Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

Girls' Basketball

‘She was just due’: Smith has career-high 19 points, leads Centennial to first victory

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Ankeny Centennial's Maizie Smith never lost confidence in her shooting ability. The senior made four 3-point goals and scored a career-high 19 points to lead the Jaguars to a 60-46 victory at Urbandale in a CIML Conference girls' basketball game on Friday. "I knew something would eventually fall," said Smith. "I was just lucky that this is the game … [Read more...] about ‘She was just due’: Smith has career-high 19 points, leads Centennial to first victory

Boeding suffers scary fall during first half of Jaguars’ loss to No. 3 Dowling Catholic

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) It can take just a matter of seconds to completely change an outlook on a game, and now the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team is hoping for the best for one of its senior leaders. A scary fall and a temporary halt to the action late in the first half left Centennial without forward Rylyn Boeding for the remainder of … [Read more...] about Boeding suffers scary fall during first half of Jaguars’ loss to No. 3 Dowling Catholic

‘All props to Northwest’: No. 2 Wolves spoil Harken’s coaching debut at Centennial

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) It wasn’t exactly the start to the Chris Harken era that the Jaguars wanted, but the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team knows there’s only going up from game one. Harken and the Jaguars ran into a well-oiled machine Tuesday in the second-ranked Waukee Northwest Wolves and started off the season with a 65-31 road … [Read more...] about ‘All props to Northwest’: No. 2 Wolves spoil Harken’s coaching debut at Centennial

‘There will be some growing pains’: Only 3 players return as Jaguars begin new era

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When legendary Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball coach Scott DeJong announced his retirement at the end of last season, it marked the end of an era in more ways than one. Not only was DeJong stepping down after a 37-year coaching career that saw him win a record seven state titles, but the Jaguars also graduated nine of the 12 players from last year's … [Read more...] about ‘There will be some growing pains’: Only 3 players return as Jaguars begin new era

Jaguars’ Maizie Smith to join her sister, Tillie, on NIACC women’s basketball team

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Ankeny Centennial's Maizie Smith will continue her basketball career at the collegiate level. Smith, a guard, announced her verbal commitment on Friday to play for North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City. The senior-to-be will be reunited with her sister Tillie, who graduated from Centennial in May. Tillie initially committed to play for Grand … [Read more...] about Jaguars’ Maizie Smith to join her sister, Tillie, on NIACC women’s basketball team

‘You want to get the best of the best’: Jags hire Delger, Harken to coach hoops teams

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Ankeny Centennial Activities Director Nate Lingren didn't have to look very far to find replacements for legendary basketball coaches Scott DeJong and Bob Fontana. Both of the Jaguars' new coaches were already in the building. Matt Delger, Fontana's former assistant, has been hired to take over the boys' program. He was introduced on Wednesday. "I … [Read more...] about ‘You want to get the best of the best’: Jags hire Delger, Harken to coach hoops teams

‘It was an amazing run’: DeJong retires after 37 seasons, record 7 state titles

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When Scott DeJong came to Ankeny in 1993 to take over the girls' basketball program, he replaced a legendary coach in Dick Rasmussen. Now, more than three decades later, DeJong has put an end to his own legendary career. The only head coach in Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball history, DeJong announced his retirement on Tuesday--shortly after giving … [Read more...] about ‘It was an amazing run’: DeJong retires after 37 seasons, record 7 state titles

THE END OF AN ERA: Jaguars’ coaching legend DeJong announces retirement

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Girls' basketball coaching legend Scott DeJong of Ankeny Centennial has retired after 37 seasons, including the last 12 with the Jaguars. DeJong turned in his resignation letter to Activities Director Nate Lingren on Tuesday afternoon. "I had thought I would be doing this, but when it came down to it, I had a hard time writing the letter," DeJong said. … [Read more...] about THE END OF AN ERA: Jaguars’ coaching legend DeJong announces retirement

Crawford, Pratt to play in Pizza Ranch All Star Games on Saturday at DC-G

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Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball standouts Mya Crawford and Jaeden Pratt will both compete in the 2025 Pizza Ranch All Star Games on Saturday at Dallas Center-Grimes. Crawford and Pratt will both play for the Southwest Iowa team that will be coached by Maddie Gelber of Roland-Story and Jon Weinrich of Shenandoah. North Polk senior Abby Tuttle will also … [Read more...] about Crawford, Pratt to play in Pizza Ranch All Star Games on Saturday at DC-G

