Ankeny Fanatic

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Jeff Bauer

‘We love coach Schoon’: Hawks advance to Dome following medical emergency

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) With a trip to the UNI-Dome on the line and facing a team that ended its season two years ago, the Ankeny football team had more than enough reasons to win its Friday night Class 5A quarterfinal matchup against visiting Iowa City Liberty. But a terrifying moment with 5 minutes left to play gave the Hawks even more … [Read more...] about ‘We love coach Schoon’: Hawks advance to Dome following medical emergency

Ankeny assistant football coach Schoon leaves playoff game in ambulance

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Ankeny assistant football coach Greg Schoon collapsed on the sidelines during Friday's playoff game and left Ankeny Stadium in an ambulance. A police officer performed CPR, and a defibrillator was used. According to Ankeny Fanatic reporter Stephen McDaniel, someone was seen raising a fist in the air as Schoon was loaded into the ambulance, eliciting … [Read more...] about Ankeny assistant football coach Schoon leaves playoff game in ambulance

Goode, Tate lead Hawks past Waukee in opening round of Class 5A playoffs, 43-37

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With an abundance of offensive weapons, the Ankeny football team doesn't always have to rely on the same playmakers. On Friday night, it was time for Devan Goode and DJ Tate to shine. Goode rushed for three touchdowns, Tate caught three scoring passes, and the fourth-ranked Hawks held off a furious rally by No. 13 Waukee to post a 43-37 victory in the … [Read more...] about Goode, Tate lead Hawks past Waukee in opening round of Class 5A playoffs, 43-37

‘We were firing on all cylinders’: Ankeny rolls into playoffs following 66-7 blowout

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) For senior quarterback Mason Machan, there wasn’t much more the Ankeny football team could’ve done to make its final regular season game that much better. Machan led an Ankeny offense that recorded nine consecutive scoring drives and had a running clock going before halftime, while the defense forced seven turnovers and … [Read more...] about ‘We were firing on all cylinders’: Ankeny rolls into playoffs following 66-7 blowout

‘We had a lot of chances to win it’: Hawks drop thriller at Valley in double OT, 36-35

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Once upon a time, legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi famously said that football "is a game of inches." That was certainly the case on Friday night at Valley Stadium. Third-ranked Ankeny nearly won a showdown against No. 14 Valley on the final play of regulation, when a 32-yard field-goal attempt by Canden Ganahl sailed over the right post. However, … [Read more...] about ‘We had a lot of chances to win it’: Hawks drop thriller at Valley in double OT, 36-35

‘They made a lot of plays’: Dragons pick off 5 passes in 27-0 victory over Ankeny

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It's back to the drawing board for the Ankeny football team. After cruising through the first five weeks of the season, the Hawks suffered a humbling defeat on Friday, dropping a 27-0 decision at Johnston in a showdown between two of the top squads in Class 5A. "Our coach always says, 'Good times make weak people,'" said Ankeny linebacker Rowan Doak. … [Read more...] about ‘They made a lot of plays’: Dragons pick off 5 passes in 27-0 victory over Ankeny

‘We need to learn lessons from this’: Hawks suffer first shutout loss since 2018

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(Story by Dom Tornabane) The Johnston football team made a huge statement on Friday night. The Dragons intercepted five passes, held visiting Ankeny to just 75 yards of total offense and rolled to a 27-0 victory over the previously unbeaten Hawks. Ankeny was held scoreless for the first time since the 2018 season, when the Hawks lost to Dowling … [Read more...] about ‘We need to learn lessons from this’: Hawks suffer first shutout loss since 2018

‘The offense kept answering for us’: Hawks outlast Sioux City East in shootout, 35-25

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The Ankeny football team passed its biggest test of the season thus far. The visiting Hawks got a pair of interceptions from Zane McAnelly and Dawson Whitinger in the second half and held off Sioux City East, 35-25, in a battle of unbeaten squads on Friday at Elwood Olsen Stadium. "It was a tough one," said Ankeny coach Jeff Bauer. "It was a strange … [Read more...] about ‘The offense kept answering for us’: Hawks outlast Sioux City East in shootout, 35-25

‘We’re a talented team’: Hawks dominate every facet of game in 59-0 rivalry victory

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Perhaps nobody enjoyed the Ankeny football team's dominant performance on Friday night more than injured junior offensive lineman Layne Hearne. Hearne watched from the sidelines in a motorized wheelchair as the Hawks rolled to a 59-0 win over Ankeny Centennial in the annual crosstown showdown at Ankeny Stadium. It was the largest margin of victory in the … [Read more...] about ‘We’re a talented team’: Hawks dominate every facet of game in 59-0 rivalry victory

