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Jessica Rinehart

‘Our confidence is really growing’: Ankeny girls earn runner-up finish at Jags’ tourney

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Saturday's Ankeny Centennial Early Bird Invitational featured many of the state's top volleyball teams from multiple classes. In the end, the team walking away with the championship was the same one that captured the Class 5A title a year ago and began this season ranked No. 1 among the state's largest schools. Waukee Northwest posted a 25-22, 25-18 … [Read more...] about ‘Our confidence is really growing’: Ankeny girls earn runner-up finish at Jags’ tourney

‘It was a really cool opportunity’: Jaguars fall to NW, top Waukee in outdoor event

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Thursday night's Marj White Classic at Valley Stadium was a smashing success. All four participating volleyball teams got a unique opportunity to play outdoors under the lights. With very little wind and temperatures in the 70s, the conditions could not have been any better for this special event. "It was a really cool opportunity for our team," said … [Read more...] about ‘It was a really cool opportunity’: Jaguars fall to NW, top Waukee in outdoor event

‘I think 5A is going to be wild’: Jags look to make another deep postseason run

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A year ago, the Ankeny Centennial volleyball team got over a big hurdle by advancing to the Class 5A championship match for the first time since 2018. Taking the next step and winning a state title will be an even bigger challenge. CIML Conference rival Waukee Northwest enters the season as the favorite to capture its third crown in four years. The … [Read more...] about ‘I think 5A is going to be wild’: Jags look to make another deep postseason run

Centennial volleyball team to play outdoors in Marj White Classic on Aug. 27

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When the Ankeny Centennial volleyball team opens its season on Aug. 27, the Jaguars will do so in unprecedented fashion. Centennial will be among four teams competing in the Marj White Classic hosted by Valley. The tournament has traditionally been held in the Tigers' Bill Coldiron Fieldhouse, but this year's event has been moved outdoors to Valley … [Read more...] about Centennial volleyball team to play outdoors in Marj White Classic on Aug. 27

‘We just ran into a giant’: Jaguars earn runner-up trophy in 5A state tournament

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When the Ankeny Centennial volleyball team lost a five-set thriller at Waukee Northwest on Sept. 2, it turned out to be a preview of Thursday's Class 5A championship match at Xtream Arena in Coralville. The final meeting between the two CIML Conference rivals, though, wasn't nearly as close. Top-ranked Northwest captured its second state title in three … [Read more...] about ‘We just ran into a giant’: Jaguars earn runner-up trophy in 5A state tournament

Centennial stars Lei-Butters, Schmidt named to Class 5A all-tournament team

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Ankeny Centennial volleyball standouts Mya Lei-Butters and Tatem Schmidt were both named to the Class 5A all-tournament team after leading the Jaguars to a runner-up finish in the state tournament at Xtream Arena in Coralville. Second-ranked Centennial dropped a 25-10, 25-21, 25-18 decision to No. 1 Waukee Northwest in the title match on Thursday morning. … [Read more...] about Centennial stars Lei-Butters, Schmidt named to Class 5A all-tournament team

Jags sweep Valley to get over semifinal hump, will play Waukee NW for 5A crown

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The Ankeny Centennial volleyball team finally got over the hump. The second-ranked Jaguars advanced to the Class 5A championship match for the first time since 2018 with a sweep over No. 7 Valley on Wednesday at Xtream Arena in Coralville. They had lost in the semifinal round in each of the last three years. "It feels great," Centennial coach Jessica … [Read more...] about Jags sweep Valley to get over semifinal hump, will play Waukee NW for 5A crown

‘They put us on their backs’: Cheeseman, Schmidt lead Jags to sweep over I.C. West

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A third consecutive postseason sweep has put the Ankeny Centennial volleyball team in a familiar spot. The second-ranked Jaguars posted a 25-23, 25-17, 25-23 victory over No. 8 Iowa City West in the Class 5A quarterfinals on Monday at Xtream Arena in Coralville. They advanced to the semifinals for the fourth year in a row. "It feels really good. It's … [Read more...] about ‘They put us on their backs’: Cheeseman, Schmidt lead Jags to sweep over I.C. West

‘We did what we needed to do!’: Confident Jaguars are headed back to state tourney

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The Ankeny Centennial volleyball team won't need a map to Coralville. The Jaguars have made a habit of qualifying for the state tournament, so coach Jessica Rinehart and her players already know the way to Xtream Arena. Second-ranked Centennial advanced to the state tournament for the 12th time in the 13-year history of the program by sweeping visiting … [Read more...] about ‘We did what we needed to do!’: Confident Jaguars are headed back to state tourney

