Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

Fall

HAIL TO THE VICTORS!

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The trophy case at Ankeny High School might be getting a little crowded. For the third time since March, Ankeny came away with a state championship trophy on Friday night--this time courtesy of the football team. The second-ranked Hawks rolled to a 42-14 victory over No. 1 Southeast Polk in the Class 4A title game at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. It's … [Read more...] about HAIL TO THE VICTORS!

Unstoppable force vs. Immovable object? Here is Fanatic’s prediction

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Well, my predictions for last week's Class 4A semifinals were right on the mark, so I'm going to tempt fate and try to make another good call. So here we go. Here's my analysis of Friday's state championship game at the UNI-Dome: Southeast Polk (10-0) vs. Ankeny (10-1): This is the matchup that many people have wanted to see all season long, because … [Read more...] about Unstoppable force vs. Immovable object? Here is Fanatic’s prediction

‘I grew up with all of those kids’: Ankeny’s Cox to face former classmates in 4A final

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Keeping his emotions in check will be a challenge for Ankeny defensive back Cooper Cox during Friday's Class 4A championship game. Cox attended the Southeast Polk school district before moving to Ankeny prior to his freshman year. "I grew up with all of those kids," Cox said. "I remember playing football with all of them when I was in fourth, fifth and … [Read more...] about ‘I grew up with all of those kids’: Ankeny’s Cox to face former classmates in 4A final

Ankeny volleyball star Schrader named state’s player of the year by IGCA

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2020 has been the year of COVID-19. It has also been the year of Phyona Schrader. The senior setter led the Ankeny volleyball team to the Class 5A state championship earlier this month. She was selected the captain of the all-tournament team. Now, Schrader has received more honors from the Iowa Girls' Coaches Association. She was named to the Elite … [Read more...] about Ankeny volleyball star Schrader named state’s player of the year by IGCA

Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Arland Bruce IV, Ankeny football

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Senior Arland Bruce IV has played a huge role in helping the Ankeny football team advance to the Class 4A championship game. On Friday, he accounted for 133 total yards and also sealed the victory with an interception in the second overtime as the Hawks dethroned seven-time defending state champion Dowling Catholic, 31-24, in the semifinals at the … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Arland Bruce IV, Ankeny football

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

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