Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

Winter

‘I think it was very humbling’: Jags open CIML play with OT loss to Waukee NW

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Mya Crawford sat in the bleachers with an icepack on her foot following Tuesday's game against visiting Waukee Northwest. It was that kind of night for the senior guard and the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team. Crawford scored 18 points, but her desperation heave at the buzzer bounced off the backboard and the third-ranked Jaguars dropped a … [Read more...] about ‘I think it was very humbling’: Jags open CIML play with OT loss to Waukee NW

Jaguars shut down Pleasant Valley in opener, give DeJong his 700th career win

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The 700th career victory for Ankeny Centennial's Scott DeJong followed a familiar script. The legendary girls' basketball coach reached the milestone on Saturday when the third-ranked Jaguars opened their season by winning a defensive battle against No. 5 Pleasant Valley, 39-26, at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids. "It was two good teams … [Read more...] about Jaguars shut down Pleasant Valley in opener, give DeJong his 700th career win

Centennial boys’ team looks to overcome inexperienced roster, rash of injuries

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This was already going to be one of coach Bob Fontana's most inexperienced boys' basketball teams at Ankeny Centennial. Now, the Jaguars are dealing with a rash of injuries too. "We had four players injured during the fall either in an open gym or our fall league," said Fontana, who is beginning his 34th season as a head coach. "Usually, you have a … [Read more...] about Centennial boys’ team looks to overcome inexperienced roster, rash of injuries

Haag, Bratland capture titles, lead Ankeny girls’ squad to 3rd-place finish at Nevada

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Trudy Haag and Hayden Bratland each won an individual title to lead the Ankeny girls' wrestling team to a third-place finish among 33 squads in the Central Iowa Kickoff on Saturday at Nevada. Raccoon River Northwest captured the team crown with 295 points. Southeast Polk was second with 260.5 points, followed by Ankeny with 209.5. "Overall, we had a … [Read more...] about Haag, Bratland capture titles, lead Ankeny girls’ squad to 3rd-place finish at Nevada

‘We are starting at a different level’: Jags return their entire roster from 14-9 squad

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There may not be a more experienced girls' basketball team in the state than Ankeny Centennial. The Jaguars return every player from last year's squad that posted a 14-9 record and qualified for the Class 5A state tournament. "We have been able to progress faster with our whole team back. We are starting at a different level than last year," said … [Read more...] about ‘We are starting at a different level’: Jags return their entire roster from 14-9 squad

‘I think we showed up pretty well’: Ankeny girls’ team off to perfect 3-0 start on mat

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The Ankeny girls' wrestling team is off to an impressive start. Third-ranked Ankeny opened its season on Tuesday by defeating three other squads in a quadrangular at Ankeny Centennial. The featured bout was a showdown against No. 4 Waverly-Shell Rock, which Ankeny won by a 49-30 margin. Coach Dustin Roland's team began the night with a 59-18 win over … [Read more...] about ‘I think we showed up pretty well’: Ankeny girls’ team off to perfect 3-0 start on mat

Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Nora Bockes, Ankeny girls’ wrestling

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Junior Nora Bockes is one of three returning placewinners for the Ankeny girls' wrestling team, which will open its season on Tuesday by hosting a quadrangular meet at Ankeny Centennial. Bockes owns a career record of 76-19. She posted a 38-9 mark and placed seventh at 110 pounds last year after going 38-10 as a freshman. Here is some inside info on … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Nora Bockes, Ankeny girls’ wrestling

‘Our goal is to bring home a team trophy’: Ankeny girls boast high expectations

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The Ankeny girls' wrestling program has made tremendous strides in its first two years of competition. Now, coach Dustin Roland is hoping to take his squad to the next level. "Our goal is to bring home a team trophy this season," he said. Ankeny placed seventh in last year's state tournament after finishing 40th in its inaugural season. The team … [Read more...] about ‘Our goal is to bring home a team trophy’: Ankeny girls boast high expectations

Centennial’s Vandermark signs letter of intent to wrestle at Grand View

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Ankeny Centennial wrestling standout Cody Vandermark is headed to Grand View University. Vandermark won more than 100 matches in his high school career. He was a two-time state qualifier. Vandermark placed fourth at 120 pounds in Class 3A as a senior, finishing with a 35-6 record. He helped the Jaguars to a fourth-place finish that matched the highest … [Read more...] about Centennial’s Vandermark signs letter of intent to wrestle at Grand View

