Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

‘I thought we battled hard’: Jaguars take No. 1 Waukee NW to 5 sets in nailbiter

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It took only three days for the Ankeny Centennial volleyball team to drastically close the gap on top-ranked Waukee Northwest. After being swept by Northwest in the championship match of the Centennial Early Bird Invitational on Saturday, the No. 4 Jaguars traveled to Waukee on Tuesday for a rematch and took the unbeaten Wolves to a fifth set before … [Read more...] about ‘I thought we battled hard’: Jaguars take No. 1 Waukee NW to 5 sets in nailbiter

Despite better performance in doubles, Hawkettes drop 11-0 decision to Dowling

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The Ankeny girls' tennis team ran into another tough opponent on Tuesday. The Hawkettes dropped an 11-0 decision to visiting Dowling Catholic in a CIML Conference match. The Maroons improved to 4-1 in the league and 6-2 overall, while Ankeny's records dropped to 1-5 and 2-7. Dowling won all 11 matches in straight sets, including a dominant performance … [Read more...] about Despite better performance in doubles, Hawkettes drop 11-0 decision to Dowling

‘We like being the underdog’: Hawkettes sweep No. 7 Valley girls in CIML opener

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) If there was one thing to learn from Tuesday night, it’d be to never underestimate the Ankeny volleyball team. The ninth-ranked Hawkettes returned to their home court and proceeded to cruise to a 3-0 sweep (25-13, 25-14, 15-16) over No. 7 Valley in the CIML Conference opener for both teams. “It’s awesome to get the first … [Read more...] about ‘We like being the underdog’: Hawkettes sweep No. 7 Valley girls in CIML opener

‘It was a fun way to kick off our season’: Ankeny swimmers fall at Waukee, 106-80

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Coach Dustin Rhoads saw plenty of reasons to be optimistic after watching his Ankeny girls' swimming team open its season on Tuesday. Even though the Hawkettes dropped a 106-80 decision at Waukee, Rhoads came away from the CIML Conference dual meet fully convinced that his squad will continue to make progress throughout the season. "This is just the … [Read more...] about ‘It was a fun way to kick off our season’: Ankeny swimmers fall at Waukee, 106-80

Centennial golfers edge Hawks by 2 shots for 3rd-place finish at Fort Dodge Invite

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Tuesday's Fort Dodge Invitational likely served as a preview of a district meet next month for some of the 15 boys' golf teams in the field. The Fort Dodge Country Club will be one of the five district sites in Class 4A. Copper Creek and Hyperion are among the other sites. "It was really good to have some success at Fort Dodge today as this is a … [Read more...] about Centennial golfers edge Hawks by 2 shots for 3rd-place finish at Fort Dodge Invite

Jaguars, Hawkettes demonstrate lofty potential at Centennial’s Early Bird Invite

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Saturday's Ankeny Centennial Early Bird Invitational featured many of the state's top volleyball teams, including nine of the top 10 squads in the Class 5A preseason rankings. Both Centennial and Ankeny came away from the tournament feeling good about their performance. The fourth-ranked Jaguars advanced to the championship match with a 22-25, 27-25, … [Read more...] about Jaguars, Hawkettes demonstrate lofty potential at Centennial’s Early Bird Invite

Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Miya Steinkamp, Ankeny volleyball

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Senior setter Miya Steinkamp has helped the ninth-ranked Ankeny volleyball team to a 6-2 record. The Hawkettes opened their season on Tuesday by defeating all three of their opponents at the Ankeny Quadrangular, then reached the semifinals of the Ankeny Centennial Early Bird Invitational on Saturday before losing a three-set match to the No. 4 … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Miya Steinkamp, Ankeny volleyball

‘We know we’ve got a good team’: Hawks fall short in opener against Waukee NW

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) For just a brief moment, the Ankeny football players thought they’d put the dagger in what would have been a season-opening victory over Waukee Northwest. An untimely holding penalty wiped away an Ankeny touchdown and opened up the opportunity for the fourth-ranked Wolves to snatch a 25-24 win from the jaws of defeat during … [Read more...] about ‘We know we’ve got a good team’: Hawks fall short in opener against Waukee NW

Ankeny swimmers welcome back 5 state qualifiers, seek return to top-10 finish

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The Ankeny girls' swimming team is hoping that last year was just an aberration. After earning 10 consecutive top-10 finishes at the state meet, the Hawkettes slipped to a 29th-place finish in 2024. They scored just nine points after being disqualified in the 200 medley relay. Ankeny was seeded seventh in that event and posted a time of 1:51.01, which … [Read more...] about Ankeny swimmers welcome back 5 state qualifiers, seek return to top-10 finish

‘The little mistakes hurt us’: Kickoffs prove costly in Jaguars’ 30-14 loss at S.E. Polk

