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Jay Groth

Centennial wrestlers rack up 9 falls, romp to 67-11 victory over Dowling Catholic

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Ankeny Centennial wrestling coach Jay Groth felt pretty good about his team's chances heading into Thursday's dual meet against visiting Dowling Catholic. The Jaguars backed up his confidence by winning 12 of the 14 matches and rolling to a 67-11 victory. "We wrestled well," said Groth. "I've been doing this a long time and I always go through the … [Read more...] about Centennial wrestlers rack up 9 falls, romp to 67-11 victory over Dowling Catholic

Jaguars dominate Centennial Duals, capture title for 7th consecutive year

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The Ankeny Centennial wrestlers dominated the Centennial Duals on Saturday, easily winning the tournament for the seventh consecutive year. The Jaguars defeated their five opponents by an average margin of 57-18. They raised their record to 9-0 on the season. "I thought we wrestled pretty well," said Centennial coach Jay Groth. "The boys came out, got … [Read more...] about Jaguars dominate Centennial Duals, capture title for 7th consecutive year

Centennial wrestlers notch 7 falls, stay unbeaten with 48-21 win at Urbandale

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The Ankeny Centennial wrestlers remained unbeaten in dual-meet competition with a 48-21 victory at Urbandale on Thursday. The Jaguars won eight of the 14 matches and recorded seven falls. They improved their records to 2-0 in the CIML Conference and 4-0 overall. "We wrestled well, but we've got to win the close matches," said Centennial coach Jay … [Read more...] about Centennial wrestlers notch 7 falls, stay unbeaten with 48-21 win at Urbandale

Jaguars crown 3 individual champs, take 2nd overall at Keith Young Invitational

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Even with a depleted lineup, the Ankeny Centennial wrestlers earned runner-up honors in the Keith Young Invitational on Saturday at Cedar Falls. The Jaguars scored 177 points in the 16-team tournament. Dubuque Hempstead captured the crown with 184.5 points. "Our guys wrestled much better than they did on Thursday (against Waukee)," said Centennial … [Read more...] about Jaguars crown 3 individual champs, take 2nd overall at Keith Young Invitational

‘We got the job done’: Jags top Waukee, but aren’t satisfied with performance

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A moral victory is defined as a defeat that can be interpreted as a victory on moral terms, because the defeated team exceeded its expectations. The Ankeny Centennial wrestling team may have experienced the opposite of a moral victory on Thursday, when the Jaguars posted a 39-24 win over a visiting Waukee squad that they defeated a year ago by 66 … [Read more...] about ‘We got the job done’: Jags top Waukee, but aren’t satisfied with performance

Centennial wrestlers romp to wins over Albia, West Marshall to open season

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Ankeny Centennial wrestling coach Jay Groth isn't sure what the Jaguars' best lineup will be just yet. But the one that he put on the mat Tuesday night looked pretty good. Centennial opened the season with a pair of lopsided victories in a double dual meet. The host Jaguars posted a 58-16 win over Albia, then rolled to a 72-6 triumph over West … [Read more...] about Centennial wrestlers romp to wins over Albia, West Marshall to open season

‘We have talent and depth and numbers’: Jaguars boast 8 returning state qualifiers

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A year ago, Ankeny Centennial advanced 12 wrestlers to the Class 3A state tournament--the most in school history. Now, eight of those 12 wrestlers are back, the most returning qualifiers the Jaguars have ever had under coach Jay Groth. "We are an experienced crew," Groth said. "We are working hard to raise the bar to get to the next level. We have a … [Read more...] about ‘We have talent and depth and numbers’: Jaguars boast 8 returning state qualifiers

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

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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

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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

