Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

Spring

‘Every player in the lineup stepped up’: Jaguars avenge April loss to Ankeny girls

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Ankeny Centennial girls' tennis coach Alli Gustafson wanted her players to commit to every point during Thursday's meet against crosstown rival Ankeny. The Jaguars took their coach's message to heart. Centennial turned in a dominating performance at the Prairie Ridge courts, sweeping all 11 matches to post an 11-0 victory over the Hawkettes. The win … [Read more...] about ‘Every player in the lineup stepped up’: Jaguars avenge April loss to Ankeny girls

Ankeny girls’ 11-0 loss at Valley ‘gave us a lot of little wins’ in fall season opener

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The schedule didn't allow the Ankeny girls' tennis team to ease into its first fall season. The Hawkettes traveled to Valley on Tuesday to face one of the state's top teams. The Tigers had already defeated their first three opponents by a combined 26-3 margin. The task proved to be as difficult as expected. Valley posted an 11-0 victory in the CIML … [Read more...] about Ankeny girls’ 11-0 loss at Valley ‘gave us a lot of little wins’ in fall season opener

‘We want to compete hard every match’: Hawkettes begin new era under Owens

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The Ankeny girls' tennis team hasn't skipped a beat under new head coach Katie Owens. Owens previously coached the program from 2014-20 before taking some time off to raise her family. "I’m really enjoying being back in the coaching role," said Owens. "It’s been refreshing to work with this group--they’ve shown a lot of enthusiasm and hard work, and … [Read more...] about ‘We want to compete hard every match’: Hawkettes begin new era under Owens

Ankeny girls earn all-American honors in SMR at Nike Track & Field National meet

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The Ankeny quartet of Charlee Cibula, Lillian Buckley, Morgan Fisher and Makenna Madetzke earned all-American honors this week at the Nike Track & Field National meet. The four runners teamed up for a fourth-place finish in the sprint medley relay, which is the equivalent to the distance medley relay in Iowa. They posted a time of 4:04.23. The same … [Read more...] about Ankeny girls earn all-American honors in SMR at Nike Track & Field National meet

Former Ankeny girls’ tennis coach Owens returns to take over Hawkettes’ program

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The new head coach of the Ankeny girls' tennis team already knows her way around the Prairie Ridge tennis courts. Katie Owens has been hired to replace Steve Smith, who stepped down at the end of the season. She previously coached the Hawkettes from 2014-20, although her final year was interrupted by COVID-19. "I'm back," said Owens. "I'm so … [Read more...] about Former Ankeny girls’ tennis coach Owens returns to take over Hawkettes’ program

Benge earns all-state honors in Class 4A along with Duax, Gloviak, Wahlberg

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Ankeny boys' soccer standout Landon Benge has been named to the Class 4A all-state first team for the second straight year by the Iowa High School Soccer Coaches Association. Benge, a senior forward, was joined on the first team by teammate Dylan Gloviak, a senior defender. Junior forward Tate Duax of Ankeny Centennial was also a first-team pick, while … [Read more...] about Benge earns all-state honors in Class 4A along with Duax, Gloviak, Wahlberg

Ankeny seniors Benge, Gloviak named to Class 4A all-tournament team

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Ankeny seniors Landon Benge and Dylan Gloviak were both named to the Class 4A all-tournament team after leading the Hawks to the semifinals for the first time since 2018. Benge scored a pair of goals in Ankeny's 3-1 win over second-ranked Des Moines Roosevelt in the quarterfinals on June 2 at Mediacom Stadium. He finished the season with 27 goals, which … [Read more...] about Ankeny seniors Benge, Gloviak named to Class 4A all-tournament team

Balashaitis, Martin, Macke, Paoli selected to Class 3A all-state first team by IGCA

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Girls' soccer standouts Maddison Balashaitis and Ava Martin of Ankeny Centennial have been named to the Class 3A all-state first team by the Iowa Girls' Coaches Association for the second straight year. Ankeny star Alli Macke was also a repeat selection. She was joined on the squad by teammate Ava Paoli. Balashaitis, a senior defender, helped the … [Read more...] about Balashaitis, Martin, Macke, Paoli selected to Class 3A all-state first team by IGCA

