A trip to the Class 4A state tournament is only 32 minutes away for the Ankeny and Ankeny Centennial boys' basketball teams. The top-ranked Jaguars (22-1) will meet CIML Central Conference rival Johnston (15-7) in a substate final on Tuesday at Southeast Polk, while the Hawks (17-5) will face Sioux City East (17-4) at Fort Dodge. Both games begin at 7 … [Read more...] about Centennial, Ankeny boys to play for state tournament berths on Tuesday
Jaguars
Burns named to all-conference 1st team; Runchey, Pitz earn 2nd-team honors
Ankeny Centennial standout Meg Burns has been unanimously selected to the CIML Central Conference first team by a vote of the league's girls' basketball coaches. She led the Jaguars to a 13-10 record this season. Burns, a senior guard, averaged a team-high 12.2 points per game and shot 48.4 percent from 3-point range, making 61-of-126 attempts. The … [Read more...] about Burns named to all-conference 1st team; Runchey, Pitz earn 2nd-team honors
Kelling, No. 1 Centennial boys roll past Roughriders in postseason opener
Ankeny Centennial's Preston Kelling drove to the basket on Friday with a Des Moines Roosevelt defender right at his side. Kelling then rose up and threw down a monster dunk late in the first half of a Class 4A boys' basketball substate semifinal at Centennial. "I was feeling it at the time," Kelling said. "I was feeling good. It was just in the … [Read more...] about Kelling, No. 1 Centennial boys roll past Roughriders in postseason opener
Jaguars, Hawks open substate play at home against familiar opponents
The road to the state tournament begins on Friday night for both the Ankeny and Ankeny Centennial boys' basketball teams. The top-ranked Jaguars (21-1) will host Des Moines Roosevelt (7-14) in a Class 4A Substate 6 semifinal, while the Hawks (16-5) will host Fort Dodge (3-19) in a Substate 1 semifinal. Both games begin at 7 p.m. Centennial enters the … [Read more...] about Jaguars, Hawks open substate play at home against familiar opponents
‘A dream come true’: Ankeny bowlers earn highest finish in school history
Ankeny boys' bowling coach Lane Richtsmeier could hardly contain his excitement while watching his team compete in the Class 3A state tournament on Wednesday at Cadillac Lanes in Waterloo. He wasn't even concerned about the Hawks' scores. "This was a dream come true today, not just for me but for the boys as well," said Richtsmeier. "Going into today, … [Read more...] about ‘A dream come true’: Ankeny bowlers earn highest finish in school history
VIDEO: Hawk bowlers earn 5th-place finish at state
Ankeny Fanatic Podcast: Episode 84
Check out the latest edition of the Ankeny Fanatic weekly podcast sponsored by the Ankeny office of Iowa Realty. Ankeny boys' swimming coach Justin Crouch and four-time state champion Trent Frandson stopped by to discuss the Hawks' runner-up finish in the state meet with Ankeny Fanatic publisher Dan Holm, who also recapped the state wrestling tournament with … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Podcast: Episode 84
‘I couldn’t be more prouder of our kids’: Jaguars fall short in regional final
As the players on the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team slowly trickled out of the locker room on Tuesday, the parents and fans of the Jaguars applauded for each of the girls. For Meg Burns and a few of her teammates, it marked the final time that they would wear the school's blue-and-silver uniforms. The 11th-ranked Jaguars closed out the … [Read more...] about ‘I couldn’t be more prouder of our kids’: Jaguars fall short in regional final
VIDEO: Jaguars close out season with 13-10 record
No. 5 Cedar Falls girls pull away in 2nd half to end Centennial’s season
The 11th-ranked Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team ended its season on Tuesday with a 51-41 loss at No. 5 Cedar Falls in a Class 5A regional final. The Tigers overcame a 17-16 halftime deficit to raise their record to 19-4. They will advance to next week's state tournament at Wells Fargo Arena. The loss ended a five-game winning streak for … [Read more...] about No. 5 Cedar Falls girls pull away in 2nd half to end Centennial’s season
Hawks earn all-state honors from Iowa High School Swim Coaches Association
The Ankeny boys' swimming team has received numerous all-state honors from the Iowa High School Swim Coaches Association after placing second in the state meet on Feb. 15 at Iowa City. Junior Trent Frandson was a first-team selection in both the 200 and 500 freestyle events. He defended his state titles in both of those events. Freshman Lance Swanepoel … [Read more...] about Hawks earn all-state honors from Iowa High School Swim Coaches Association
‘We don’t have a lot to lose’: Jaguars look to top No. 5 Cedar Falls for state berth
