Ankeny Fanatic

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Braeden Jackson

‘This is what you work for all year’: Jackson wins 200, anchors Jaguars’ winning 4×100

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The Ankeny boys' track team stole most of the headlines on Saturday in the Class 4A state meet. But Braeden Jackson and the Ankeny Centennial sprinters made plenty of noise, too. Jackson won a state title in the 200, anchored his team to another victory in the 4x100 relay, and led Centennial to a fourth-place finish in the team standings. The Jaguars … [Read more...] about ‘This is what you work for all year’: Jackson wins 200, anchors Jaguars’ winning 4×100

Jaguars defend state title in 4×200 relay, break all-time mark in 4×100 preliminaries

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) Noah Ross, Robert McGhee, Caleb Reed and Braeden Jackson got their all-time state record, but just not the one they were on the hunt for. The Ankeny Centennial quartet was on the cusp of setting the all-time record in the 4x200 relay after becoming the second team in Iowa high school history to run a time that was sub-1:26 … [Read more...] about Jaguars defend state title in 4×200 relay, break all-time mark in 4×100 preliminaries

Hawks defend their crown in 4×800 relay, score points in 3 other events to take lead

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The Ankeny boys' quest for a second consecutive Class 4A track championship got off to a good start Thursday at Drake Stadium. The Hawks defended their title in the 4x800 relay, scored points in three other events and set a meet record in the preliminaries of the shuttle hurdle relay on the opening day of the coed state meet. Those efforts allowed … [Read more...] about Hawks defend their crown in 4×800 relay, score points in 3 other events to take lead

‘We are peaking at the right time’: Jaguars place 2nd in both divisions at SQM

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The Ankeny Centennial track teams earned second-place finishes in a Class 4A state qualifying meet on Thursday at Council Bluffs Lincoln. Dowling Catholic captured both team titles. The Maroons won the boys' division with 213 points--24 more than Centennial--after losing to the Jaguars by one point at the CIML Conference meet on May 8. "The biggest … [Read more...] about ‘We are peaking at the right time’: Jaguars place 2nd in both divisions at SQM

Jaguars edge Dowling by 1 point to win first conference championship since 2021

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) It all came down to the final event, and one singular point made all the difference in Ankeny Centennial’s second-ever CIML Conference boys' track championship. The Jaguars won two individual events and a pair of relay races on their way to taking the team title on Thursday with 120 points, edging runner-up Dowling Catholic … [Read more...] about Jaguars edge Dowling by 1 point to win first conference championship since 2021

‘We’re excited to see where we stack up’: Jaguars, Hawks look ahead to state meet

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Over the course of three days at the Drake Relays, the Ankeny Centennial boys' track team showed that the Jaguars will be a force at next month's Class 4A state meet. "I'm really confident in me and my teammates' ability to come out and compete with the best of them," said Centennial senior Braeden Jackson, who ran on the third-place 4x100 and … [Read more...] about ‘We’re excited to see where we stack up’: Jaguars, Hawks look ahead to state meet

‘We just had to run our own race’: Jaguars break Drake Relays record in 4×200 relay

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Friday's session of the Drake Relays produced many memorable moments on a cool and overcast day, including a record-setting performance by the Ankeny Centennial boys' track team. The Jaguars raced to a victory in the 4x200 relay in a meet-record time of 1:26.55, finishing .56 seconds ahead of runner-up Newton. It was one of five high school marks that … [Read more...] about ‘We just had to run our own race’: Jaguars break Drake Relays record in 4×200 relay

‘We have to keep working hard every day’: Jaguars continue to build momentum

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The Ankeny Centennial boys' track team continues to build a lot of momentum heading into next week's Drake Relays. The Jaguars won the Class A title at the Waukee Relays on Thursday with 150 points. The host Warriors finished second in the nine-team field with 134.5. Ankeny placed sixth with 45 points. Centennial won seven events, including three … [Read more...] about ‘We have to keep working hard every day’: Jaguars continue to build momentum

‘Iowa was always going to be my first choice’: Jackson commits to Hawkeyes

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It didn't take long for Ankeny Centennial running back Braeden Jackson to accept a preferred walk-on offer from the Iowa football program. Jackson committed to play for the Hawkeyes on Friday--just four days after receiving the offer. "Other than Iowa Western giving a scholarship, Iowa was the only other offer or PWO on the table at the moment," said … [Read more...] about ‘Iowa was always going to be my first choice’: Jackson commits to Hawkeyes

