One of the lucky teams: Ankeny boys basketball, 4A state champs
ANKENY, Iowa (BVM) — Any other year the Ankeny High School boys basketball team鈥檚 run to the state championship would be an incredible story.
鈥淲e were a good team, but I would not have really considered us on paper to be a top tier, top 5 or 6 team really…we were able to sneak under the radar a little bit and got hot at the right time,鈥� said Hawks head coach Brandt Carlson.
Beating a strong Sioux City East team in the sectional finals, Ankeny (18-5) entered the Class 4A state tournament as a sixth seed. They then upset three seeded Iowa City West in the quarterfinals and two seeded Cedar Falls in the semifinals. That led up to a championship match up with Waukee. Ankeny won, 78-70, capping off a Cinderella run with a state championship.
A great story in and of itself, but what adds a whole other layer to it is that when the buzzer went off, the Hawks were crowned champions with barely anyone there to cheer. Only the players, coaches, team personnel and a small number of fans were there cheering on the Hawks鈥� first state championship since 1995 and only the second in school history.
鈥淲e were nervous as well, coming into Friday we didn鈥檛 know what was going to happen,鈥� said Carlson.
That鈥檚 because on Friday, March 12 many high school associations were suspending or canceling state tournaments amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As states like Minnesota and Wisconsin put an end to their season the IHSAA elected to continue with games, but limit access to them. Teams were allowed necessary personnel and a small number of fans. This gave Ankeny a rare opportunity.
The Hawks will go down as one of the few basketball state champions of the 2019-20 season to have play in their championship game. They couldn鈥檛 even celebrate in the gymnasium when they got back to Ankeny because they did not want people inside the school, so they celebrated in the parking lot.
鈥淎t the end of the day very thankful and really thankful of our Iowa High School Athletic Association for I think doing something that really every level could have done which is eliminate the crowds except for a select few people. It was a different atmosphere, but yet it was still very good and positive and something that I think in a sense we fought back against the narrative of what this virus is trying to do to our country and our world in the sense of bringing everyone down. So, just really pleased we were able to get the chance to be a part of that.鈥�
That sentiment is not just held by Carlson but his whole team. Although they have not been able to meet or talk that much he knows they too understand that they are fortunate.
鈥淚 think our kids are pretty aware of a lot of classmates and friends that are having things taken away from them right now.鈥�
Above all else these cancellations and suspensions just remind us of how special these moments are and how quickly they can be taken away. Coach Carlson put it perfectly.
鈥淲e know that basketball and athletic careers are pretty short really if you look at the whole grasp of your life. So, we’ve really preached to our guys enjoy what you鈥檙e doing right now because in a moment it can be taken away or end.鈥�
The Hawks earned what was awarded to them and should be celebrated for that like they would be any other year. But they also should be celebrated because they stand for all those teams that lost their opportunity.
