Ankeny Fanatic

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Brett Delaney

‘We knew what we were going up against’: Jags fall short against Schlader, Wolves

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It took a dominant pitcher to bring an end to Ankeny Centennial's record-shattering softball season. Waukee Northwest star Sophia Schlader tossed a two-hitter and had nine strikeouts to lead the top-ranked Wolves to a 3-1 victory over No. 2 Ankeny Centennial in the Class 5A championship game on Friday night at Harlan Rogers Park in Fort Dodge. Hazel … [Read more...] about ‘We knew what we were going up against’: Jags fall short against Schlader, Wolves

Leinen’s late home run lifts Wolves past Centennial for back-to-back 5A crowns

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Hazel Leinen hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning to lift the top-ranked Waukee Northwest softball team to a 3-1 victory over No. 2 Ankeny Centennial in the Class 5A championship game on Friday night at Harlan Rogers Park in Fort Dodge. Sophomore Sophia Schlader tossed a two-hitter and had nine strikeouts as the Wolves (40-4) defended their … [Read more...] about Leinen’s late home run lifts Wolves past Centennial for back-to-back 5A crowns

‘We just push each other’: Jags advance to title game behind Ott sisters’ 4 homers

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A friendly rivalry between Emmy and Mady Ott has paid off in a big way for the Ankeny Centennial softball team. The sisters each blasted a pair of home runs and combined for six RBIs to lead the second-ranked Jaguars to a 10-3 victory over No. 6 Southeast Polk in the Class 5A state tournament on Wednesday at Harlan Rogers Park in Fort Dodge. "We're … [Read more...] about ‘We just push each other’: Jags advance to title game behind Ott sisters’ 4 homers

‘Starting off 2-0 is a pretty good feeling’: Jags move closer to Class 5A title game

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Only one more victory separates the Ankeny Centennial softball team from a berth in the Class 5A championship game. The second-ranked Jaguars pounded out 10 hits and got a three-hit shutout from Lauren Sandholm to beat No. 6 Southeast Polk, 8-0, in six innings in a winners' bracket second-round game in the state tournament on Tuesday at Harlan Rogers Park … [Read more...] about ‘Starting off 2-0 is a pretty good feeling’: Jags move closer to Class 5A title game

Jaguars blast 3 homers, including grand slam by Hatfield, in 12-2 rout over Dowling

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) The last time the Ankeny Centennial softball team met Dowling Catholic, the Jaguars needed a dramatic seventh-inning rally and a walk-off hit in the eighth to avoid a potential upset loss to the Maroons. The second-ranked Jaguars made sure that wasn’t going to be a remote possibility in their opening round matchup at the … [Read more...] about Jaguars blast 3 homers, including grand slam by Hatfield, in 12-2 rout over Dowling

Jaguars roll past Muscatine, advance to state tourney for 5th time in last 7 years

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) The last regional championship game Lauren Sandholm played in with the Ankeny Centennial softball team ended with a heart-breaking defeat. But after a season away from the squad, the star pitcher’s return to the lineup alongside her twin sister, Audrey, was more than enough to help the second-ranked Jaguars back to Fort … [Read more...] about Jaguars roll past Muscatine, advance to state tourney for 5th time in last 7 years

‘It feels good to come out on top’: Jaguars earn split with Valley, capture outright title

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Now that the Ankeny Centennial softball team has earned the CIML Conference title, the second-ranked Jaguars can focus their attention on a bigger prize. Centennial captured the outright league crown with a 6-3 victory over visiting Valley in the second game of a doubleheader on Wednesday. The No. 3 Tigers won the opener, 6-2, to become the first team … [Read more...] about ‘It feels good to come out on top’: Jaguars earn split with Valley, capture outright title

After routing No. 4 DC-G, Jaguars will play for outright CIML crown on Wednesday

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The Ankeny Centennial softball team passed another huge test on Tuesday with a 9-2 victory at Dallas Center-Grimes in a non-conference showdown between top-five squads. The second-ranked Jaguars used an eight-run second inning to build a commanding 9-0 lead. No. 4 Dallas Center-Grimes extended the game on a two-run homer by Jenah Gray in the fifth, but … [Read more...] about After routing No. 4 DC-G, Jaguars will play for outright CIML crown on Wednesday

Jaguars rally to sweep Urbandale, clinch share of conference title on Senior Night

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Despite playing just one game in the previous eight days, the Ankeny Centennial softball team had no trouble picking up right where it left off. The second-ranked Jaguars swept a doubleheader against visiting Urbandale on Monday and clinched at least a share of the CIML Conference title in the process, thanks to No. 1 Waukee Northwest's 4-3 loss at No. 6 … [Read more...] about Jaguars rally to sweep Urbandale, clinch share of conference title on Senior Night

‘This team just never gives up’: Jaguars stun Dowling girls with miraculous rally

