Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

Winter

‘Wartburg had the full package’: Ankeny’s Cleveland to wrestle for Knights

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Dana Cleveland has been a trailblazer for the Ankeny girls' wrestling team. A year ago, she became the first state placewinner in program history as a junior, when she compiled a 40-6 record and placed fourth at 135 pounds. Now, Cleveland has become the first female wrestler from Ankeny to take her talents to the next level. She has signed a letter of … [Read more...] about ‘Wartburg had the full package’: Ankeny’s Cleveland to wrestle for Knights

Centennial girls pull away from No. 3 North Polk, head into 2024 with 5-5 mark

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The Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team may have turned its season around prior to the holiday break. After ending a five-game losing streak with a win over their crosstown rival three nights earlier, the sixth-ranked Jaguars evened their overall record at 5-5 with a 58-43 victory over visiting North Polk in a non-conference game on Dec. 22. "We … [Read more...] about Centennial girls pull away from No. 3 North Polk, head into 2024 with 5-5 mark

Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Finley Blackmore, Centennial girls’ hoops

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Junior guard Finley Blackmore has helped the sixth-ranked Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team to a 4-5 record. She scored six points in the Jaguars' 50-49 victory over visiting Ankeny on Tuesday. Blackmore is averaging 5.4 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. She has made 11-of-34 attempts from 3-point range (32.4 percent). Here is some inside info … [Read more...] about Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Finley Blackmore, Centennial girls’ hoops

Centennial boys make 13 3-point goals, cruise to 75-38 win at Des Moines Hoover

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The Ankeny Centennial boys' basketball team connected on 13-of-23 attempts from 3-point range and rolled to a 75-38 victory at Des Moines Hoover in a non-conference game on Thursday. Nick Vaske made four treys and finished with a season-high 17 points as the Jaguars raised their overall record to 6-2. Hoover dropped to 1-5. "We all shot it really … [Read more...] about Centennial boys make 13 3-point goals, cruise to 75-38 win at Des Moines Hoover

Ankeny girls roll past Perry, but then tumble to Raccoon River-Northwest

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Two very different opponents awaited the Ankeny girls' wrestling team on Tuesday at Waukee Northwest. Ankeny opened the double dual meet with a 63-5 victory over Perry in a non-conference matchup. Coach Dustin Roland's squad then dropped a 43-33 decision to host Raccoon River-Northwest in a CIML Conference dual. "It was a rough night for us on the … [Read more...] about Ankeny girls roll past Perry, but then tumble to Raccoon River-Northwest

Jaguars battle No. 3 Davenport North to the wire before dropping 40-37 decision

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A late rally by the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team came up short on Saturday when the Jaguars simply ran out of time. Sixth-ranked Centennial held No. 3 Davenport North scoreless over the last 4 minutes, but the Jaguars managed just five points during that stretch and couldn't get the ball back in the final seconds, resulting in a 40-37 loss in … [Read more...] about Jaguars battle No. 3 Davenport North to the wire before dropping 40-37 decision

No. 1 Waukee boys stay unbeaten in CIML Conference with win at Centennial

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A week ago, the Ankeny Centennial boys' basketball team made a statement with a victory over defending Class 4A state champion Valley. On Friday at Centennial, another CIML Conference contender made a statement of its own. Top-ranked Waukee pulled away in the second half for a 70-51 win, holding the Jaguars to their lowest point total of the season. … [Read more...] about No. 1 Waukee boys stay unbeaten in CIML Conference with win at Centennial

Pratt’s foul trouble proves costly as Jags fall to Waukee for 4th consecutive loss

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When Ankeny Centennial's Jaeden Pratt went to the bench with her third foul during the first half of Friday's game against visiting Waukee, the CIML Conference girls' basketball contest started to slip away from the sixth-ranked Jaguars. No. 5 Waukee extended its lead to 27-18 at halftime and went on to post a 51-37 victory over Centennial, which has now … [Read more...] about Pratt’s foul trouble proves costly as Jags fall to Waukee for 4th consecutive loss

‘Our girls really showed some character’: Ankeny places 4th at Battle of Waterloo

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A loss to the eventual champions was the only blemish for the Ankeny girls' wrestling team on Thursday at the Battle of Waterloo. Ankeny defeated its first two opponents in Bracket C competition before dropping a 51-29 decision to Cedar Falls. The Tigers went on to beat Bettendorf and Waverly-Shell Rock to win the tournament. Coach Dustin Roland's team … [Read more...] about ‘Our girls really showed some character’: Ankeny places 4th at Battle of Waterloo

‘We played really connected’: Red-hot Winkel, Centennial boys crush Johnston

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There was no letdown for Luke Winkel and the Ankeny Centennial boys' basketball team. Coming off a win Friday against defending Class 4A state champion Valley, the Jaguars got a career-high 32 points from Winkel and rolled to a 76-49 victory at Johnston on Tuesday. "We definitely couldn't get too comfortable because Johnston's a really good team, and … [Read more...] about ‘We played really connected’: Red-hot Winkel, Centennial boys crush Johnston