The CIML Invitational: Ankeny Fanatic’s predictions for the Class 5A semifinals

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The girls' Class 5A state basketball tournament--also known as the CIML Conference Invitational--resumes on Thursday morning with a semifinal doubleheader at Wells Fargo Arena. All four of the highest seeds from the CIML Conference posted victories in Monday's quarterfinals by an average of 16 points. That means that Friday's championship game will be an … [Read more...] about The CIML Invitational: Ankeny Fanatic’s predictions for the Class 5A semifinals

Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Mya Crawford, Centennial girls’ basketball

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Senior guard Mya Crawford had 13 points, 11 rebounds, six steals and three blocks to help the fourth-ranked Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team to a 42-37 victory over No. 13 Southeast Polk in a Class 5A regional final on Tuesday at Centennial. The Jaguars advanced to the state tournament for the fifth consecutive year and will play No. 5 Pleasant … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Mya Crawford, Centennial girls’ basketball

State tourney preview: Ankeny Fanatic’s predictions for Class 5A quarterfinals

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The girls' state basketball tournament tips off on Monday morning at Wells Fargo Arena, and top-ranked Johnston is the favorite to capture its fourth Class 5A championship in six seasons. The Dragons are an incredible 141-6 since the start of the 2019-20 campaign, when their dynasty began. They weren't exactly bad in the previous four seasons either, … [Read more...] about State tourney preview: Ankeny Fanatic’s predictions for Class 5A quarterfinals

Blackmore’s jumper ends scoring drought, sends Jaguars back to state tournament

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It might have been the biggest basket of Finley Blackmore's high school career. The 5-foot-10 guard scored only two points on Tuesday night, but her pull-up jumper with 1 minute 50 seconds left helped the fourth-ranked Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team to a 42-37 victory over No. 13 Southeast Polk in a Class 5A regional final at Centennial, sending … [Read more...] about Blackmore’s jumper ends scoring drought, sends Jaguars back to state tournament

Jaguars rout Marshalltown, will meet S.E. Polk for 3rd time in 19 days for state berth

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The Marshalltown girls' basketball team entered Saturday's Class 5A regional semifinal at Ankeny Centennial with a chance to reach double digits in victories for the first time since the 2006-07 season. The fourth-ranked Jaguars quickly made sure, though, that it wouldn't happen. Centennial jumped out to a 33-2 lead at the end of the first quarter, … [Read more...] about Jaguars rout Marshalltown, will meet S.E. Polk for 3rd time in 19 days for state berth

‘It was a fun Senior Night’: Jaguars place 5 players in double figures, beat S.E. Polk

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The nine seniors on the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team had plenty to celebrate following Friday's game against visiting Southeast Polk. The fourth-ranked Jaguars closed out the regular season with a 60-52 victory, defeating the No. 13 Rams for the second time in eight days. Then, one of coach Scott DeJong's largest senior classes was … [Read more...] about ‘It was a fun Senior Night’: Jaguars place 5 players in double figures, beat S.E. Polk

Martin continues torrid stretch, leads Jags past Waukee for 4th-place finish in CIML

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Ankeny Centennial's Ava Martin is on a heater. The senior guard scored a season-high 18 points on Tuesday to lead the fourth-ranked Jaguars to a 62-46 victory over No. 11 Waukee in a CIML Conference girls' basketball game at Centennial. She went 7-of-11 from the field, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range. "It feels so good," Martin said after her team … [Read more...] about Martin continues torrid stretch, leads Jags past Waukee for 4th-place finish in CIML

‘It was a great win’: Centennial girls shoot 46 percent in road victory over S.E. Polk

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The Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team had one of its best shooting performances of the season on Friday. The-fourth ranked Jaguars shot 46.0 percent from the field (23-of-50) and cruised to a 62-47 victory at No. 14 Southeast Polk in the first meeting between the two CIML Conference rivals, who will face each … [Read more...] about ‘It was a great win’: Centennial girls shoot 46 percent in road victory over S.E. Polk