Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Mackenzie James of Ankeny Centennial connects on Thursday. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

The climb to the top of Class 5A has been a rapid one for Ankeny Centennial.

After placing third in 2020 and second a year later, the Jaguars took that final step this season, capturing gold with an 11-0 victory in five innings over Pleasant Valley here Thursday evening at Rogers Park.

“The girls were pretty relaxed,” Ankeny Centennial head coach Brett Delaney said. “We have a couple that like to sing and dance. I just try to let them be themselves. It’s so important to allow them to have that.

“We knew we were going up against a very good Pleasant Valley team and we’d have to score runs. The girls came out and took care of business.”

It was evident from the start that Centennial was locked in, plating six runs in the opening inning. Jordyn Kennedy, Mariah Belzer and Lauren Gustofson all had doubles, with Mady Ott and Gustofson driving in two each with their hits.

A total of 11 batters came to the plate against two Spartan pitchers, as leadoff hitter Mackenzie James had two singles, scored a run and drove in another.

The scoring barrage continued in the second with Kennedy belting a two-run shot that landed halfway up the centerfield bleacher. In the fourth, Belzer followed Kennedy, adding a three-run homer to her previous double.

James finished 3-for-4, Kennedy, Ott and Belzer each had two hits, while Sydney Morris reached base twice. Gustofson earned the win, allowing just three hits over four innings.

“It feels really good after coming up and getting third and second,” Delaney said. “I guess this was the next finish for us.”

Senior Jadeyn Stahr, who is headed to Iowa Central, came on to a standing ovation to record the final out after entering the circle.

Ankeny Centennial won the CIML Conference with a 14-2 record this past summer. That league qualified five teams for the 5A field, with all five of their losses coming to fellow qualifiers.

The roster for the Jaguars is a diverse one that features seven seniors, nine juniors, two sophomores, two freshman starters in Kennedy and Ott, and a pair of eighth-graders.

Pleasant Valley was seeking its third title since 2017. They tied for fifth last year after placing fourth in 2021 and qualifying in 2020. Kasey Kane, Sarah Rigdon and Ashley Hansen each had a hit.

ANKENY CENTENNIAL 11, PLEASANT VALLEY 0 (5 inn.)

Pleasant Valley 000 00 — 0 3 1

Centennial 620 3x — 11 11 0

WP–Lauren Gustofson (4 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K). LP–Kaitlyn Merkel (0.2 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 0 K).

HR–AC: Jordyn Kennedy, Mariah Belzer. 2B–AC: Jordyn Kennedy, Mariah Belzer, Lauren Gustofson. RBI–AC: Jordyn Kennedy (3), Mady Ott (2), Lauren Gustofson (2), Mackenzie James, Mariah Belzer (3).