Ankeny senior Isaiah Smith has qualified for Saturday's state cross country meet in Fort Dodge. He placed fourth in a boys' Class 4A district meet on Wednesday at Marshalltown with a time of 16 minutes 2 seconds. Smith is a four-time state qualifier who placed 65th in Class 4A as a freshman, took 15th as a sophomore and then finished 37th in 2024. He … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Isaiah Smith, Ankeny boys’ cross country
Isaiah Smith
Smith, Madetzke advance to state, but qualifying streak ends for Ankeny squads
Ankeny cross country standout Isaiah Smith has earned a fourth consecutive trip to the boys' Class 4A state meet. Another senior, Makenna Madetzke, has qualified for the third time in the girls' race. This year, though, their respective teams will not be joining them. "It's really sad and kind of tragic to not have the team behind me," said … [Read more...] about Smith, Madetzke advance to state, but qualifying streak ends for Ankeny squads
‘It’s a great feeling’: Ankeny boys defend their Drake Relays crown in 4×800 relay
The boys' 4x800 relay at the Drake Relays on Saturday didn't exactly go according to plan for defending champion Ankeny. The Hawks were in second place when their third runner, Justice Rathje, fell onto the track while handing the baton to teammate Ethan Zuber. "I was just trying not to fall over that last 300 (meters) when that Cedar Falls guy passed … [Read more...] about ‘It’s a great feeling’: Ankeny boys defend their Drake Relays crown in 4×800 relay
‘It’s the greatest feeling ever’: Zuber wins 2nd title, leads Hawks to 8th-place finish
Ankeny's Ethan Zuber raised his arms in triumph as he crossed the finish line on Friday. The senior pulled away in the final half mile to defend his boys' Class 4A state cross country title at Fort Dodge. He posted a time of 15:01.2 in the 5K race. "It's the greatest feeling ever to come across with that win," said Zuber. "I'm very excited to see how … [Read more...] about ‘It’s the greatest feeling ever’: Zuber wins 2nd title, leads Hawks to 8th-place finish
‘I really wanted to focus on the hills’: Zuber wins his 2nd straight CIML crown
Check off another box for Ankeny runner Ethan Zuber. The senior easily defended his boys' title in the CIML Conference cross country meet on Wednesday, covering the 5K course at Southeast Polk in a time of 15 minutes 30.6 seconds. He finished about 11 seconds ahead of the Dowling Catholic duo of Owen Wolfe and Jack Flori. "That was the focus for me," … [Read more...] about ‘I really wanted to focus on the hills’: Zuber wins his 2nd straight CIML crown
‘He was better today’: Cedar Falls’ Merrick edges Zuber in state’s fastest race ever
Ankeny boys' coach Jon Lindaman called it maybe the greatest cross country showdown the state of Iowa has ever seen. Anybody who was there in Marshalltown on Thursday likely wouldn't disagree. In a matchup of the top two finishers at last year's Class 4A state meet, defending champion Ethan Zuber of Ankeny led the entire way in the Bobcat Invitational … [Read more...] about ‘He was better today’: Cedar Falls’ Merrick edges Zuber in state’s fastest race ever