Scott DeJong stood in the media interview room in the bowels of Wells Fargo Arena and beamed with pride even though the season had just ended for his Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team. "It's just been a tremendous run with these guys," DeJong said of his nine seniors. "They're my type of team. They play hard, they compete, and they work together. … [Read more...] about ‘Tremendous’ four-year run for Centennial seniors ends with loss to potent Dragons
Ava Martin
Central Bank Athlete of the Month: Ava Martin, Ankeny Centennial senior
The guard makes her first six shots from 3-point range and ties a career-high with 20 points to lead the Jaguars to a 51-47 win over Pleasant Valley in a Class 5A quarterfinal. … [Read more...] about Central Bank Athlete of the Month: Ava Martin, Ankeny Centennial senior
‘Ava was awesome!’: Hot-shooting Martin leads Centennial girls past No. 5 Spartans
Ava Martin has been a prolific scorer on the pitch for the Ankeny Centennial girls' soccer team. The Missouri Western soccer recruit showed on Monday that she can find the net on the basketball court, too. The senior guard made her first six shots from 3-point range and tied her career-high with 20 points to lead fourth-ranked Centennial to a 51-47 … [Read more...] about ‘Ava was awesome!’: Hot-shooting Martin leads Centennial girls past No. 5 Spartans
Jaguars hold off Pleasant Valley, will play No. 1 Johnston in Thursday’s semifinals
Ava Martin tied her career-high with 20 points and the fourth-ranked Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team posted a 51-47 victory over No. 5 Pleasant Valley in a Class 5A quarterfinal on Monday at Wells Fargo Arena. Mya Crawford and Jaeden Pratt each scored 10 points and dished out five assists for the Jaguars (17-7), who built a 20-point lead late in … [Read more...] about Jaguars hold off Pleasant Valley, will play No. 1 Johnston in Thursday’s semifinals
Martin continues torrid stretch, leads Jags past Waukee for 4th-place finish in CIML
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
‘I knew it was where I wanted to be!’: Jags’ Martin to play soccer at Missouri Western
At the end of her junior basketball season, Ankeny Centennial's Ava Martin wasn't planning to play a sport in college. But she had a change of heart. "I reconsidered," Martin said. "I was unsure for awhile, but I couldn’t imagine myself being done with soccer after high school. That led me to go out for club soccer this past fall where I had great … [Read more...] about ‘I knew it was where I wanted to be!’: Jags’ Martin to play soccer at Missouri Western
‘We left it out there’: Jaguars’ rally falls short in 56-52 loss at No. 2 Dowling
Don't be surprised if the two CIML Conference rivals who met on Tuesday at Dowling Catholic collide again in March at the girls' state basketball tournament. The second-ranked Maroons and No. 5 Ankeny Centennial both look primed to make deep postseason runs. "They're No. 2 for a reason, that's for sure," Centennial coach Scott DeJong said following his … [Read more...] about ‘We left it out there’: Jaguars’ rally falls short in 56-52 loss at No. 2 Dowling
‘I’m glad they get another shot at it’: Centennial seniors earn 4th trip to state
The seniors on the Ankeny Centennial girls' soccer team will get at least one more opportunity to play at Cownie Park. The eighth-ranked Jaguars advanced to next week's state tournament by defeating No. 11 Southeast Polk, 2-1, in a Class 3A regional final on Thursday at Centennial. "I was just talking to Gabby (Lawrence), McKenna (Hilton) and Avery … [Read more...] about ‘I’m glad they get another shot at it’: Centennial seniors earn 4th trip to state
Jaguars rally to defeat Whitefish Bay, finish 2-1 at Tournament of Champions
The Ankeny Centennial girls' soccer team completed a 2-1 weekend in the Tournament of Champions at Bettendorf by defeating Whitefish Bay (Wis.), 2-1, on Saturday. All three games were played indoors. Ava Martin scored the go-ahead goal for the sixth-ranked Jaguars, who overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit to raise their overall record to 8-3. "I thought … [Read more...] about Jaguars rally to defeat Whitefish Bay, finish 2-1 at Tournament of Champions
