The No. 8 in Class 3A Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk volleyball team takes the floor tonight in Wellman to meet West Liberty in the second round of the Class 3A Regional Tournament. The Golden Hawks are 28-9 overall this year, finishing as 6-1 Co-Champs of the River Valley Conference. They moved through the opening round of regionals Tuesday with a sweep of Davis County. Mid-Prairie is ranked No. 8 in Class 3A in the final poll of the year issued by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. This year the Hawks have a 3A-leading 1,853 digs, 1,112 kills, fourth in 3A, 1,013 assists, fourth in 3A, 240 blocks, seventh in 3A, and 223 aces, fifth in 3A. Individual leaders are Avery Helmuth with 514 assists, Jeorgia Evans with 514 digs, third in 3A, and 55 aces, sixth in 3A, Jovi Evans with 385 kills, second in 3A and Laurin Fay with 63 blocks, 10^th in 3A.

West Liberty is 25-17 this year, they shared the River Valley title with Mid-Prairie at a 6-1 record. The Comets swept Fairfield in their Tuesday playoff opener. This year West Liberty has 1,526 digs, eighth in 3A, 982 kills, ninth in 3A, 892 assists, 10^th in 3A 164 aces and 119 blocks. Individual leaders are Emma Yoder with 831 assists, fifth in 3A, and 45 aces, Tenley Nixt with 485 digs, Madi Buysse with 265 kills, and Emmee Wiele with 56 blocks. Following their win Tuesday over the Mustangs, Golden Hawk co-head coaches Zeb and Sherry Evans joined the KCII Postgame show to talk about the keys to round two for their team. “We spread the ball around really well. We have really challenged them on pressing on their block and staying disciplined. When we put in something technical, they usually go out and turn it into points for us. We tell the girls they have to do those little things, and those will turn into big wins in the playoff run. I think we’ll be successful if we keep talking and communicating. Those are the big things. Keep being tough on the service line and playing scrappy defense.”

West Liberty has won 29 of the last 34 in this series, but the two teams have split their last six, including a Mid-Prairie sweep in September of this season. The winner of tonight’s match advances to Tuesday’s 3A Regional final to play for a State Tournament bid. You can hear all of the action live tonight between the No. 8 Golden Hawks and West Liberty Comets live from Tim Grady Gymnasium in Wellman, beginning with the Golden Hawk Playoff Pregame Show at 6:30p.m.and first serve between the Hawks and Comets at 7p.m.