Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

Winter

Jaguars crown 3 individual champs, take 2nd overall at Keith Young Invitational

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Even with a depleted lineup, the Ankeny Centennial wrestlers earned runner-up honors in the Keith Young Invitational on Saturday at Cedar Falls. The Jaguars scored 177 points in the 16-team tournament. Dubuque Hempstead captured the crown with 184.5 points. "Our guys wrestled much better than they did on Thursday (against Waukee)," said Centennial … [Read more...] about Jaguars crown 3 individual champs, take 2nd overall at Keith Young Invitational

‘We knew it was going to be tough’: Hawk wrestlers place 14th at Donnybrook

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Ankeny wrestling coach Jack Wignall has a predicament on his hands. The Hawks' top two finishers in the Dan Gable Donnybrook on Friday and Saturday at Xtream Arena in Coralville were Ben Walsh and Isaac Wignall, who both competed at 106 pounds.  "It does create a dilemma," said Wignall. "You have two kids that are that good at the same weight. At … [Read more...] about ‘We knew it was going to be tough’: Hawk wrestlers place 14th at Donnybrook

Hawks crank up defensive pressure, knock off Johnston for road triumph

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After giving up 83 points three nights earlier, the Ankeny boys' basketball team cranked up the defensive pressure on Friday. The Hawks held host Johnston to 3-of-20 shooting from 3-point range (15.0 percent) and posted a 51-45 victory in a CIML Conference game. Both teams are now 1-1 in the league and overall. "It felt good to get a win to start the … [Read more...] about Hawks crank up defensive pressure, knock off Johnston for road triumph

No. 1 Johnston girls build 25-point halftime lead in victory over Hawkettes

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The gap between top-ranked Johnston and the rest of the girls' basketball teams in Class 5A appears to be pretty sizable. The host Dragons raced out to a 42-17 halftime lead and rolled to a 70-49 victory over No. 8 Ankeny in a CIML Conference game on Friday. They improved to 2-0 in the league and 3-0 overall, while the Hawkettes' records dropped to 0-2 … [Read more...] about No. 1 Johnston girls build 25-point halftime lead in victory over Hawkettes

Ankeny bowling teams fall to Johnston in first-ever meet at B-Roll Bowling

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The Ankeny bowling teams were hoping to make a smashing debut in their first-ever meet at B-Roll Bowling. But visiting Johnston had other ideas. The Dragons swept Ankeny in a season-opening CIML Conference dual meet on Thursday. They won the boys' meet by a score of 2,315 to 2,303 and the girls' meet by a score of 1,973 to 1,844. The Johnston … [Read more...] about Ankeny bowling teams fall to Johnston in first-ever meet at B-Roll Bowling

‘We got the job done’: Jags top Waukee, but aren’t satisfied with performance

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A moral victory is defined as a defeat that can be interpreted as a victory on moral terms, because the defeated team exceeded its expectations. The Ankeny Centennial wrestling team may have experienced the opposite of a moral victory on Thursday, when the Jaguars posted a 39-24 win over a visiting Waukee squad that they defeated a year ago by 66 … [Read more...] about ‘We got the job done’: Jags top Waukee, but aren’t satisfied with performance

‘I’m proud of my guys’: Ankeny swimmers win 3 events in loss to powerful Waukee

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The Ankeny boys' swimming team proved on Thursday that it could compete with three-time defending state champion Waukee. Even though the Warriors posted a 105-65 victory in the CIML Conference dual meet, Ankeny won three events and should have won another at Trail Point Aquatics Center. "Obviously, it’s a tough way to start the dual season against the … [Read more...] about ‘I’m proud of my guys’: Ankeny swimmers win 3 events in loss to powerful Waukee

Dowling wrestlers overcome 21-point deficit to tie Hawks, then win on criteria

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With four matches left in Thursday's CIML Conference dual meet at Dowling Catholic, the Ankeny wrestling team held a 16-point lead and appeared to be on its way to a season-opening victory. Then things suddenly went awry. Dowling reeled off four straight triumphs, Ankeny was penalized a team point along the way for unsportsmanlike conduct, and that … [Read more...] about Dowling wrestlers overcome 21-point deficit to tie Hawks, then win on criteria

