Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

Jack Wignall

‘They were really motivated’: Centennial wrestlers end losing streak to Ankeny

by

The seniors on the Ankeny Centennial wrestling team were highly motivated for Thursday's dual meet against visiting Ankeny. The eighth-ranked Jaguars won nine of the 14 matches and recorded five falls en route to a 42-17 victory--their first over Ankeny since the 2019-20 season. "There was definitely some talk amongst the seniors who were saying, 'Hey, … [Read more...] about ‘They were really motivated’: Centennial wrestlers end losing streak to Ankeny

Folkers captures individual title, leads Hawks to tie for 5th at Mendenhall Invite

by

Ankeny wrestler Truman Folkers only needed to win two matches on Saturday to capture an individual title in the Jack Mendenhall Invitational at Ames. Folkers led his squad to a tie for fifth place in the 13-team field. Both Ankeny and Cedar Rapids Prairie finished with 138 points. Fort Dodge won the tournament with 195 points. Indianola was second with … [Read more...] about Folkers captures individual title, leads Hawks to tie for 5th at Mendenhall Invite

‘We knew it was going to be tough’: AHS wrestlers drop 60-6 decision at S.E. Polk

by

Ankeny wrestling coach Jack Wignall wasn't looking forward to Thursday's dual meet at top-ranked Southeast Polk. "We knew it was going to be tough, and I think I had more anxiety about that than when we have a dual meet that is fun and close," said Wignall. "They're just really good, and where we're good they're a little bit better." The Rams won 12 of … [Read more...] about ‘We knew it was going to be tough’: AHS wrestlers drop 60-6 decision at S.E. Polk

PIN TO WIN: Hawks record 6 falls, rally from huge deficit to beat No. 12 Carlisle

by

The last time the Ankeny wrestlers competed at Carlisle, the Hawks weren't happy with their performance. It was a different story on Thursday. Ankeny, the No. 17 team in the Class 3A dual rankings, recorded six falls and posted a 36-31 victory at No. 12 Carlisle in a non-conference meet. The Hawks evened their overall mark at 5-5. "We were in … [Read more...] about PIN TO WIN: Hawks record 6 falls, rally from huge deficit to beat No. 12 Carlisle

Hawk wrestlers drop 39-33 decision at Johnston, will head to Battle of Waterloo

by

The Ankeny wrestling team is still a work in progress. That's why coach Jack Wignall wasn't too concerned about the Hawks' 39-33 loss at Johnston in a CIML Conference dual meet on Thursday. "We feel pretty good about where we're at," said Wignall. "If we get a couple of our guys back in January, I think we'll be OK." The Dragons won seven of the … [Read more...] about Hawk wrestlers drop 39-33 decision at Johnston, will head to Battle of Waterloo

Depleted Ankeny wrestlers finish in 10th place at Frank Baltzley Invitational

by

Due to some illnesses, the Ankeny wrestling team entered Saturday's Frank Baltzley Invitational at Johnston with a depleted lineup. The Hawks competed without two of their five ranked wrestlers, including second-ranked Ben Hansen at 144 pounds. Hansen has been sick all week, although he did record a pin on Thursday to help his team to a win over … [Read more...] about Depleted Ankeny wrestlers finish in 10th place at Frank Baltzley Invitational

THE TRUMAN SHOW: Folkers’ pin gives Hawks 35-32 triumph over Waukee

by

For the second week in a row, the Ankeny wrestling team battled its CIML Conference opponent down to the final match. This time, the Hawks came out on top. Truman Folkers pinned Waukee's Carson Crigger in 4 minutes 54 seconds at 132 pounds to give Ankeny a 35-32 victory over the visiting Warriors on Thursday. The Hawks evened their dual-meet record at … [Read more...] about THE TRUMAN SHOW: Folkers’ pin gives Hawks 35-32 triumph over Waukee

‘We knew it was going to be tough’: Hawk wrestlers place 14th at Donnybrook

by

Ankeny wrestling coach Jack Wignall has a predicament on his hands. The Hawks' top two finishers in the Dan Gable Donnybrook on Friday and Saturday at Xtream Arena in Coralville were Ben Walsh and Isaac Wignall, who both competed at 106 pounds.  "It does create a dilemma," said Wignall. "You have two kids that are that good at the same weight. At … [Read more...] about ‘We knew it was going to be tough’: Hawk wrestlers place 14th at Donnybrook

Dowling wrestlers overcome 21-point deficit to tie Hawks, then win on criteria

by

With four matches left in Thursday's CIML Conference dual meet at Dowling Catholic, the Ankeny wrestling team held a 16-point lead and appeared to be on its way to a season-opening victory. Then things suddenly went awry. Dowling reeled off four straight triumphs, Ankeny was penalized a team point along the way for unsportsmanlike conduct, and that … [Read more...] about Dowling wrestlers overcome 21-point deficit to tie Hawks, then win on criteria

