lead over visiting Johnston and had the ball at the Dragons' 32-yard line, but faced a crucial third down. All … [Read more...] about ‘We were just mentally stronger’: Hawks oust Johnston, earn shot at No. 2 Dowling

Rematch Friday: Hawks to host Johnston, while Jaguars travel to Waukee NW

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The pairings are set for the Class 5A football playoffs. Both Ankeny and Ankeny Centennial are slated to face familiar opponents. The seventh-ranked Hawks (6-3) will host No. 10 Johnston (5-4) on Friday at 7 p.m. It's a rematch of a game from Sept. 15 that Ankeny won, 16-10. The two teams also met in last year's playoffs. The Dragons posted a 23-13 … [Read more...] about Rematch Friday: Hawks to host Johnston, while Jaguars travel to Waukee NW

Hawks roll into playoffs with 49-19 win over C.R. Washington, improve to 6-3

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The Ankeny football team took care of business on Friday. The eighth-ranked Hawks not only rolled to a 49-19 victory over visiting Cedar Rapids Washington in their regular-season finale, but they jumped out to a big early lead that allowed coach Jeff Bauer to rest some of his starters for the Class 5A playoffs. "It was good to let some of the … [Read more...] about Hawks roll into playoffs with 49-19 win over C.R. Washington, improve to 6-3

‘We had some costly mistakes’: Ankeny falls at Valley on last-second field goal

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The Ankeny football team's four-game winning streak came to an end in stunning fashion on Friday night. A desperate Valley squad scored 10 points in the final 6 minutes 41 seconds and got a 31-yard field goal from Rico Alvarenga-Servellon as time expired to beat visiting Ankeny, 24-23, and keep its playoff hopes alive. "We did a lot of good things … [Read more...] about ‘We had some costly mistakes’: Ankeny falls at Valley on last-second field goal