‘We’ve got some playmakers’: Hawks overcome slow start, roll past Roosevelt

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) Penalties and miscues plagued the Ankeny football team during the first two drives of Friday night's showdown against Des Moines Roosevelt at Mediacom Stadium. But the Hawks quickly left their slow start in the rear view mirror and rattled off 43 unanswered points in a 43-7 blowout victory to remain undefeated at 3-0 heading … [Read more...] about ‘We’ve got some playmakers’: Hawks overcome slow start, roll past Roosevelt

‘I knew what I could do’: Cooper catches 2 TD passes, rallies Hawks past Waukee

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Jamello Cooper didn't see a lot of playing time a year ago as the Ankeny football team relied heavily on senior receivers Andrew Brandhorst and Owen Fischer. Now that Cooper has taken over a starting position, the 5-foot-8, 175-pound junior is making the most of his opportunity. Cooper caught a pair of touchdown passes in the second half as the Hawks … [Read more...] about ‘I knew what I could do’: Cooper catches 2 TD passes, rallies Hawks past Waukee

‘We were hungry for this’: Hawks build big lead, then hold off NW for huge road win

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) Even if its starting lineup is drastically different than a year ago, the Ankeny football team still remembers the heartbreak and the seeding side effects of dropping its 2025 season opener at home against Waukee Northwest. The Hawks got their payback during Friday night’s season opener at Northwest. A stout Ankeny … [Read more...] about ‘We were hungry for this’: Hawks build big lead, then hold off NW for huge road win

Ankeny football team reloads around 4 returning starters, influx of transfers

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On paper, the Ankeny football team appeared to be facing a rebuilding season after suffering heavy losses to graduation last spring. Ankeny coach Jeff Bauer is hoping that isn't the case. "We only have four starters back, so there's not a lot of people thinking we are going to be all that," said Bauer. "But there's a lot of young talent on this team … [Read more...] about Ankeny football team reloads around 4 returning starters, influx of transfers

‘We didn’t play well enough to win’: Hawks’ season ends with loss to reigning champs

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) There was nothing that the Ankeny football players would’ve enjoyed more than being the team to officially end the four-year championship reign of the Southeast Polk Rams. But one too many mistakes on a cold Halloween night and a go-ahead touchdown in the final minute ended Ankeny’s season well short of what the Hawks were … [Read more...] about ‘We didn’t play well enough to win’: Hawks’ season ends with loss to reigning champs

Hawks rout Council Bluffs Lincoln, move up to No. 5 in final Class 5A RPI rankings

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It took only 15 seconds for the Ankeny football team to grab the lead for good in Friday's game at Wickersham Stadium. Owen Fischer returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, and the sixth-ranked Hawks went on to rout Council Bluffs Lincoln, 61-0, in the regular-season finale for both squads. "They blocked it up really nicely," Fischer said … [Read more...] about Hawks rout Council Bluffs Lincoln, move up to No. 5 in final Class 5A RPI rankings

‘We earned it’: Hawks overcome 2 costly mistakes to knock off No. 3 Valley, 34-26

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Entering Friday's showdown at Ankeny Stadium, the third-ranked Valley football team had allowed a total of just seven points in its previous three games. But the Tigers had not faced an opponent during that stretch with as many offensive weapons as No. 5 Ankeny. Kael Roush passed for 315 yards and three touchdowns while Daniel Larmie ran for 136 yards … [Read more...] about ‘We earned it’: Hawks overcome 2 costly mistakes to knock off No. 3 Valley, 34-26

‘We needed a game like this’: Hawks rout Little Cyclones in tune-up for No. 4 Valley

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) Ankeny football coach Jeff Bauer just wanted to see his squad execute and handle business coming off the Hawks' loss to Johnston in a top-five showdown a week ago. And by the end of the first quarter on Friday in Ames, the Hawks were already pushing for a running clock. Seventh-ranked Ankeny got the bounce-back win and a … [Read more...] about ‘We needed a game like this’: Hawks rout Little Cyclones in tune-up for No. 4 Valley

‘It was a total team loss’: Hawks’ late lead slips away against No. 5 Johnston

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) The Ankeny football team just couldn’t find a way to get its offense and defense to sync up in a top-five showdown. As fourth-ranked Ankeny’s offense started to get going in the second half, so did No. 5 Johnston and the Dragons were able to pull out a 30-21 victory on Friday at Ankeny Stadium. “Obviously, we’re … [Read more...] about ‘It was a total team loss’: Hawks’ late lead slips away against No. 5 Johnston