Ankeny wrestlers look to reload after graduating 4 state placewinners

by

The Ankeny wrestling team suffered some heavy losses to graduation last spring, forcing coach Jack Wignall to fill some holes in the Hawks' lineup. Five of the squad's nine state qualifiers and four of the six placewinners will have to be replaced. "We did lose a talented group of seniors," said Wignall. "They won a lot of matches and scored … [Read more...] about Ankeny wrestlers look to reload after graduating 4 state placewinners

Hawk wrestlers place 10th, Jaguars finish 12th in Class 3A state tournament

by

It was a rollercoaster Saturday for the Ankeny wrestling team during the consolation finals of the Class 3A state tournament at Wells Fargo Arena. The Hawks went 3-7 on the day and finished in 10th place overall with 89.5 points. Still, they had six placewinners for the first time under coach Jack Wignall. "It was a really fun tournament," said … [Read more...] about Hawk wrestlers place 10th, Jaguars finish 12th in Class 3A state tournament

Ankeny wrestlers fall to 10th, Jaguars drop to 12th after semifinal losses

by

It was a rough Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena for the Ankeny Centennial wrestling team. Crosstown rival Ankeny fared considerably better in the Class 3A state tournament, especially in the consolation rounds. The Hawks went 6-3 on the back sides of the brackets and are now in 10th place with 81.5 points. Six of Ankeny's nine state qualifiers earned … [Read more...] about Ankeny wrestlers fall to 10th, Jaguars drop to 12th after semifinal losses

Hawks advance 9 matmen to state, have ‘nothing to lose and everything to gain’

by

The Ankeny wrestling team advanced nine qualifiers to this week's Class 3A state tournament at Wells Fargo Arena, led by district champion Jace Anderson. The fourth-ranked Hawks placed second in a district tournament on Saturday at Carlisle. The host Wildcats won the team title with 189 points, while Ankeny finished with 168.5. The Hawks had five … [Read more...] about Hawks advance 9 matmen to state, have ‘nothing to lose and everything to gain’

‘We wrestled as hard as we could’: Hawks place 4th in 3A duals tourney

by

The Ankeny wrestling team returned home from the Class 3A state duals tournament with some new hardware for the school's trophy case. The Hawks earned a fourth-place finish on Saturday at Xtream Arena in Coralville. It was the highest finish in school history. "We wanted to finish higher, but I can honestly say we had no regrets when we left there," … [Read more...] about ‘We wrestled as hard as we could’: Hawks place 4th in 3A duals tourney

Hawk wrestlers roll past Bluejays, earn another trip to state duals tournament

by

Ankeny junior Ben Hansen was excited when the regional dual wrestling assignments came out. The fourth-ranked Hawks learned last week that they would likely host No. 13 Bondurant-Farrar in Tuesday's regional final at Ankeny. The two teams met at the Dave Ewing Duals on Jan. 21, when Ankeny posted a 39-21 victory in the championship match. However, the … [Read more...] about Hawk wrestlers roll past Bluejays, earn another trip to state duals tournament

RAM TOUGH: S.E. Polk wrestlers top Ankeny to capture conference crown

by

There's still a gap between the Southeast Polk wrestling team and the rest of the CIML Conference. The top-ranked Rams won 11 of the 14 matches and rolled to a 45-12 victory at No. 4 Ankeny on Thursday, allowing them to wrap up the league's dual-meet crown. The Hawks finished 7-1 in the conference and dropped to 19-2 overall. "We got outwrestled in … [Read more...] about RAM TOUGH: S.E. Polk wrestlers top Ankeny to capture conference crown

‘It’s a good feeling to win it again’: Hawks capture 4th straight Ewing Duals title

by

The storybook season continues for the Ankeny wrestling team. The fourth-ranked Hawks easily won their own Dave Ewing Duals on Saturday for the fourth consecutive year. They defeated their four opponents by an average margin of 50 points to raise their overall record to 19-1. Ankeny surpassed its total of 17 wins from last year, which had been its … [Read more...] about ‘It’s a good feeling to win it again’: Hawks capture 4th straight Ewing Duals title

HAPPY HOMECOMING: Wignall guides Hawks to 72-6 victory at Knoxville

by

Thursday's trip to Knoxville was a sentimental one for Ankeny wrestling coach Jack Wignall. Wignall, who spent a lot of time in Knoxville while growing up in southern Iowa, guided the fourth-ranked Hawks to a 72-6 victory in the non-conference dual meet. "We had a good time," said Wignall. "It was good to see my family there. They hadn't seen me coach … [Read more...] about HAPPY HOMECOMING: Wignall guides Hawks to 72-6 victory at Knoxville