‘We had a real matchup problem’: No. 1 Johnston hands Jaguars 3rd straight loss

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The search for more offensive production continues for the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team. The fifth-ranked Jaguars shot just 31.8 percent (14-of-44) and dropped a 64-37 decision at No. 1 Johnston on Tuesday, suffering a third straight loss for only the third time in program history. They have averaged just 31.7 points over the last three games, … [Read more...] about ‘We had a real matchup problem’: No. 1 Johnston hands Jaguars 3rd straight loss

‘Team-first attitude’ pays off as Ankeny girls post 54-24 victory over S.E. Polk

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Ankeny girls' wrestling coach Dustin Roland made some changes to his lineup for Tuesday's dual meet against visiting Southeast Polk. The revamped lineup produced a 54-24 victory over the Rams in the CIML Conference matchup. "Our girls really showed a team-first attitude when we told seven girls they were wrestling up a weight or not going to be in the … [Read more...] about ‘Team-first attitude’ pays off as Ankeny girls post 54-24 victory over S.E. Polk

Ankeny girls place 6th at Saydel Invite, will host CIML dual vs. S.E. Polk Tuesday

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The Ankeny girls' wrestling squad placed sixth among 25 teams in the Saydel Invitational on Monday, finishing with 102 points. Ankeny coach Dustin Roland didn't enter a full lineup with his team slated to host Southeast Polk in a CIML Conference dual meet on Tuesday. None of the team's four ranked wrestlers competed. Ankeny was led by Aliayah Shade, … [Read more...] about Ankeny girls place 6th at Saydel Invite, will host CIML dual vs. S.E. Polk Tuesday

‘We had a great day’: Ankeny girls rely on depth to capture Centennial Duals title

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The depth of the Ankeny girls' wrestling team paid off on Saturday at the Ankeny Centennial Duals. Ankeny coach Dustin Roland used a variety of lineups throughout the meet, but his team just kept on winning. Roland's squad went a perfect 5-0 to capture the tournament crown at Northview Middle School. "We had a great day," said Roland. "I was proud of … [Read more...] about ‘We had a great day’: Ankeny girls rely on depth to capture Centennial Duals title

‘We can definitely be a contender’: Jags shut down defending 4A state champs

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Most December high school basketball games don't carry a lot of significance. That wasn't the case on Friday for the Ankeny Centennial boys' squad. The Jaguars needed to protect their home court in the rugged CIML Conference, and they also had a chance to make a statement with a victory over preseason No. 1 Valley. Centennial delivered on both … [Read more...] about ‘We can definitely be a contender’: Jags shut down defending 4A state champs

‘We struggled to get points’: Jaguars tumble to No. 2 Valley in defensive battle

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The Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team just couldn't find the basket. The fifth-ranked Jaguars shot just 21.7 percent from the field (10-of-46) and lost to No. 2 Valley, 35-24, in a CIML Conference game on Friday at Centennial. It was the team's lowest offensive output in program history under coach Scott DeJong. The previous low was 26 points in … [Read more...] about ‘We struggled to get points’: Jaguars tumble to No. 2 Valley in defensive battle

‘We set the tone right off the bat’: Jaguars build big lead, roll past Iowa City Liberty

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Coming off a tough loss on Friday at Dowling Catholic, the Ankeny Centennial boys' basketball team got off to a fast start on Tuesday and never looked back. The Jaguars jumped out to a 22-5 lead in the first quarter against visiting Iowa City Liberty, built a 45-17 halftime advantage and rolled to a 70-48 victory in a non-conference game. "I thought we … [Read more...] about ‘We set the tone right off the bat’: Jaguars build big lead, roll past Iowa City Liberty

Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Haylee McGrew, Ankeny girls’ wrestling

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Junior Haylee McGrew led the Ankeny girls' wrestling team to a fourth-place finish in the Dan Gable Donnybrook on Thursday and Friday at Xtream Arena in Coralville. McGrew placed second at 155 pounds. She currently boasts an 11-1 record. Here is some inside info on McGrew: What was your goal going into the tournament? Did you think you had a chance … [Read more...] about Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Haylee McGrew, Ankeny girls’ wrestling

McGrew earns runner-up honors, leads Ankeny to 4th-place finish at Donnybrook

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The level of competition in the Dan Gable Donnybrook was every bit as tough as Dustin Roland expected. His Ankeny girls' wrestling team placed fourth among 43 squads in the two-day event that concluded on Friday at Xtream Arena in Coralville. Ankeny finished with 338 points. The tournament featured many of the top wrestlers in the Midwest. Decorah … [Read more...] about McGrew earns runner-up honors, leads Ankeny to 4th-place finish at Donnybrook