A deep and talented roster usually gives the Ankeny Centennial girls' soccer team an advantage over most of its opponents. But the Jaguars' foe on Wednesday in the Class 3A semifinals at the state tournament was not your average team. Top-ranked Valley relied on a wave of substitutions to wear down No. 5 Centennial on a hot and humid afternoon at … [Read more...] about ‘It was just a huge barrage’: Valley’s relentless attacks end Jaguars’ season
Spring
Blevins, Guan knock off Dowling’s singles champions to win co-ed state title
Ankeny Centennial seniors Will Blevins and Claudia Guan teamed up to win the co-ed state tennis championship on Tuesday at Ankeny. They played five matches over the course of 12 hours to capture the title. In the finals, Blevins and Guan posted a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Daniel Lu and Allison Szalay of Dowling Catholic, who were the boys' and girls' singles … [Read more...] about Blevins, Guan knock off Dowling’s singles champions to win co-ed state title
EEEEEEEEEEELATION!: Jaguars avenge loss to Dowling on Overberg’s goals
When the Ankeny Centennial girls' soccer team reeled off 12 consecutive victories earlier this season, the Jaguars appeared to be headed toward a No. 1 seed in the Class 3A state tournament. Then came a 2-1 loss at Dowling Catholic in a shootout on May 18 that dropped Centennial from No. 1 to No. 5 in the final Class 3A rankings. "It gave us a lot of … [Read more...] about EEEEEEEEEEELATION!: Jaguars avenge loss to Dowling on Overberg’s goals
Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Jordyn Gustafson, Centennial girls’ tennis
Ankeny Centennial senior Jordyn Gustafson closed out her high school tennis career with a second appearance in the girls' Class 2A state tournament last week in Iowa City. She won a first-round consolation match on Wednesday before being eliminated from the tournament. Gustafson helped Centennial to a 9-3 record this season. The Jaguars won the CIML Iowa … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Jordyn Gustafson, Centennial girls’ tennis
Centennial’s Cogdill named Assistant Coach of the Year for girls’ track
Ankeny Centennial assistant girls' track coach Eric Cogdill has been named Assistant Coach of the Year by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches. Cogdill helped the Jaguars to a 14th-place finish in the Class 4A state meet last month. He primarily coaches the team's distance runners. Last fall, Cogdill was named the Class 4A cross country coach of the … [Read more...] about Centennial’s Cogdill named Assistant Coach of the Year for girls’ track
Jaguars earn another trip to state, will get rematch against No. 4 Dowling
A year ago at this time, Elizabeth Overberg didn't get a chance to play in the girls' state soccer tournament. The Ankeny Centennial senior didn't want to let her final opportunity go to waste. Overberg and fellow senior Macy Epp each had a goal and an assist to lead fifth-ranked Centennial to a 3-0 victory over visiting Cedar Falls in a Class 3A … [Read more...] about Jaguars earn another trip to state, will get rematch against No. 4 Dowling
Revive Clinic and Spa Coach of the Month: Brian Duax, Centennial boys’ soccer
The Jaguars earned a trip to the Class 3A state tournament with a monumental win over Waukee before falling to Valley in a shootout. … [Read more...] about Revive Clinic and Spa Coach of the Month: Brian Duax, Centennial boys’ soccer
Peterson places 4th in singles, while Guan sisters finish 6th in doubles
On one of the first few points of a Class 2A semifinal match between Ankeny Centennial's Abbie Peterson and Dowling Catholic's Allison Szalay, the two players traded groundstrokes back and forth for more than a minute before Peterson finally won the point. But the talented freshman decided that she didn't want to play the entire girls' tennis match in … [Read more...] about Peterson places 4th in singles, while Guan sisters finish 6th in doubles
‘We were just firing on all cylinders’: Jaguars cruise to win in regional opener
The Ankeny Centennial girls' soccer team needs to win five games to capture the Class 3A state title. The next four might not be as easy as Wednesday's 10-0 victory over visiting Marshalltown in a regional semifinal. "Marshalltown put everything they could into the game," Centennial coach Chris Allen said on the Ankeny Fanatic weekly podcast on … [Read more...] about ‘We were just firing on all cylinders’: Jaguars cruise to win in regional opener
Peterson advances to Class 2A semifinals, while Guans earn top-8 finish
Ankeny Centennial's Abbie Peterson is just two wins away from winning a state tennis title as a freshman. Peterson advanced to the semifinals of the girls' Class 2A singles tournament with a pair of victories on Wednesday at Iowa City. She will play second-seeded Allison Szalay of Dowling Catholic on Thursday morning. "There was no clear cut No. 1 seed … [Read more...] about Peterson advances to Class 2A semifinals, while Guans earn top-8 finish