Hawks drop opener at Waukee despite Johnson’s career-high 35 points

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Carson Johnson is poised to have a big senior season for the Ankeny boys' basketball team. Whether or not that translates into a huge campaign for the Hawks remains to be seen. Johnson poured in a career-high 35 points on Tuesday, but it wasn't enough as Ankeny dropped an 83-73 decision at Waukee in a CIML Conference game. It was the season opener for … [Read more...] about Hawks drop opener at Waukee despite Johnson’s career-high 35 points

Centennial wrestlers romp to wins over Albia, West Marshall to open season

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Ankeny Centennial wrestling coach Jay Groth isn't sure what the Jaguars' best lineup will be just yet. But the one that he put on the mat Tuesday night looked pretty good. Centennial opened the season with a pair of lopsided victories in a double dual meet. The host Jaguars posted a 58-16 win over Albia, then rolled to a 72-6 triumph over West … [Read more...] about Centennial wrestlers romp to wins over Albia, West Marshall to open season

‘It’s a testament to our girls’: Hawkettes’ furious rally falls short at No. 8 Waukee

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A furious rally by the Ankeny girls' basketball team came up short in its CIML Conference opener on Tuesday at Waukee. The 13th-ranked Hawkettes nearly overcame an 18-point deficit in the second half before No. 8 Waukee held on for a 62-57 victory. "I just wanted our girls to have a shot at the end, and I felt like they did," said Ankeny coach Nate … [Read more...] about ‘It’s a testament to our girls’: Hawkettes’ furious rally falls short at No. 8 Waukee

Ankeny bowling teams to begin season under new coach at new home venue

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The Ankeny bowling teams will open their season on Thursday by hosting a CIML Conference dual meet against Johnston at B-Roll Bowling, which is now the home venue for both programs. Ankeny also has a new head coach in Nick Payton, who took over the programs following the departure of Lane Richtsmeier after four seasons. "The bowlers have been excited … [Read more...] about Ankeny bowling teams to begin season under new coach at new home venue

Ankeny wrestlers look to reload after graduating 4 state placewinners

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The Ankeny wrestling team suffered some heavy losses to graduation last spring, forcing coach Jack Wignall to fill some holes in the Hawks' lineup. Five of the squad's nine state qualifiers and four of the six placewinners will have to be replaced. "We did lose a talented group of seniors," said Wignall. "They won a lot of matches and scored … [Read more...] about Ankeny wrestlers look to reload after graduating 4 state placewinners

Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Jayla Williams, Ankeny girls’ basketball

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Sophomore guard Jayla Williams has helped the 13th-ranked Ankeny girls' basketball team to a 2-0 start. Williams scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds in the Hawkettes' 60-55 overtime victory against No. 6 Cedar Falls on Tuesday at Ankeny. She is averaging 22.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals per game. Here is some inside info on … [Read more...] about Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Jayla Williams, Ankeny girls’ basketball

Senior trio of Aguirre, Johnson, Schoolen to lead way for Ankeny boys’ squad

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Even though the Ankeny boys' basketball team struggled to a 9-15 record last year, head coach Brandt Carlson didn't view it as a disappointing season. "I guess if we view every season through the lens of wins and losses, then last year wasn't ideal," he said. "But I believe that last year our players moved our program forward and handled a lot of … [Read more...] about Senior trio of Aguirre, Johnson, Schoolen to lead way for Ankeny boys’ squad

The Karsen Jacks Show: Senior scores career-high 30 points in Ankeny’s OT win

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The girls' basketball matchup between 13th-ranked Ankeny and No. 6 Cedar Falls was expected to feature three of the state's top 50 players, according to The Des Moines Register. Instead, Tuesday's game turned into The Karsen Jacks Show. The senior guard scored 23 of her career-high 30 points after halftime and the host Hawkettes rallied from a 13-point … [Read more...] about The Karsen Jacks Show: Senior scores career-high 30 points in Ankeny’s OT win

Ankeny swimmers place 3rd at Sprint Invitational behind Waukee, Valley

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Tuesday's Sprint Invitational at Trail Point Aquatics Center gave the Ankeny boys' swimming team a huge test right off the bat. The six-team meet featured three of the top four finishers from last year's state meet. "It was a great start to the season!" said Ankeny coach Dustin Rhoads. "It was cool to see the stands packed with fans to see a lot of the … [Read more...] about Ankeny swimmers place 3rd at Sprint Invitational behind Waukee, Valley