For the third straight outing, the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk girls and boys basketball teams are on the road tonight when they travel to West Liberty. The Golden Hawk girls are 6-2 on the year, 4-0 and on top of the River Valley after a 69-54 win at Alburnett Tuesday where Jovi Evans led with 17 points. Mid-Prairie is ranked No. 13 in Class 3A in the latest poll from the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. The Hawks score 61 points per game on 42% shooting, 31% from three and 55% at the line with 36 rebounds, 20 steals, 17 assists and 19 turnovers. Individually, Morgyn Bender leads at 13 points per night. Jovi Evans has six rebounds per game, Katelyn Harland four assists per night and Jeorgia Evans four steals per game.
West Liberty is 1-7 overall and winless in conference after a 57-35 loss at Iowa City Regina where Sully Hall led with 11 points. The Comets score 39 points per night on 31% shooting, 24% from three and 49% from the line with 26 rebounds, 10 steals, seven assists and 21 turnovers per night. Kylee Daufeldt leads with 14 points, seven boards and three steals per game. Hall’s two assists per night are best. This week, Golden Hawk head coach Jenny Hobbs talked about her team’s recent play and keeping the momentum building. “Everybody is going to watch game film on us and say ‘we can kind of push Mid-Prairie around’, they’re fast, but can they handle physicality? I like how we have responded to that so far. We have to make sure that we’re under control and have composure. Offensively, this team has spurtability. We have talked about how every game is a learning experience and by February, we have all of this worked out.”
The Hawks have won the last five over West Liberty, including a 65-22 and 66-58 sweep last season.
The Golden Hawk boys are looking for their first win of 2026, standing at 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the RVC after a 60-49 loss Tuesday at Alburnett despite 21 points from Bryce Henry, 18 in the second half. This year, the Hawks score 56 points per game on 41% shooting, 29% from three and 60% at the line with 31 rebounds, 10 assists, seven steals and 15 turnovers per game. Individual leaders are Bryce Henry with 15 points and eight boards per night and Brooks Weber at three assists and three steals per game.
West Liberty is 2-4 this year and 2-1 in the River Valley after a 71-31 loss against Monticello this week where Devin Mericle had nine points. This year the Comets score 40 points per game on 34% shooting, 20% from deep and 39% at the line with 23 rebounds, six assists, six steals and 14 turnovers per night. Joseph Delgado leads at nine points and two assists per game. Mericle averages five boards and three steals per night. This week, Golden Hawk head coach Daren Lambert talked about his team’s focus to snap their skid. “We have really put the challenge to the guys and done a lot of reflection, holding ourselves accountable on what we all needed to do, myself included. I thought we have taken a step forward recently. I’m pleased with the response, but we still need to clean those things up. These guys are smart. They know what they need to work on. We have to be better.”
The Hawks have beaten the Comets 20 times in a row, including a 46-39 and 63-61 sweep last season. You can hear all of the action tonight between Mid-Prairie and West Liberty live on AM 1380, FM 102.5, the KCII2 App and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Golden Hawk Basketball Pregame Show at 5:30p.m., Unc N Nephs Food & Brew in Washington tip of the girls game at six with the boys to follow.