Playing on the road against a higher-ranked opponent isn't going to rattle the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team. The 11th-ranked Jaguars have been in this situation before. Centennial will travel to Cedar Falls on Tuesday for a Class 5A regional final against the No. 5 Tigers. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. The Jaguars will try to duplicate what they … [Read more...] about ‘We don’t have a lot to lose’: Jaguars look to top No. 5 Cedar Falls for state berth
Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Chris Winters, Ankeny boys’ bowling
Chris Winters helped the Ankeny boys' bowling team qualify for this week's Class 3A state tournament. The Hawks will compete against seven other teams on Wednesday at Cadillac Lanes in Waterloo. Winters has posted a 375.3 series average this season, which ranks third among the Hawks. He bowled a career-high total of 456 during a dual meet at Ottumwa on … [Read more...] about Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Chris Winters, Ankeny boys’ bowling
Jaguars shut down Indianola, advance to regional final at No. 5 Cedar Falls
The Indianola girls' basketball team entered Saturday's Class 5A regional semifinal at Ankeny Centennial on a five-game winning streak. The Indians had averaged 67.2 points per game during that stretch, but most of those wins came against smaller schools. While amassing a 16-6 record, Indianola had played only a handful of Class 5A opponents. And the … [Read more...] about Jaguars shut down Indianola, advance to regional final at No. 5 Cedar Falls
BLOODY GOOD: Ankeny’s Rathjen claims 2nd straight state wrestling crown
Ankeny junior Caleb Rathjen captured his second straight state wrestling title on Saturday night at Wells Fargo Arena, despite getting a bloody nose for the second year in a row. The top-ranked Rathjen rolled to a 17-6 major decision over No. 2 Dreyzon Phillips of Fort Dodge to win the Class 3A crown at 138 pounds. He finished the season with a 43-1 … [Read more...] about BLOODY GOOD: Ankeny’s Rathjen claims 2nd straight state wrestling crown
‘We saw the real Ben Monroe’: Centennial star closes career with 3rd-place finish
Ankeny Centennial's Ben Monroe closed out his illustrious high school wrestling career with one of his biggest victories. The fourth-ranked Monroe posted a 7-5 decision over No. 1 Deven Strief of North Scott to earn a third-place finish at 145 pounds in the Class 3A state tournament on Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena. He finished the season with a 40-3 … [Read more...] about ‘We saw the real Ben Monroe’: Centennial star closes career with 3rd-place finish
Jaguars romp past Lincoln, will take 21-1 record into postseason play
The top-ranked Ankeny Centennial boys' basketball team completed the best regular season in school history with a 79-54 victory over visiting Des Moines Lincoln on Friday. It was the 15th straight win for the Jaguars, who improved to 21-1 heading into postseason play. Lincoln's record dropped to 12-9. "I'm real proud of the guys," said Centennial coach … [Read more...] about Jaguars romp past Lincoln, will take 21-1 record into postseason play
Monroe rebounds from quarterfinal loss, becomes 4-time placewinner for Jaguars
The dream of an individual state championship ended on Friday morning for Ankeny Centennial wrestlers Ben Monroe and Logan Neils. Both seniors suffered losses in the Class 3A quarterfinals at Wells Fargo Arena, but the fourth-ranked Monroe could still place as high as third at 145 pounds. He rebounded with a pair of major decisions in the consolation … [Read more...] about Monroe rebounds from quarterfinal loss, becomes 4-time placewinner for Jaguars
Ankeny advances 3 wrestlers into semifinals, surges into top 10 of Class 3A
Sixth-ranked Ankeny has surged into eighth place in the Class 3A state tournament after advancing three wrestlers into the semifinals on Friday afternoon at Wells Fargo Arena. The Hawks will also have a fourth placewinner in 10th-ranked Cael Cox at 120 pounds. The junior lost to defending state champion Drake Ayala of Fort Dodge in the quarterfinals on … [Read more...] about Ankeny advances 3 wrestlers into semifinals, surges into top 10 of Class 3A
Neils pins his way into 3A quarterfinals, while Monroe escapes with win
A .500 record on the opening day of the Class 3A state tournament left Ankeny Centennial with two quarterfinalists and two more wrestlers alive in the consolation bracket. Top-ranked Logan Neils at 170 pounds and No. 4 Ben Monroe at 145 each won their first-round matches on Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena. Teammates Jackson Bresson at 120 and Jackson … [Read more...] about Neils pins his way into 3A quarterfinals, while Monroe escapes with win