Another Honor for A Hawkette

After returning from trips to Nebraska and Wisconsin, I read all of the newspapers that were saved for me. I was thrilled to read that OUR HAWKETTE CONNIE YORI has been chosen as a member of the State of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Des Register newspaper. Connie is in the Iowa High School Girls basketball and softball hall of fame sections as well as Creighton. Congratulations to Connie Yori, AHS Hawkette! OOH RAH OOH RAH

Our First All-Stater

Her name is Phyllis Keil, class of 1942 and named to the 2nd team ALL STATE after leading the Hawkettes to their very FIRST State tournament appearance.





PS. If anyone before Phyllis made an All State team, please let me know. This report is from the archives that I have found......
so far.......OOH RAH OOH RAH

Five year honor classes from AHS

Starting with the first photo, donated by Virginia Easter Linthicum, you view the 1935 team. Next in line 1940/50/55/55/60/65/70/75/80 State Champs/85/90/95/2000 and 2005. I don't have the 2010 scrapbook completed. No photo for 1930 or 1945. Have a great reunion. OOH RAH OOH RAH

Ankeny Area Historical Displays

On the second floor of the Barn, you will find Ankeny School history. One area includes the history of AHS softball and Girls Basketball. There is a long shot showing part of the room and a close up of two uniforms from the 1940's. The BB history poster boards fit perfectly into the baby crib donated by Cleady, the Hawkette that "retired" and donated her 1942 uniform. Several letters are shown along with Jerry Kahr's AHS Hawk that he painted on the Parkview gym floor. OOH RAH OOH RAH

Were you on this team?

OOH RAH OOH RAH

2004 was the year,

Former Ankeny coach Dick Rasmussen and wife Sue, decided to have a big event at AHS. Let's have a 6 on 6 game to honor our past basketball players. MVP of the 1928 class was contacted about the event, please attend. Her reply to Coach Rassmussen:

"Miss Van Fossen was coach of our Basketball team. I played Running Center. On the team (if my memory is right) was Lydia Gentosi, Erma and Anita Ugulini, Georgia Donahue. I can't remember the name of the Center, she was a tall and great player. Believe her name was Ruth Davidson. We gave other schools a run for their money. Those were the good old days."

Emma Bulgarelli Trucano wrote from her home in Santa Clara, California, and also added: "I don't believe I would be an asset to the team at this point. I will be 95 on December 13, so my speed has diminished. How I would like to go back to those years. Wish I were in Ankeny visiting, I would take you up on this, just to sit in the bleachers for I do feel well."

Around 100 former players attended the event held over Thanksgiving week end. Before the AHS varsity team played their regularly scheduled game, the alumni game was played and at half time all alumni present were introduced. Players from the 1940's attended as well as many youngsters, early 90's grads that were still "in shape."

OOH RAH OOH RAH

The 1928 Girls Basketball

team at Ankeny High School has the first news that I could find. For a few years there were yearbooks published, before the war and the depression.

from that 1928 Book: "A few years ago not many girls were taking part in athletic contests. Now almost every girl is competing for honors in this department. Girls' basket ball has progressed at Ankeny with the same rapidity that it has in other schools. The earnest effort of Miss Van Fossen, the Director of Physical Education, has resulted in making athletics very popular.

The main sport for girls this year was basket ball. A large number of candidates reported for the tryouts. Those who were selected were Georgia Donaghy, Lydia Gentosi, Anita Ugulini, Velma Parmenter, Alma Wheeler, Yolanda Gentosi, Hannah Dann, Margorie Boozel, Dora Logli, Dorothy Way, Evelyn Farlow Emma Bulgarelli.

The annual basket ball series ended the year with seven victories and five losses. The ability which was uncovered was exceptional and a credit to any school.

The girls attended the tournament at Springhill where they defeated Springhill, but lost in the game with Johnston. Here they displayed an exceptional brand of basket ball but were found weak in their crucial game.

Such outstanding girls as Donaghy, Bulgarelli, Ugulini and Gentosi, were enough to show the crowd plenty of basket ball at all times. Perhaps less interest was acknowledged in the series this year than former years, but if so, it was due to the fact that so may other events were scheduled on the same night. Wonderful spirit was displayed on the floors. The sisterly attitude that existed among the majority of teams was indeed commendable.

At the beginning of the season, a sportsmanship code was formulated and posted in the dressing room for all to see. In order to further this interest in good comrade, Miss Van Fossen offered a trophy cup to the girl who displayed the best spirit and lived up to our code best, throughout the season. At the end of the season a vote was taken by all the basket ball girls and Emma Bulgarelli, captain of 1926-27, was declared the winner of the cup. Such a contest in the series has proven itself a valuable component in interscholastic sports.

Anita Ugulini was elected Captain for the year of 1928-29."

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The 1925 Bloomer Girls

The team included: Lecia Logli, Esther Crum, Anita Logli, Clara Logli, Erma Ugulini, Mabel Donaghy, Ruth Hildreth, Donnabelle Merkel, Thelma Keil, Clara Bulgarelli, Lena Ugulini, Emma Bulgarelli Dorea Randolph, Velma Parmenter, Alma Wheeler,, Gemma Fontanini

I don't have the name of the female coach. What comes around, goes around. Female coaches were very popular back in the 1920's and they are also popular again today. The college level has an abundance of female coaches. The Big Ten has only two male coaches.

Note the long sleeve blouses, the tie, and some have long sleeves. Legs are covered with stockings. My how times have changed in girls sports on the high school level.

1914 was our first graduating class in Ankeny, 5 graduates. If there were any teams prior to this first photo, we have not found them. It took a while to have enough girls in the high school to have a full squad.

If anyone reading this blog in honor of the Ankeny High School Hawkettes, Ankeny, Iowa, has any history about our teams, please contact me.

OOH RAH OOH RAH

The Bloomer Girls

When I started my history, I went to the year books. The first one was 1953. That meant-- find class lists from class recorders and see who is still alive. I was amazed what the Ankeny Hawkettes saved all these years......Hawkette Basketball! This is a photo of the first team photo I could find, the 1925 Bloomer Girls. Cover your body with bloomers, long stockings, long sleeved blouses. NO SKIN could show except for your hands and face. You even wore a hat. If you were warm and rolled up a sleeve, PENALTY.
They were prudish way back when. It was not long before the girls could wear shorts.

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National Coach of the Year

For you Hawkettes that have lost track.....our own CONNIE YORI,head coach at the University of Nebraska has been named the National Coach of the year. Her team was ranked in the top five all season and started off with a 30-0 mark. This team set numerous records during the 2009-10 season. Congratulations to HAWKETTE Connie Yori and her Cornhuskers on a fine job!

OOH RAH OOH RAH!

New Blog

for Ankeny HAWKETTES. My goal is to list all Hawkette Basketball Alumni beginning with the 1925 Bloomer Girls. This might take a while to finish. Please add comments about your past as a Hawkette Basketball player and any opinions about the future of our high school.

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