‘That was awesome’: Cale Vandermark, Lucas Bruhl punch tickets to semifinals

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Ankeny Centennial freshman Cale Vandermark was getting tired during his quarterfinal match at the Class 3A state wrestling tournament on Thursday. His opponent, though, was beginning to fade as well under the bright lights at Wells Fargo Arena. The sixth-seeded Vandermark got a takedown in the final seconds of regulation to force overtime, then got … [Read more...] about ‘That was awesome’: Cale Vandermark, Lucas Bruhl punch tickets to semifinals

Centennial crowns 3 district champs, advances 9 other wrestlers to state

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Every year, the goal for Ankeny Centennial coach Jay Groth is to qualify all 14 of his wrestlers for the Class 3A state tournament. On Saturday, the Jaguars came closer than ever to meeting that goal--with help from a new format that allows the top three finishers at each weight to advance to state. Centennial qualified 12 wrestlers while placing … [Read more...] about Centennial crowns 3 district champs, advances 9 other wrestlers to state

‘We’ve just got to learn from it’: Jaguars finish 8th in 3A duals tournament

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Ankeny Centennial's trip to the state duals wrestling tournament turned into a bumpy ride. The Jaguars placed eighth in the Class 3A field on Saturday at Xtream Arena in Coralville. They finished the dual season with a 21-9 record after losing to all three of their opponents. "It was just one of those days where we came out flat and wrestled flat all … [Read more...] about ‘We’ve just got to learn from it’: Jaguars finish 8th in 3A duals tournament

‘It was a nailbiter’: Jaguars edge Carlisle on 9th criteria, advance to state duals

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When Ankeny Centennial's Cael Wiener stepped onto the wrestling mat Tuesday night, he had a chance to send his team to the Class 3A state duals tournament. The 132-pound senior just didn't know for sure by what margin he needed to win in order to give the sixth-ranked Jaguars a victory over No. 10 Carlisle in a regional final at Centennial. "At first … [Read more...] about ‘It was a nailbiter’: Jaguars edge Carlisle on 9th criteria, advance to state duals

Centennial wrestlers close out regular season with 36-34 loss at Waukee NW

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The Ankeny Centennial wrestling team closed out the regular season on Thursday with a 36-34 loss at Waukee Northwest. The Wolves won eight of the 14 matches to offset four pins and two technical falls by Centennial. The 10th-ranked Jaguars finished 4-4 in the CIML Conference and dropped to 20-6 overall. Northwest sealed the win when defending state … [Read more...] about Centennial wrestlers close out regular season with 36-34 loss at Waukee NW

‘They weren’t afraid of the competition’: Jaguars take 4th at rugged Winger Invite

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Saturday's Ed Winger Invitational at Urbandale gave the Ankeny Centennial wrestlers an opportunity to test themselves against some of the state's top grapplers. The Jaguars responded with a strong performance, placing fourth in a field of 24 teams with 120 points. They had eight top-six finishes. "I was pretty pleased with the way things went," said … [Read more...] about ‘They weren’t afraid of the competition’: Jaguars take 4th at rugged Winger Invite

Jaguars rout Dowling on Senior Night, reach 20 wins for 3rd time under Groth

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It was a memorable Senior Night for the Ankeny Centennial wrestlers on Thursday. The sixth-ranked Jaguars recorded six pins and rolled to a 57-22 victory over visiting Dowling Catholic in a CIML Conference dual meet. "We wrestled well," said Centennial coach Jay Groth. "I thought all of our guys went out there and fought." Prior to the meet, … [Read more...] about Jaguars rout Dowling on Senior Night, reach 20 wins for 3rd time under Groth

Centennial wrestlers beat Humboldt to earn 3rd-place finish at Osage Duals

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The Ankeny Centennial wrestlers earned a third-place finish in the Osage Duals on Saturday. After going 2-2 during the preliminary rounds, the eighth-ranked Jaguars posted a 39-30 victory over Humboldt in the third-place match. They are now 19-5 on the season. "We had a little bit of a letdown after our big win over Johnston (on Thursday)," said … [Read more...] about Centennial wrestlers beat Humboldt to earn 3rd-place finish at Osage Duals