Martin goes ‘beast mode’, records hat trick in Jaguars’ 3-0 win over Johnston
Looking to bounce back from Friday's loss at Waukee, the Ankeny Centennial girls' soccer team turned to Ava Martin for some offensive production. The junior forward delivered in a big way. Martin recorded a hat trick and the fourth-ranked Jaguars defeated No. 12 Johnston, 3-0, in a CIML Conference game on Tuesday at Centennial. "I just felt like we … [Read more...] about Martin goes ‘beast mode’, records hat trick in Jaguars’ 3-0 win over Johnston
Resilient Jaguars outlast Dowling Catholic girls to win another shootout
For the second time in five days, the Ankeny Centennial girls' soccer team was forced to go to a shootout. And once again, the Jaguars prevailed. Seventh-ranked Centennial got a game-ending save from goalkeeper Rylee Litchfield and posted a 2-1 victory at No. 9 Dowling Catholic on Tuesday. The Jaguars improved to 2-0 in the CIML Conference and 4-1 … [Read more...] about Resilient Jaguars outlast Dowling Catholic girls to win another shootout
Centennial girls fall to Russmann, No. 6 Pleasant Valley in double OT, 3-2
A win over Pleasant Valley would have provided a huge boost for the Ankeny Centennial girls' soccer team. Even a 3-2 loss in double overtime showed the seventh-ranked Jaguars that they can play with one of the state's top squads. "I think we can definitely take some positives away from this," said Centennial junior Ava Martin, who scored both of her … [Read more...] about Centennial girls fall to Russmann, No. 6 Pleasant Valley in double OT, 3-2
Revive Clinic and Spa Prep of the Week: Ava Martin, Centennial girls’ basketball
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
Martin, Crawford lead No. 5 Jaguars past Sioux City North in postseason opener
Ava Martin wasn't going to let a gash on her head take her out of the lineup for the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team. The junior guard made 4-of-7 3-point shots and scored 12 points to help the fifth-ranked Jaguars to a 64-30 victory over visiting Sioux City North in a Class 5A regional semifinal on Saturday. She wore a bandage across her … [Read more...] about Martin, Crawford lead No. 5 Jaguars past Sioux City North in postseason opener
Waukee girls lead from start to finish, snap Jaguars’ 6-game winning streak
The fifth-ranked Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team just couldn't get over the hump on Tuesday at No. 4 Waukee. The Warriors scored the game's first seven points and led all the way en route to a 60-53 victory. The loss snapped Centennial's six-game winning streak. "We didn't come out well at all, and it was disappointing," said Centennial coach … [Read more...] about Waukee girls lead from start to finish, snap Jaguars’ 6-game winning streak
‘We were really motivated’: Centennial’s revenge tour begins with win over NW
The Class 3A state tournament could become a revenge tour for the Ankeny Centennial girls' soccer team. The fifth-ranked Jaguars avenged one of their three losses with a 2-1 victory over No. 4 Waukee Northwest in a Class 3A quarterfinal on Tuesday at Cownie Park. The Wolves had posted a 1-0 win over Centennial on May 13. "We were really motivated, and … [Read more...] about ‘We were really motivated’: Centennial’s revenge tour begins with win over NW
Martin, Compton lead Centennial girls past Dodgers for 3rd straight shutout
Freshman Ava Martin played a key role this season for the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team, coming off the bench as one of the Jaguars' top reserves. Now, she's filling a similar role for the Centennial girls' soccer team. Martin had a hat trick and also contributed an assist to lead the fourth-ranked Jaguars to a 12-0 victory on Tuesday at … [Read more...] about Martin, Compton lead Centennial girls past Dodgers for 3rd straight shutout