Jackson erupts for 372 all-purpose yards, 6 TDs in Jaguars’ win over Iowa City High

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) Braeden Jackson felt pretty good when he woke up on Friday, and that turned out to be the worst possible news for the Iowa City Little Hawks. Ankeny Centennial’s standout running back delivered an historic performance as he amassed 372 all-purpose yards and six total touchdowns to lead the seventh-seeded Jaguars to a 52-28 … [Read more...] about Jackson erupts for 372 all-purpose yards, 6 TDs in Jaguars’ win over Iowa City High

Jaguars likely clinch playoff berth with dominant 2nd half at Waukee Northwest

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) Two big plays, back-to-back, was all it took for the door to get knocked off its hinges. With some playoff implications on the line, the 12th-ranked Ankeny Centennial football team went on the road and dominated the second half for a 28-10 win over a Waukee Northwest squad fighting to keep its postseason hopes … [Read more...] about Jaguars likely clinch playoff berth with dominant 2nd half at Waukee Northwest

Jackson scores on opening kickoff to spark Jaguars to 44-7 victory at East

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A trip to Williams Stadium on Friday night provided an opportunity for the Ankeny Centennial football team to bounce back from its first loss of the season. The Jaguars took advantage of it. Braeden Jackson returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown and Centennial went on to beat host Des Moines East, 44-7, in its district opener. "My … [Read more...] about Jackson scores on opening kickoff to spark Jaguars to 44-7 victory at East

Jackson, Jaguars dominate 2nd half, pull away for 31-10 victory over Ankeny

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) It was tough for Braeden Jackson to pick out his favorite touchdown run. The Ankeny Centennial senior running back scored three times in the second half and rushed for 236 yards to fuel the third-ranked Jaguars to a 31-10 victory over No. 2 Ankeny in the season opener for both teams on Friday. “It feels great,” said … [Read more...] about Jackson, Jaguars dominate 2nd half, pull away for 31-10 victory over Ankeny

Hawks win 3 events, Jaguars capture 2 relay titles at CIML Conference meet

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After a busy weekend at the Drake Relays, the Ankeny and Ankeny Centennial boys' track teams adjusted their lineups for the CIML Conference meet on Thursday. The Jaguars placed fifth in the nine-team field at Southeast Polk. They finished with 91 points. "We're kind of here just to have fun, especially since it's the last races of the year for some of … [Read more...] about Hawks win 3 events, Jaguars capture 2 relay titles at CIML Conference meet

‘There’s more to see out of us’: Jaguars sprint to trio of top-5 finishes at Drake

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While the Ankeny boys' track team grabbed many of the headlines at the Drake Relays over the last two days, its crosstown rival showed off its strength in the sprint events as well. Ankeny Centennial earned a trio of top-five finishes in the boys' division, highlighted by a third-place finish in the 4x200 relay on Friday. The foursome of Robert McGhee, … [Read more...] about ‘There’s more to see out of us’: Jaguars sprint to trio of top-5 finishes at Drake

Ankeny Fanatic Podcast: Episode 239 (Part 2)

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In part two of the latest edition of the Ankeny Fanatic weekly podcast sponsored by Coldwell Banker Mid-America, publisher Dan Holm breaks down Friday's Jag-Hawk showdown in the Class 5A semifinals at the UNI-Dome with junior running back Braeden Jackson and senior defensive back Nate Christiansen of Ankeny Centennial and junior quarterback Luke Anderson and … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Podcast: Episode 239 (Part 2)

‘We executed on all levels’: Jaguars thump Urbandale, earn trip to playoffs

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The Class 5A playoffs have already started for the Ankeny Centennial football team. In a do-or-die game between two opponents with identical 4-4 records, the 14th-ranked Jaguars punched their ticket to the postseason with a convincing 41-3 victory at No. 19 Urbandale on Friday. "It feels really good," said Centennial tight end Chase Schutty. "We needed … [Read more...] about ‘We executed on all levels’: Jaguars thump Urbandale, earn trip to playoffs