Centennial’s Smith to play basketball at Grand View, will be reunited with Murray

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Former teammates Tillie Smith and Cleao Murray will be reunited again in the fall of 2025. Smith, a senior-to-be guard at Ankeny Centennial, has committed to play basketball at Grand View. One of the Vikings' current stars is Murray, who will be a junior this fall. Both Murray and Smith played on the 2021-22 Ankeny Centennial team that posted a 20-4 … [Read more...] about Centennial’s Smith to play basketball at Grand View, will be reunited with Murray

‘It felt like home immediately’: Blackmore commits to play at Western Colorado

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Ankeny Centennial's Finley Blackmore has verbally committed to play basketball at Western Colorado University, an NCAA Division II program that competes in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Blackmore said she picked the Mountaineers over a few other schools. "I went on an unofficial visit last September and fell in love with everything about the … [Read more...] about ‘It felt like home immediately’: Blackmore commits to play at Western Colorado

Dhabolt earns runner-up finish at 150 pounds in 16U Freestyle Nationals

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Ankeny Centennial wrestler Max Dhabolt is building a pretty impressive resume. The sophomore-to-be earned a second-place finish at 150 pounds in the 16U Freestyle Nationals last week at Fargo, N.D. He advanced to the championship match before dropping a 10-0 decision to Jayden James of New Jersey, a returning freestyle national champion. "I was going … [Read more...] about Dhabolt earns runner-up finish at 150 pounds in 16U Freestyle Nationals

Former Centennial basketball player Louis passes away at the age of 19

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The leading scorer on the Ankeny Centennial boys' basketball team in the 2021-22 season has passed away at the age of 19. Chris Louis, who averaged 12.1 points per game while helping the Jaguars to a 12-10 record as a senior, died unexpectedly last week. Here is Louis' obituary: Christian Louis, a vibrant soul, bid farewell to this world on May 3, … [Read more...] about Former Centennial basketball player Louis passes away at the age of 19

‘We just couldn’t get stops’: Jaguars finish at 17-7 after falling to Ankeny boys, 64-41

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The Ankeny Centennial boys' basketball team picked a bad night to have its worst offensive performance of the season. The 10th-ranked Jaguars shot just 34.6 percent from the field (18-of-52) and dropped a 64-41 decision to No. 8 Ankeny in a Class 4A substate final on Tuesday at Southeast Polk. It was a season-low output for Centennial, which finished … [Read more...] about ‘We just couldn’t get stops’: Jaguars finish at 17-7 after falling to Ankeny boys, 64-41

‘We were real, real close’: Jaguars’ late rally falls short in Class 5A quarterfinals

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Waukee girls' basketball coach Dani Franklin-Printy breathed a sigh of relief on Monday at Wells Fargo Arena. It's never easy to beat a good team three times, and that's what the fourth-ranked Warriors discovered in the Class 5A quarterfinals against CIML Conference rival Ankeny Centennial. The No. 5 Jaguars overcame a 10-point deficit in the second … [Read more...] about ‘We were real, real close’: Jaguars’ late rally falls short in Class 5A quarterfinals

‘We fought as hard as we could’: Jaguars lose heartbreaker to Waukee, 46-44

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Scott DeJong will have to wait until next season to earn his 700th career coaching victory. The fifth-ranked Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team lost a heartbreaker to No. 4 Waukee, 46-44, in the Class 5A quarterfinals of the state tournament on Monday at Wells Fargo Arena. The Jaguars finished the season with a 14-9 record. "We fought as hard as … [Read more...] about ‘We fought as hard as we could’: Jaguars lose heartbreaker to Waukee, 46-44

Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Ava Martin, Centennial girls’ basketball

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Junior guard Ava Martin has helped the fifth-ranked Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team to a 14-8 record. She scored 10 points on Tuesday as the Jaguars rolled to a 53-25 win over No. 10 Sioux City East in a Class 5A regional final to advance to the state tournament for the fourth consecutive year. Martin is averaging 6.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per … [Read more...] about Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Ava Martin, Centennial girls’ basketball

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

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The players on the court may not be the only people wearing shorts on Monday at Wells Fargo Arena. With a forecast calling for a high temperature of 75 degrees, it's not going to feel like girls' state basketball tournament weather in Des Moines. But perhaps the unseasonably warm February day will be appropriate--because the action on the court could be … [Read more...] about State tourney preview: Ankeny Fanatic’s predictions for Class 5A quarterfinals