Photo Courtesy of Mid-Prairie CSD Social Media
The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk girls and boys basketball teams kick off their new campaigns tonight when they host Benton in a non-conference doubleheader. The Golden Hawk girls were 16-6 last year, 9-3, runners-up in the River Valley Conference. The Hawks averaged 59 points per game a season ago, shooting 41% from the floor, 30% from three and 64% at the line. The Golden Hawks averaged 37 rebounds, 21 turnovers, 15 assists, 15 steals and five blocks per game a year ago. Their field goal percentage, free throw percentage, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks team numbers were all top 10 in 3A last season. They will have to replace a pair of seniors that led the front line with Callie Huber and Brylee Gearhart, both All-RVC choices last year, combining to average 20 points, 16 rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists per game. They do return Brooklyn Schneider’s nine points per night, Tessa Bombei and Myli Hershberger’s four boards per game, Katelyn Harland’s three assists and Jeorgia Evans three steals per night. The Golden Hawks are under the direction of first-year head coach, Mid-Prairie and Iowa State alumni Jenny Hobbs, she spoke with KCII Sports about what has her excited for this season. “We are going to run, and we are going to play defense. If you’re as quick and athletic as we are, you’ll be able to do those things. We’re deep enough where we can keep the pressure on. I’m excited about the energy. I love how successful the volleyball team was making it to the State Tournament. I want us to keep that energy. I want us to be high energy, great teammates and excite the crowd. We are playing for the jersey that we have on, the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks, and playing for each other. We should be pretty fun to watch!”
Benton was 9-15 a year ago, finishing 5-11 third in the WAMAC West. As a team they scored 37 points per game, shooting 31% from the floor, 35% from three and 53% at the line with 30 rebounds, 18 turnovers, eight assists, seven steals and three blocks per game. They return their two all-conference players and leaders Aubrey Kelly and Talulah Schroeder who combined for 21 points, 10 rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks per game last season, shooting 35%. The Golden Hawks won this game last year 59-29 with Bombei scoring a dozen and Morgyn Bender’s 10 outdueling 13 points from Kelly. The Golden Hawks girls have dropped four of five all-time to the Bobcats.
The boys game features a Golden Hawk team that went 18-5 a year ago, 10-2 second in the River Valley before seeing their tournament run end in the district title game. Last season’s edition of the Hawks scored 67 points per game shooting 44% from the floor, 34% from three and 71% at the line with 32 rebounds, 13 assists, 13 turnovers, eight steals and two blocks. Their team points, three point percentage and free throw percentage were all top 10 in 2A basketball. Mid-Prairie returns one of their four All-Conference selections from last year in Bryce Henry. As a junior, he scored 21 points per game, ninth best in 2A, setting the Golden Hawk record for threes in a season, second most in the state, to go with five boards, two assists and a steal per game. He was named All-Substate and All-State in 2A. Key pieces also returning for the Golden Hawks are Brooks Weber, Hudson Ehrenfelt, Kale Miller and Clayton Davidson. Mid-Prairie will have to replace six seniors including Brady Weber, Ace Peck, Conner Wiles and Landon Kos who were in the Golden Hawk rotation combining for 30 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and five steals per game. This week, Golden Hawk head coach Daren Lambert talked with KCII Sports about what has him excited for the upcoming year. “We’ve seen a lot of guys competing early in practice. We graduated a lot of talented players from last year’s team, so there’s a lot of open spots. Guys are out there competing for open positions and that’s what you want to see. They are out there doing the little things, boxing out, playing defense, being relentless, rebounding hustling, those things are the emphasis.”
Benton was 7-15 a year ago, 5-11, fifth in the WAMAC West. As a team they averaged 51 points per game, shooting 40% from the floor 32% from three and 60% at the line with 27 rebounds, 15 turnovers, 12 assists, seven steals and three blocks per night. They return both of their All-Conference selections and leaders for their senior seasons in Eli Patterson and Carson Pickering who combined for 29 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two assists on 44% shooting last season. The Golden Hawks are 2-1 all-time against the Bobcats including a 63-43 win a season ago where they knocked down 12 threes, led by 15 points from Henry and 12 for Brooks Weber while Patterson went double double for the Bobcats with 14 points and 11 boards. You can hear all of the action live tonight on AM 1380, FM 102.5, the KCII2 App and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Golden Hawk Basketball Pregame Show at 5:30p.m. Tip of the girls game at six with the boys to follow from Tim Grady Gymnasium in Wellman.