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In a season full of improbable comebacks by the Ankeny Centennial softball team, the Jaguars' latest rally from an almost certain defeat may have been the most miraculous one yet. Down to its final out, second-ranked Centennial rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to forge an 8-8 tie against No. 7 Dowling Catholic on Wednesday. Kori … [Read more...] about ‘This team just never gives up’: Jaguars stun Dowling girls with miraculous rally

Spiegel, Hatfield outduel Iowa City Liberty duo in Centennial’s doubleheader sweep

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The home run binge finally came to an end, but Ankeny Centennial's dominance on the softball field continued on Friday with a doubleheader sweep over visiting Iowa City Liberty. The second-ranked Jaguars swept the non-conference twinbill by scores of 3-0 and 7-1. They raised their overall record to 31-2, while the Lightning dropped to 17-13. The … [Read more...] about Spiegel, Hatfield outduel Iowa City Liberty duo in Centennial’s doubleheader sweep

‘It felt really good off the bat’: Wyble’s slam allows Jags to split with Waukee NW

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On a night when its 21-game winning streak came to an end, the Ankeny Centennial softball team still managed to pull off another dramatic, come-from-behind victory. After dropping a 7-3 decision in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday at top-ranked Waukee Northwest, the No. 2 Jaguars fell behind in the nightcap, 7-3, and were just three outs away … [Read more...] about ‘It felt really good off the bat’: Wyble’s slam allows Jags to split with Waukee NW

Lincicum blasts record-setting homer, helps Jaguars to sweep over Hawkettes

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The Ankeny Centennial softball team seemed destined to break the state's all-time single-season home run record during Wednesday's doubleheader at Ankeny. It took only five pitches for the second-ranked Jaguars to make some history in the first game. Leadoff batter Kori Lincicum hit a three-ball, one-strike pitch from Sophie Schoeppner well beyond the … [Read more...] about Lincicum blasts record-setting homer, helps Jaguars to sweep over Hawkettes

HISTORIC BLAST: Jaguars equal HR mark, rally past S.E. Polk on Ott’s 3-run shot

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) Mady Ott couldn’t have picked a better time to help etch the Ankeny Centennial softball team into the record books. A sixth-inning three-run homer from Ott was not only the catalyst for the second-ranked Jaguars’ 5-3 come-from-behind victory over No. 6 Southeast Polk, but it helped Centennial tie the all-time single-season … [Read more...] about HISTORIC BLAST: Jaguars equal HR mark, rally past S.E. Polk on Ott’s 3-run shot

Jaguars roll past Johnston, get combined no-hitter from Spiegel, Sandholm, Sterling

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The Ankeny Centennial softball team just keeps rolling along. The second-ranked Jaguars completed a sweep of their season series against Johnston with an 11-0 road victory in five innings on Thursday. They swept the three meetings against the Dragons by a combined margin of 29-2 with all of the games ending via the mercy rule. "We came out and hit the … [Read more...] about Jaguars roll past Johnston, get combined no-hitter from Spiegel, Sandholm, Sterling

Jaguars use miraculous rally to sweep Waukee, move into first place in CIML

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After pulling off a miraculous 11-9 victory in the opener of Wednesday's doubleheader at 13th-ranked Waukee, the No. 2 Ankeny Centennial softball team used that momentum to cruise to an 11-0 win in six innings in the nightcap. The sweep allowed the Jaguars to extend their winning streak to 13 games while moving into sole possession of first place in the … [Read more...] about Jaguars use miraculous rally to sweep Waukee, move into first place in CIML

‘This is probably the best team we’ve had’: Red-hot Jags sweep Cedar Falls, Linn-Mar

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The Ankeny Centennial softball team is in the midst of an historic run. The second-ranked Jaguars swept a pair of non-conference doubleheaders this weekend to extend their winning streak to 10 games while improving to 17-1 on the season. They pounded nine home runs in Saturday's twinbill against visiting Linn-Mar (Marion) to increase their state-leading … [Read more...] about ‘This is probably the best team we’ve had’: Red-hot Jags sweep Cedar Falls, Linn-Mar

‘We came in here with a lot of confidence’: Jaguars rout Valley in CIML showdown

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) The Ankeny Centennial softball team has been on a major hot streak since suffering its first and only loss of the season against Waukee Northwest on June 4. Not even the third-ranked Valley Tigers could derail the No. 2 Jaguars from the tear they’ve been on in their current six-game winning streak. Centennial mashed four … [Read more...] about ‘We came in here with a lot of confidence’: Jaguars rout Valley in CIML showdown

Hatfield, Jaguars continue their recent home run binge in 14-2 win at North Polk

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Even with Jordyn Kennedy out of the lineup for Tuesday's non-conference game, the Ankeny Centennial softball team continued its home run binge. Mylie Hatfield blasted two homers, her teammates combined for three more, and the second-ranked Jaguars cruised to a 14-2 victory in four innings at North Polk, the No. 9 team in Class 4A. "We were very … [Read more...] about Hatfield, Jaguars continue their recent home run binge in 14-2 win at North Polk