Photo Courtesy of Mid-Prairie CSD Social Media

The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk girls basketball team takes their home floor tonight in the biggest game of the season when they host Pella Christian in the Class 3A Regional Semifinals. The Hawks are 17-5 this season, finishing runners-up in the River Valley Conference at 12-2 and winners of 10 straight games, including a 53-35 Saturday win in their playoff opener over Albia. The Golden Hawks are ranked No. 12 in Class 3A in the final poll of the year from the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. Mid-Prairie scores 58 points per game and gives up 41 on 40% shooting, 31% from three and 58% at the line with 35 rebounds, 17 assists, 16 steals and 17 turnovers per game. Individually, Morgyn Bender has 14 points per night, Jovi Evans five rebounds, Katelyn Harland three assists and Jeorgia Evans three steals, all team-best numbers.

Pella Christian is 10-12 this year, finishing 3-9, sixth in the Little Hawkeye Conference. The Eagles got by the Chariton Chargers in Saturday’s tournament starter 46-26. This year, PC scores 42 points per game and gives up 45 with 36% shooting, 23% from three and 57% at the line with 35 rebounds, 12 assists, nine steals and 20 turnovers per game. Individually, Rachel Kacmarynski leads at 13 points, 13 boards, four assists and three steals per night. This week, Golden Hawk head coach Jenny Hobbs joined KCII Sports to talk about her team’s keys in the semifinals. “We’re going to work on our press-breaker. Pella Christian is athletic. Rachel (Kacmarynski), she, averages 14 points and 13 rebounds. She is so athletic. I would say Pella Christian is not the Pella Christian of old where they are so skilled they are dominating everybody, but, they are super-athletic and skilled enough to cause a lot of problems. We have to be ready to play. It’s a big one!”

These teams have met twice all-time, in 1997 and 1999 with the Golden Hawks winning both. 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 Playoff Pregame Show at 6:30p.m. And tip between the Hawks and Eagles at seven, live from Tim Grady Gymnasium in Wellman.