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Just when the Ankeny Centennial football team appeared to have all the momentum, Southeast Polk grabbed it right back in the next couple of plays. The four-time defending state champion Rams scored two touchdowns in a 2-minute span of the third quarter and went on to beat visiting Centennial, 30-14, in the season opener for both squads on Friday. "The … [Read more...] about ‘The little mistakes hurt us’: Kickoffs prove costly in Jaguars’ 30-14 loss at S.E. Polk

Centennial boys win Jaguar Invitational for their first team crown since 2020 season

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The Ankeny Centennial boys' cross country runners may have surprised some of the other teams on Tuesday. The 17th-ranked Jaguars opened their season by winning the Jaguar Invitational at DMACC. They scored a total of 49 points when the results of the two boys' races were combined. It was Centennial's first team title since the 2020 season, when the … [Read more...] about Centennial boys win Jaguar Invitational for their first team crown since 2020 season

‘What a great night to be a Hawk!’: Ankeny girls beat S.E. Polk for their first CIML win

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A strong performance in doubles allowed the Ankeny girls' tennis team to post a 7-4 victory over visiting Southeast Polk on Thursday at the Prairie Ridge courts. After the two teams split the six singles matches, the Hawkettes won four of the five doubles matches to earn their first win in CIML Conference play. They are now 1-4 in the league and 2-6 … [Read more...] about ‘What a great night to be a Hawk!’: Ankeny girls beat S.E. Polk for their first CIML win

‘It was a great win!’: Jaguars end losing skid with 10-1 victory over North Polk

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A non-conference meet proved to be just what the Ankeny Centennial girls' tennis team needed to get back on the winning track. The Jaguars ended a four-meet losing streak--all of them against CIML Conference opponents--with a 10-1 victory over visiting North Polk on Thursday. They raised their overall record to 4-6, while the Comets dropped to 2-5 on the … [Read more...] about ‘It was a great win!’: Jaguars end losing skid with 10-1 victory over North Polk

‘I feel more calm’: Miller wins playoff to earn medalist honors at NW Invitational

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Thursday's Waukee Northwest Invitational at The Legacy Golf Club in Norwalk provided another opportunity for the Ankeny and Ankeny Centennial boys' golf teams to compete against some of the state's top squads. It was also another chance for Centennial junior McCoy Miller to build on his rapidly growing resume. Miller carded a 3-under-par 69 to tie for … [Read more...] about ‘I feel more calm’: Miller wins playoff to earn medalist honors at NW Invitational

Flick, Blevins lead Centennial girls to runner-up finish at Jaguar Invitational

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The Ankeny Centennial girls' cross country team opened its season on Tuesday by placing second in the Jaguar Invitational at DMACC. The 12th-ranked Jaguars scored 55 points when the results of the two girls' races were combined. No. 3 Waukee Northwest won the meet with 36 points. "Our coaching staff is very proud of our girls as they fought off … [Read more...] about Flick, Blevins lead Centennial girls to runner-up finish at Jaguar Invitational

Hawkettes top 3 foes at Ankeny Quad, while ACA looks to regroup after 0-3 start

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) Whether it's the Hawkettes or the Eagles, there’s plenty of new faces stepping up into larger roles as both volleyball teams look to reload their respective rosters. Ankeny and Ankeny Christian Academy are both trying to fill the gaps left by big senior classes, and Ankeny’s Tuesday quadrangular featuring ACA, Dike-New … [Read more...] about Hawkettes top 3 foes at Ankeny Quad, while ACA looks to regroup after 0-3 start

All-staters Clark, Larmie, Whitinger give Ankeny football team strong nucleus

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Despite some heavy losses to graduation, the Ankeny football team isn't starting over from scratch. The Hawks return several key players from a team that posted a 6-5 record and reached the Class 5A quarterfinals, including a trio of all-staters. "This might be the best looking team I've had getting off the bus, but we've got a lot of guys who haven't … [Read more...] about All-staters Clark, Larmie, Whitinger give Ankeny football team strong nucleus

‘We’re excited for this season’: Jaguars to open up against 4-time defending champ

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Most football coaches would prefer to play an overmatched opponent in the season opener just to give their younger players an opportunity to gain some experience. Ankeny Centennial co-head coach Ryan Pezzetti won't have that luxury. The Jaguars will kick off the 2025 season on Friday with a game at Southeast Polk, the four-time defending Class 5A state … [Read more...] about ‘We’re excited for this season’: Jaguars to open up against 4-time defending champ

Miller, Logan sweep individual honors at Copper Creek, but Jags fall to NW, Rams

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Although the Ankeny Centennial boys' golf team swept the top two individual places in a CIML Conference triangular meet on Tuesday at Copper Creek, the Jaguars were unable to pull out a victory against either Waukee Northwest or host Southeast Polk. The Wolves posted a score of 303 to defeat both of their conference rivals. Centennial and Southeast Polk … [Read more...] about Miller, Logan sweep individual honors at Copper Creek, but Jags fall to NW, Rams