by Davin Bakerink, Staff Reporter Published May 31, 2026
The Ames Little Cyclones saw their unbeaten streak come to an end Friday night as North Polk scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally for a 7-4 victory. North Polk struck first in the bottom of the first inning when Ava Koudelka launched a solo home run. The Little Cyclones responded in the top of the third, scoring a run to tie the game at 1-1. Both teams added two runs in the fourth inning, and Ames scored again in the fifth inning.
by Davin Bakerink, Staff Reporter Published May 20, 2026
The Little Cyclones rolled past Des Moines North 6-0 on senior night, powered by a hat trick from Natalie Westort in Tuesday's match at Ames High School. Ames came out strong early with Westort scoring first, followed by Sara Bierbaum with another goal soon after. The Polar Bears were down a player in the first half after a red card.
by Davin Bakerink, Staff Reporter Published May 17, 2026
A late goal by Dallas Center-Grimes tied its game against the Ames Little Cyclones at 1-1 on Thursday. The first half was scoreless as both teams traded possession but struggled to generate quality chances. Neither side appeared in rhythm heading into halftime.
by Davin Bakerink, Staff Reporter Published May 15, 2026
After the loss to Ankeny Centennial, the Ames girls soccer team was looking for a rebound when it hosted Valley. Valley struck first in the seventh minute when Olivia Rotich (8) scored. The momentum only continued from there.
by Davin Bakerink, Staff Reporter Published May 13, 2026
Ames dropped a 1-0 decision to Ankeny Centennial on Monday night in a matchup of two of the state’s top girls soccer teams. Centennial entered the match with a 9-1-1 record while Ames came in at 7-1-2.
by Davin Bakerink, Staff Reporter Published May 10, 2026
Waterloo East visited Ames seeking its first win of the season. It didn’t happen. From the opening moments, the Ames boys controlled the game and never relinquished momentum.
On a windy day in Ames, the first half of the Little Cyclones' boys soccer game against Des Moines East was not going in Ames' favor. The Scarlets’ Leonel Camarena-Cruz scored off a series of deflections with 14 minutes remaining in the first half. At halftime, Des Moines East, which was seeking its second win of the season, held a 1-0 lead. Ames sought to answer in the second half. And it did.
by Davin Bakerink, Staff Reporter Published April 29, 2026
The Ames High School girls soccer team scored twice in the second half to defeat Des Moines Lincoln 2-0 on a chilly Tuesday night at home. Neither team broke through in the first half as both defenses controlled play, sending the game into halftime scoreless. But Ames found momentum in the second half.
Against elite statewide competition, the Little Cyclones had second, third and fourth place finishes at competitions at this weekend’s Drake Relays. Angelica Attinger led the Little Cyclones with a second-place finish in the girls’ 400-meter hurdles. TJ Douglas placed third in the boys’ 400-meter hurdles. Ayak Akol and Brandon Johnson each placed fourth in their respective events.
by Davin Bakerink, Staff Reporter Published April 21, 2026
On a warm, 70-degree Monday, Ames took control early and never let up in a 3-0 win over Urbandale. The Little Cyclones entered the matchup at 3-0-1 and extended their unbeaten streak, while the J-Hawks were still in search of their first win.
by Davin Bakerink, Staff Reporter Published April 18, 2026
Both Marshalltown (4-1-2) and Ames (3-0-2) entered the Thursday match aiming to avoid their first defeat of the season. The opening half featured skilled play on both sides, with sharp ball movement and strong goalkeeping keeping the match tight.
by Davin Bakerink, Staff Reporter Published April 16, 2026
Ames secured two Blue Standards on its home track during the Jim Duea Relays on Tuesday, qualifying in the girls 4x800-meter relay and 4x200-meter relay. Achieving Blue Standards, a set of qualifying marks established at the start of the season, guarantees athletes a spot at the Drake Relays.