‘It was a good start’: Centennial begins postseason run with sweep over J-Hawks

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) Ankeny Centennial volleyball’s aspirations for postseason play takes the Jaguars well beyond just the regional bracket. But all good postseason runs start by hitting the ground running. The second-ranked Jaguars used a couple big runs to help sweep visiting Cedar Rapids Jefferson (25-8, 25-10, 25-9) in three sets in … [Read more...] about ‘It was a good start’: Centennial begins postseason run with sweep over J-Hawks

‘We are on a mission’: Jaguars sweep S.E. Polk in potential preview of regional final

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The Ankeny Centennial volleyball team still needs to win two matches in order to qualify for the Class 5A state tournament, but the Jaguars appear to be well on their way to Coralville. The second-ranked Jaguars closed out the regular season on Tuesday with a 25-10, 25-15, 25-15 sweep at Southeast Polk. The two teams could meet again in a regional final … [Read more...] about ‘We are on a mission’: Jaguars sweep S.E. Polk in potential preview of regional final

‘Today was huge!’: Jags get over semifinal hump, top No. 4 PV to win Westside Invite

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The Ankeny Centennial volleyball team finally got over the semifinal hump at the Westside Invitational. The second-ranked Jaguars captured the title at the Cedar Rapids Jefferson tournament on Saturday with a 25-19, 25-17 victory over No. 4 Pleasant Valley. They raised their record to 29-5 by sweeping all six of their opponents on the day. Centennial … [Read more...] about ‘Today was huge!’: Jags get over semifinal hump, top No. 4 PV to win Westside Invite

‘I thought we played some good ball’: Jags avoid letdown, sweep past Johnston

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) When it gets late in the season, the Ankeny Centennial volleyball team isn’t going to overlook any opponent. Especially not a CIML Conference foe on the road. The second-ranked Jaguars traveled to Johnston on Tuesday and swept the Dragons in three sets, 25-16, 25-16, 25-14, to remain in third place in the league … [Read more...] about ‘I thought we played some good ball’: Jags avoid letdown, sweep past Johnston

AN HISTORIC DAY: Rinehart earns 400th victory, Cheeseman records 1,000th assist

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Ankeny Centennial's Jessica Rinehart reached another coaching milestone on Saturday during the Urbandale Invitational. Rinehart earned her 400th career victory--all of them at Centennial--when the second-ranked Jaguars completed a perfect 3-0 run through pool play with a 21-15, 18-21, 15-10 win over North Polk, the No. 15 team in Class 4A. "I don’t … [Read more...] about AN HISTORIC DAY: Rinehart earns 400th victory, Cheeseman records 1,000th assist

‘Then we caught fire and looked like us’: Jags rally past No. 2 Waukee for huge win

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(Story by Stephen McDaniel) After a tough loss against crosstown rival Ankeny, getting a home win over second-ranked Waukee was crucial for the No. 3 Ankeny Centennial volleyball team. The Jaguars responded by flipping the script from the Jag-Hawk match, dropping the first set on Tuesday before rallying for a 20-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-12 victory at … [Read more...] about ‘Then we caught fire and looked like us’: Jags rally past No. 2 Waukee for huge win

‘We felt very out of sync’: Jags fall short in rivalry match despite Heither’s return

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The return of junior middle hitter Sophia Heither provided a spark for the Ankeny Centennial volleyball team on Thursday. It wasn't enough to lift the third-ranked Jaguars to a sixth consecutive victory over No. 4 Ankeny. The visiting Hawkettes rallied from a one-set deficit to post a 19-25, 25-23, 28-26, 25-20 win over their crosstown rival. They … [Read more...] about ‘We felt very out of sync’: Jags fall short in rivalry match despite Heither’s return

Jaguars outlast No. 7 Valley in 5 sets to keep CIML Conference title hopes alive

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On a night when the Ankeny Centennial volleyball team wasn't clicking on all cylinders, the third-ranked Jaguars still found a way to win. Centennial rallied from a 2-1 deficit on Thursday to post a 16-25, 25-18, 21-25, 25-19, 15-6 victory over No. 7 Valley. The Jaguars had dominated an earlier matchup in the same gym, rolling to a 21-10, 21-12 win at the … [Read more...] about Jaguars outlast No. 7 Valley in 5 sets to keep CIML Conference title hopes alive