Ankeny Fanatic

Your Ankeny Sports Resource

Jenna Pitz

‘It was too big of a difference’: Slow start dooms Hawkettes in loss at Indianola

by

The Ankeny girls' basketball team was coming off one of the best shooting displays in school history. The Hawkettes were unable to duplicate that performance on Monday. Ankeny shot just 34.6 percent from the field (18-of-52) and suffered a 54-47 loss at Indianola, the No. 5 team in Class 4A. The non-conference defeat snapped a four-game winning streak … [Read more...] about ‘It was too big of a difference’: Slow start dooms Hawkettes in loss at Indianola

A STATEMENT WIN: Hawkettes knock off top-10 foe for first time under McAnelly

by

A year ago, the Ankeny girls' basketball team posted the first winning season since the split into two high schools. On Tuesday, the Hawkettes' program took another huge step forward. Ankeny closed out the game with a 13-5 run to post a 51-43 victory over visiting Valley, the No. 6 team in Class 5A. It was the Hawkettes' first win over a top-10 … [Read more...] about A STATEMENT WIN: Hawkettes knock off top-10 foe for first time under McAnelly

Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Jenna Pitz, Ankeny girls’ basketball

by

Junior guard Jenna Pitz is one of two returning starters for the Ankeny girls' basketball team. She was named to the CIML Iowa Conference first team as a sophomore, when she averaged 9.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. Pitz scored 12 points and had two steals in Ankeny's 59-45 loss to fifth-ranked Southeast Polk in its season opener on Tuesday. The … [Read more...] about Ankeny Fanatic Prep of the Week: Jenna Pitz, Ankeny girls’ basketball

Valiant effort falls short as S.E. Polk’s late run foils upset bid by Hawkettes

by

A few days ago, Ankeny girls' basketball coach Dru McAnelly said he thought he could have a pretty good basketball team by mid-January. If Tuesday's season opener against fifth-ranked Southeast Polk was any indication, it's not going to take that long. Ankeny battled the visiting Rams on even terms for much of the game before Southeast Polk pulled away … [Read more...] about Valiant effort falls short as S.E. Polk’s late run foils upset bid by Hawkettes

‘It feels great to make it to state!”: Ankeny girls oust Johnston with 2 late goals

by

Jenna Pitz and her teammates on the Ankeny girls' soccer squad dumped a cooler of ice and water on the head of coach Simon Brown following Friday's Class 3A regional final. You can get away with doing that after you've qualified for the state tournament. The eighth-ranked Hawkettes scored two late goals to defeat No. 14 Johnston, 2-1, in the Region 2 … [Read more...] about ‘It feels great to make it to state!”: Ankeny girls oust Johnston with 2 late goals

Phipps joins Ankeny’s Johnson, Pitz on CIML Iowa Conference first team

by

Maggie Phipps led the Ankeny Centennial girls' basketball team to the semifinals of the Class 5A state tournament in her only season as a Jaguar. Abby Johnson and Jenna Pitz led Ankeny to its first winning record since the split into two high schools. All three players have been named to the CIML Iowa Conference first team by a vote of the league's … [Read more...] about Phipps joins Ankeny’s Johnson, Pitz on CIML Iowa Conference first team

Hawkettes top Ames girls for 3rd time, earn rematch against No. 1 Waukee

by

A regional final matchup against top-ranked Waukee isn't going to intimidate the Ankeny girls' basketball team. If the Hawkettes play like they did on Saturday night, they might even pull off a huge upset. "Coming off this game, I think we played really well," Ankeny guard Jenna Pitz said after the Hawkettes' 73-37 victory over visiting Ames in a Class … [Read more...] about Hawkettes top Ames girls for 3rd time, earn rematch against No. 1 Waukee

Jaguars hold off Ankeny’s upset bid, clinch share of Iowa Conference title

by

The Ankeny girls' basketball team was in position on Friday to knock off crosstown rival Ankeny Centennial for the first time ever. But a pair of 3-point shots, one in the third quarter that would have put the Hawkettes ahead and another in the fourth that would have tied the game, bounced off the rim. Fifth-ranked Ankeny Centennial then pulled away in … [Read more...] about Jaguars hold off Ankeny’s upset bid, clinch share of Iowa Conference title

‘We’ve put ourselves in a great spot’: Ankeny girls remain in title chase

by

Saturday's win at Ames was one of the biggest of Abby Johnson's high school basketball career. It sets up an even bigger game for the Ankeny girls' squad on Friday. Johnson scored a career-high 20 points before fouling out to lead the 13th-ranked Hawkettes to a 66-55 victory in the CIML Iowa Conference matchup. They raised their records to 6-1 in the … [Read more...] about ‘We’ve put ourselves in a great spot’: Ankeny girls remain in title chase

Hawkettes pass ‘test of character’, but Valley girls escape with victory

by

After losing to its crosstown rival on Monday, the Ankeny girls' basketball team was anxious to get back on the court. The Hawkettes didn't have to wait too long. Ankeny hosted 15th-ranked Valley on Tuesday and battled the Class 5A defending state champion down to the wire before dropping a 62-59 decision. "It was good to try to get back in the … [Read more...] about Hawkettes pass ‘test of character’, but Valley girls escape with victory

Hentzel places 8th at Marshalltown, earns trip to state cross country meet

by

Ankeny senior Tyler Hentzel was hoping to advance to the state cross country meet along with the rest of his team. He'll have to settle for a solo trip. Hentzel qualified for state by placing eighth in a Class 4A district meet on Thursday at Marshalltown. He posted a time of 16 minutes 38 seconds in the 5k race. "I'm really excited," said Hentzel. … [Read more...] about Hentzel places 8th at Marshalltown, earns trip to state cross country meet

Centennial girls take 2nd at conference meet, while Hawkettes finish 5th

by

Kathryn Vortherms and the Ankeny Centennial girls' cross country team didn't want to focus on next week's state qualifying meet just yet. "We know where we're going (for the regional meet), but we don't know the teams there yet," Vortherms said. "We're not going to look until after conference." Vortherms placed fifth in the CIML Central Conference meet … [Read more...] about Centennial girls take 2nd at conference meet, while Hawkettes finish 5th