Intriguing Prospects: Centennial 49 vs Ankeny 27

TJ Rushing

December 8, 2018 @ 12:48 AM

Ankeny -- The 13th-ranked Hawks raced out to a 7-0 lead in this one, and then Centennial woke up. By the end of the first quarter, the No. 10 Jags led 10-7. It was still a ballgame heading into the break, with Centennial leading 19-15. In the second half, though, things got ugly. The Jags throttled Ankeny 30-12 in the third and fourth quarters, and breezed to their 11th straight win over the Hawks. Which is especially significant because the Hawks and Jags have only played 11 times, ever. Rachel Schon, a senior 6-foot-1 post, netted a game-high 18 points for the Jags. She added a slew of rebounds in the win. For Ankeny, it was junior point guard Kayla Pitz that led the way with nine points.   Team Scoring Centennial -- 10 9 14 16 -- 49 Ankeny -- 8 7 9 3 -- 27   Individual Scoring Centennial: Rachel Schon 18, Meg Burns 11, Alexandria Keahna-Harris 9, Cleao Murray 5, Kenna Sauer 4, Taylor Runchey 2. Ankeny: Kayla Pitz 9, Sara McCullough 6, Abby Johnson 5, Ashly Harrington 4, Hollie Trimble 3.     The Prospects   Taylor Runchey, 5'8 G, 2020 (Centennial) Her defense was stifling, and that was rewarded at the start of the second half when she drew a five-second call. The junior guard is an adept ball-handler as well, and a solid, gritty player that does the little things for the Jags.   Kayla Pitz, 5'8 PG, 2020 (Ankeny) A poised and methodical lead guard, Pitz was the catalyst of the Hawks' hot start, getting two quick buckets early. She's best at managing the team, and her ball-handling is critical to Ankeny's success. She canned a 3-ball late in the game, showcasing her ability from deep.   Rachel Schon, 6'1 PF, 2019 (Centennial) Easily the best player on the floor tonight, Schon was somewhat quiet in the first half, but absolutely dominant in the final two quarters. She scored a game-high 18, and pulled down what must have been double-digit rebounds for good measure. She was tough on the glass, and a number of her points came from second chance opportunities. William Jewell is getting a good one.   Cleao Murray, 5'8 SG, 2022 (Centennial) Murray is just a freshman, but we weren't able to tell. Until we looked down at the roster, we'd of guessed she was a wily vet. She's a confident player and certainly looks like she belongs with the older players. Her jumper is a strength, and she can handle it a bit, too.   Meg Burns, 5'10 G, 2020 (Centennial) Here's a prospect that was quiet tonight in the score-sheet, but certainly looked to be as skilled as anyone else on the floor. She connected on a pair of triples, that looks like it's her strength; the ones that missed, did not miss by much. She deliberate, confident and skilled. Her lefty floater in the lane was good evidence of that.   Sara McCullough, 6'1 G/F, 2019 (Ankeny) It was a tough night for this Northern Iowa recruit, and that was by design. The Jags were keying in on the Hawks' star player, and made life frustrating for in this one. She was able get one bucket in the paint, and got sent to the line on several more occasions, but even the free-throws weren't dropping for the versatile senior tonight. She'll bounce back nicely against Southeast Polk next Tuesday night, we think.   Kenna Sauer, 6' F, 2019 (Centennial) Known for her spikes and kills on the volleyball court, Sauer helped the Jags to a state title last month, but is now back into hoops form. She's the glue-player for this team; she doesn't look to score a ton, but her mere presence alone is enough to make a major impact. Tipped passes, steals, blocked shots, tough D and rebounds is what she brings to the table, leadership too.