‘They battled their brains out’: Jaguars take No. 4 Valley to PKs before falling
An epic battle between two CIML boys' soccer rivals ended on Tuesday with a shootout in the quarterfinals of the Class 3A state tournament at Cownie Soccer Park. In the end, James Beaty delivered the game-winning kick to give fourth-ranked Valley a 1-0 victory over No. 6 Ankeny Centennial before a large crowd on Field 8. "I'm super proud of the boys," … [Read more...] about ‘They battled their brains out’: Jaguars take No. 4 Valley to PKs before falling
Blimpie Sub of the Week: Kellen Jones, Ankeny Centennial boys’ tennis
Kellen Jones is a member of the Ankeny Centennial boys' tennis team. He helped the Jaguars to a 9-5 dual-meet record this season. Jones posted a 6-6 mark in doubles. He teamed up with Jack Halverson for a fourth-place finish at No. 4 doubles in the Dennis Hoefle Invitational on April 23 at Ankeny. "Kellen was new to our team as a junior," said … [Read more...] about Blimpie Sub of the Week: Kellen Jones, Ankeny Centennial boys’ tennis
‘I just kept fighting’: Blevins falls short in Class 2A title match despite valiant effort
After playing four hours of grueling tennis on Saturday, Ankeny Centennial's Will Blevins sat down in a chair and reflected on the end of his glorious high school career. Blevins didn't reach his ultimate goal, but he nevertheless walked off the court as a winner--even if the scoreboard showed that he had lost. Putting up a valiant fight in the finals … [Read more...] about ‘I just kept fighting’: Blevins falls short in Class 2A title match despite valiant effort
VIDEO: Blevins saves 9 match points in Class 2A singles final
The Ankeny Centennial senior refuses to go down without a fight in the state championship match, battling back from a 5-1 deficit in the second set before dropping a 6-4, 6-3 decision to Daniel Lu of Dowling Catholic. … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Blevins saves 9 match points in Class 2A singles final
Blevins earns runner-up finish at state; Jaguars’ duo places 6th in doubles
Will Blevins left it all on the tennis court Saturday. So did his Ankeny Centennial teammates Nic Mackaman and Caleb Peterson. Blevins earned a second-place finish in singles at the boys' Class 2A state tournament in Cedar Rapids, while Mackaman and Peterson teamed up for a sixth-place finish in doubles. Both were the highest finishes in school … [Read more...] about Blevins earns runner-up finish at state; Jaguars’ duo places 6th in doubles
Blevins advances to Class 2A semifinals, while doubles team earns top-8 finish
Ankeny Centennial's Will Blevins will have a chance on Saturday to avenge one of his three losses this season. He could potentially have a chance to avenge his other two singles defeats. The unseeded Blevins advanced to the semifinals of the boys' Class 2A state tennis tournament with a pair of lopsided victories on Friday at the University of Iowa's … [Read more...] about Blevins advances to Class 2A semifinals, while doubles team earns top-8 finish
Jaguars take down Waukee in shootout, snap Warriors’ 46-game winning streak
The Ankeny Centennial boys' soccer players weren't intimidated by top-ranked Waukee's 46-game winning streak. After all, the Jaguars were the last team to defeat Waukee--three years ago. "We wanted to go out there together and prove that they weren’t infallible," said Centennial goalkeeper Jonathan Stockwell, who was a freshman on that 2018 team that … [Read more...] about Jaguars take down Waukee in shootout, snap Warriors’ 46-game winning streak
Central Bank Athlete of the Month: Abbie Peterson, Ankeny Centennial freshman
The standout tennis player will compete in the girls' state tournament next week along with three of her teammates. … [Read more...] about Central Bank Athlete of the Month: Abbie Peterson, Ankeny Centennial freshman
Ankeny Fanatic Podcast: Episode 138
Standout runner Tommy Collins of Ankeny Centennial and Ankeny girls' coach Thomas Cotter recapped the state track meet on the latest edition of the Ankeny Fanatic weekly podcast sponsored by Coldwell Banker Mid-America. Ankeny Fanatic publisher Dan Holm also interviews Centennial boys' soccer coach Brian Duax about his team's huge victory at Waukee in a … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Podcast: Episode 138
Blimpie Sub of the Week: Vivian Wilson, Ankeny Centennial girls’ golf
Vivian Wilson is a member of the Ankeny Centennial girls' golf team. She helped the Jaguars to a sixth-place finish in a Class 4A regional meet on Monday at Elmwood Country Club in Marshalltown. Wilson joined the varsity lineup for the Toni Dickey Invitational on April 22 at Otter Creek. She played in the last nine meets of the season, shooting a … [Read more...] about Blimpie Sub of the Week: Vivian Wilson, Ankeny Centennial girls’ golf