Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

Summer

Blimpie Sub of the Week: Lucas Juhl, Ankeny baseball

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Senior third baseman Lucas Juhl is a member of the second-ranked Ankeny baseball team. He has helped the Hawks to an 18-8 record. Juhl has played in 23 of the 26 games with 15 starts. He will play for Simpson College next year. "Lucas always has a team-focused approach," said Ankeny coach Joe Balvanz. "He knows that his role as a defensive specialist … [Read more...] about Blimpie Sub of the Week: Lucas Juhl, Ankeny baseball

‘That was a big-time comeback’: 5-run 7th inning allows Hawks to salvage split

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The Ankeny baseball team appeared to be on its way to a doubleheader loss on Monday that would have stifled the Hawks' momentum heading into postseason play. Visiting Valley was three outs away from completing a sweep before second-ranked Ankeny rallied for five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to post a dramatic 7-6 victory. "That was a … [Read more...] about ‘That was a big-time comeback’: 5-run 7th inning allows Hawks to salvage split

‘I trust my defense’: Billings hurls 3-hitter as Hawkettes earn split against Valley

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If Ankeny softball coach Dave Bingham was still undecided about his pitching plans for the postseason, Monday's doubleheader against defending Class 5A state champion Valley may have helped him come to a decision. Sophomore Ashtyn Billings tossed a three-hitter in the nightcap as the 15th-ranked Hawkettes salvaged a split of the twinbill with a 1-0 … [Read more...] about ‘I trust my defense’: Billings hurls 3-hitter as Hawkettes earn split against Valley

Billings wins twice as Hawkettes sweep North to raise their record to 18-9

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The Ankeny softball team picked up a pair of victories on Friday--and so did sophomore pitcher Ashtyn Billings. Billings earned the win in both games as 15th-ranked Ankeny swept a doubleheader at Des Moines North. The Hawkettes posted a 15-0 victory in three innings in the opener, then completed the sweep with a 13-0 win in five innings. Billings (9-5) … [Read more...] about Billings wins twice as Hawkettes sweep North to raise their record to 18-9

Hawks take care of business, roll to pair of 5-inning victories at North

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Ankeny baseball coach Joe Balvanz was hoping that his players could take care of business quickly on Friday. Mission accomplished. The third-ranked Hawks traveled to Des Moines North for an afternoon doubleheader and came away with a pair of five-inning victories, 14-0 and 14-1. They improved to 17-7 on the season, while the Polar Bears' record dropped … [Read more...] about Hawks take care of business, roll to pair of 5-inning victories at North

Overturf hits Ankeny’s 21st homer in 25 games, leads Hawkettes past Ballard

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Many high school softball teams are fortunate to have one or two players who can hit the ball out of the park. Ankeny is blessed with several power hitters. Gillian Overturf homered and drove in four runs to lead the 15th-ranked Hawkettes to a 5-1 victory over Ballard in a non-conference game on Thursday. "This was a really important night for us," … [Read more...] about Overturf hits Ankeny’s 21st homer in 25 games, leads Hawkettes past Ballard

Hawks build some momentum for postseason with sweep over S.E. Polk

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The Ankeny baseball players had several reasons to be motivated on Wednesday. For someone like Bryce Rinderknecht, it might have been his final opportunity to take the mound for the Hawks. He didn't want to let it go to waste. For others such as Brody Brecht, a chance for some revenge against Southeast Polk was a huge motivating factor. Brecht went … [Read more...] about Hawks build some momentum for postseason with sweep over S.E. Polk

Hawkettes sweep S.E. Polk with pair of dramatic walk-off victories

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If the Ankeny softball team hopes to reach the Class 5A state tournament, the Hawkettes may have to find some different ways to win a couple of regional games. The 15th-ranked Hawkettes proved on Wednesday that they might be able to do that. And Ankeny even defeated one of the teams, Southeast Polk, that it will have to beat in order to advance to Fort … [Read more...] about Hawkettes sweep S.E. Polk with pair of dramatic walk-off victories

Rumley hits her 37th career home run to break Lindaman’s Ankeny record

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Ankeny's Jasmine Rumley has already set a bunch of records in the swimming pool. She's been a record-breaker on the softball field, too. The senior third baseman hit her 37th career home run on Tuesday during the Hawkettes' doubleheader split at Dowling Catholic. She broke the Ankeny career mark of 36 homers that was set by Kendyl Lindaman in … [Read more...] about Rumley hits her 37th career home run to break Lindaman’s Ankeny record

No. 3 Hawks split with No. 1 Dowling in potential substate final preview

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(UPDATE: The rest of Dowling Catholic's season has been cancelled after one of its players tested positive for COVID-19.) Tuesday's baseball doubleheader at Dowling Catholic provided a unique opportunity for both the top-ranked Maroons and No. 3 Ankeny to get a glimpse of their potential opponent in a Class 4A substate final. Both squads have been … [Read more...] about No. 3 Hawks split with No. 1 Dowling in potential substate final preview

Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Kailey Becker, Ankeny softball

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Senior second baseman Kailey Becker has helped the 15th-ranked Ankeny softball team to a 12-8 record. She is batting .279 with one triple, two doubles and 14 RBIs on the season. Becker went 2-for-4 and drove in four runs to lead Ankeny to an 11-8 victory over No. 5 Ankeny Centennial in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday. She was 2-for-2 with … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Kailey Becker, Ankeny softball

BUBBLE BURSTERS: Hawkettes hold off Urbandale to complete twinbill sweep

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The Ankeny softball team was three outs away from recording back-to-back shutouts in a doubleheader on Thursday at Urbandale. The 15th-ranked Hawkettes took a 6-0 lead into the seventh inning of the nightcap after winning the opener, 10-0, in five innings. Pitcher Ashtyn Billings cruised through the first six innings before running into trouble in the … [Read more...] about BUBBLE BURSTERS: Hawkettes hold off Urbandale to complete twinbill sweep

Fulk fans 8, hits 3 doubles in Hawks’ 12-2 victory over No. 3 Urbandale

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Ankeny's Weston Fulk relied on his left arm to shut down the Urbandale baseball team on Thursday. The junior's bat was pretty productive, too. Fulk racked up eight strikeouts over the first five innings and also went 4-for-4 at the plate with three doubles and three RBIs to lead the fifth-ranked Hawks to a 12-2 victory in six innings in the first game … [Read more...] about Fulk fans 8, hits 3 doubles in Hawks’ 12-2 victory over No. 3 Urbandale

Hawkettes, Jaguars placed in different softball regionals in Class 5A

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If there's another meeting between the Ankeny and Ankeny Centennial softball teams, it will have to come at the state tournament in Fort Dodge. The fifth-ranked Jaguars and No. 15 Hawkettes have been placed in different regionals by the Iowa Girls' High School Athletic Union. The postseason pairings were announced on Thursday. Centennial (15-5) is the … [Read more...] about Hawkettes, Jaguars placed in different softball regionals in Class 5A

‘The guys played at a high level’: Ankeny sweeps Jaguars behind pitching gems

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The Ankeny baseball team brought all of its pitching arms to Principal Park on Wednesday. That spelled trouble for the Hawks' crosstown rival. Fifth-ranked Ankeny got a pair of pitching gems from Bryce Rinderknecht and Brody Brecht to sweep a doubleheader against No. 10 Ankeny Centennial, 4-1 and 2-1. The Hawks gained some much-needed revenge after … [Read more...] about ‘The guys played at a high level’: Ankeny sweeps Jaguars behind pitching gems

Hawks sweep rival at Principal Park; Centennial salvages split in softball

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Nobody had to remind Brody Brecht what happened last year when his Ankeny baseball team played crosstown rival Ankeny Centennial. Brecht allowed just two hits over six scoreless innings and had 13 strikeouts to lead the fifth-ranked Hawks past No. 10 Centennial, 2-1, in the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader at Principal Park. Ankeny also won the … [Read more...] about Hawks sweep rival at Principal Park; Centennial salvages split in softball

Boyd’s blast, Bauer’s walk-off single allow Hawks to split with No. 2 Johnston

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Anytime a pitcher gets ahead in the count, it becomes increasingly difficult for the batter to get a hit. Ankeny's Jase Bauer and Cael Boyd proved on Monday that it's not always the case. Bauer hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning--on a no-ball, two-strike pitch--to give the fifth-ranked Ankeny baseball team a 5-4 victory over No. 2 … [Read more...] about Boyd’s blast, Bauer’s walk-off single allow Hawks to split with No. 2 Johnston

‘It’s a karma thing’: Hawkettes drop both ends of twinbill against No. 3 Johnston

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After moving into the Class 5A rankings for the first time, the Ankeny softball team has yet to win a game. The 15th-ranked Hawkettes lost both ends of a doubleheader on Monday against visiting Johnston, the No. 3 team in Class 5A. The Dragons posted a 7-5 victory in eight innings in the opener, then rallied from a 5-2 deficit to complete the sweep with a … [Read more...] about ‘It’s a karma thing’: Hawkettes drop both ends of twinbill against No. 3 Johnston

Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Mo Watson, Ankeny baseball

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Senior catcher Mo Watson has helped the second-ranked Ankeny baseball team to an 8-4 record. He is batting .344 with three doubles, one triple and nine RBIs. Watson was also a standout last fall on the football field, where the linebacker made 53 tackles while helping the Hawks reach the Class 4A quarterfinals. He was an all-district second-team pick for … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Mo Watson, Ankeny baseball