Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

Girls' Basketball

Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Mylie Hatfield, Centennial girls’ basketball

by

Senior guard Mylie Hatfield has helped the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team to a 4-6 record. She scored a career-high nine points, grabbed five rebounds and had two steals in the Jaguars' 71-23 victory over visiting Fort Dodge in a non-conference game on Saturday. Hatfield is averaging 3.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. She leads the team with … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Mylie Hatfield, Centennial girls’ basketball

‘It was just a great team effort’: Jaguars use balanced attack to rout Fort Dodge

by

After suffering a loss at top-ranked Johnston on Friday, the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team was back on the court less than 24 hours later. A non-conference matchup against visiting Fort Dodge was a much-needed breather for coach Chris Harken's team. Six Centennial players scored eight or more points and four others added three or more as the … [Read more...] about ‘It was just a great team effort’: Jaguars use balanced attack to rout Fort Dodge

‘She just kept hitting them’: Lewis scores 33 points, leads Dragons past Centennial

by

(Story by Stephen McDaniel) Before the season even started, the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team knew that Friday's matchup at top-ranked Johnston would be the hardest game on its schedule all year. The Jaguars were no match for Johnston as the Dragons extended their winning streak to 63 games while beating Centennial for the 13th straight … [Read more...] about ‘She just kept hitting them’: Lewis scores 33 points, leads Dragons past Centennial

‘I was looking to be aggressive’: Perpich’s fast start ignites Jaguars past S.E. Polk

by

A fast start by freshman guard Faith Perpich ignited the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team to a 53-41 victory on Tuesday at Southeast Polk. Perpich scored nine of her career-high 17 points during a 13-0 run in the first half that erased Southeast Polk's early 6-5 lead. The Rams could get no closer than nine points the rest of the way. "I was … [Read more...] about ‘I was looking to be aggressive’: Perpich’s fast start ignites Jaguars past S.E. Polk

Norwalk’s Birmingham pours in 39 points, leads No. 3 Warriors past Centennial girls

by

The Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team simply didn't have an answer for Norwalk star Braylyn Birmingham. Birmingham erupted for 39 points and 10 rebounds to lead Norwalk to a 61-46 victory over the visiting Jaguars in a non-conference game on Saturday. The Warriors, who are ranked third in Class 4A, raised their record to 8-1. Birmingham, a … [Read more...] about Norwalk’s Birmingham pours in 39 points, leads No. 3 Warriors past Centennial girls

‘Everything was just clicking’: Jaguars lead from start to finish in victory over Waukee

by

(Story by Stephen McDaniel) The Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team couldn’t have possibly asked for a better start to the new year. The Jaguars harnessed a total team effort coming out of the holiday break and kicked off the 2026 portion of their schedule by defeating 13th-ranked Waukee, 61-48, on Friday night at Centennial. “That’s the … [Read more...] about ‘Everything was just clicking’: Jaguars lead from start to finish in victory over Waukee

Beam scores career-high 21 points, but Jaguars fall to 1-4 with loss to No. 4 Valley

by

(Story by Stephen McDaniel) The Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team was hoping to build off of its win over Urbandale a week ago and head into the holiday break with some positive momentum. But a matchup against fourth-ranked Valley ended the Jaguars' December slate with a 29-point loss. Centennial struggled to get its offense going in the … [Read more...] about Beam scores career-high 21 points, but Jaguars fall to 1-4 with loss to No. 4 Valley

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

by

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, who went 4-of-9 from behind the arc. "I was … [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

by

(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

by

(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

by

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

by

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

by

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

by

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

by

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

by

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

by

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

by

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