‘Nobody thought we’d be here’: Hawks end season with semifinal loss to Valley

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Ankeny senior Landon Benge stood on the field at Mediacom Stadium, his future home as a member of the Drake men's soccer team. His brilliant high school career had just ended a few minutes earlier, short of his ultimate goal. "I am so proud of this team," Benge said as he hugged his teammates after eighth-ranked Ankeny fell to No. 1 Valley, 1-0, in a … [Read more...] about ‘Nobody thought we’d be here’: Hawks end season with semifinal loss to Valley

‘I feel so bad for the girls’: Hawkettes fall to Waukee in PKs in Brown’s final game

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This wasn't the way that Simon Brown wanted to close out his Ankeny girls' soccer coaching tenure. As bad as he felt for himself though, Brown felt even worse for his players. The fifth-ranked Hawkettes lost to No. 4 Waukee, 2-1, in a shootout in a Class 3A quarterfinal on Tuesday at the rain-soaked Lied Recreation Fields in Ames. They finished their … [Read more...] about ‘I feel so bad for the girls’: Hawkettes fall to Waukee in PKs in Brown’s final game

‘They deserved it’: Hawks oust Roosevelt, will play No. 1 Valley in Class 4A semifinals

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) For the first time since the 2018 season, the Ankeny boys' soccer team is heading to the state tournament semifinals. The eighth-ranked Hawks got a pair of goals from senior Landon Benge and another from junior Cal Wahlberg to post a 3-1 victory over No. 2 Des Moines Roosevelt in a Class 4A quarterfinal on Monday at Mediacom … [Read more...] about ‘They deserved it’: Hawks oust Roosevelt, will play No. 1 Valley in Class 4A semifinals

Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Cal Wahlberg, Ankeny boys’ soccer

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Junior midfielder Cal Wahlberg scored the golden goal in overtime to give the eighth-ranked Ankeny boys' soccer team a 3-2 victory over No. 10 Des Moines Lincoln in a Class 4A substate final on Thursday at Ankeny. It was his seventh goal of the season. Wahlberg has helped Ankeny to an 11-5-2 record and a second consecutive trip to the state tournament. … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Cal Wahlberg, Ankeny boys’ soccer

‘It was the perfect way to end our careers’: Ankeny star goes out in style with father

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It was a storybook ending for Ankeny tennis standout Kira Smith. The top-seeded senior posted a 6-1, 6-2 victory over No. 2 Sescie Haan of Clinton to capture the Class 2A singles title at the girls' state tournament on Saturday in Iowa City. She missed her high school graduation to become the city of Ankeny's first-ever state tennis champion. "I can’t … [Read more...] about ‘It was the perfect way to end our careers’: Ankeny star goes out in style with father

ONE OF A KIND: Smith becomes city of Ankeny’s first-ever state tennis champion

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The drought is over. Ankeny finally has a state tennis champion. Top-seeded Kira Smith posted a 6-1, 6-2 victory over No. 2 Sescie Haan of Clinton to capture the Class 2A singles title on Saturday afternoon at Iowa City. She rolled through the two-day tournament without losing a set. Ankeny Centennial's Samara Peterson, meanwhile, finished in eighth … [Read more...] about ONE OF A KIND: Smith becomes city of Ankeny’s first-ever state tennis champion

Smith tops Holland, will play Clinton’s Haan for Class 2A singles championship

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Kira Smith is one win away from becoming the city of Ankeny's first-ever state tennis champion. The top-seeded Ankeny senior posted a 6-3, 6-3 victory over No. 4 Lily Holland of Cedar Rapids Jefferson in the semifinals of the Class 2A singles division at the girls' state tournament on Saturday morning at Iowa City. She will play for the title this … [Read more...] about Smith tops Holland, will play Clinton’s Haan for Class 2A singles championship

‘We just needed a little luck’: Hawkettes earn another trip to state on Macke’s goal

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For much of Friday's game against visiting Cedar Falls, the ball didn't bounce right for the Ankeny girls' soccer team. The fifth-ranked Hawkettes struggled to find the net in a Class 3A regional final, and the chances of going to overtime grew more and more likely as the minutes ticked off the clock in the second half. "I was definitely worried," said … [Read more...] about ‘We just needed a little luck’: Hawkettes earn another trip to state on Macke’s goal