It’s a back-to-back assignment in the playoffs for the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk girls soccer team when they travel to Mount Pleasant Wednesday for the second round of the Class 1A Regional tournament and a date with the Panthers. It’s been a strange week for the Hawks, who opened the tournament with a match Monday against Wapello, that was delayed by weather, and saw the final 60 minutes finished on Tuesday in Wellman. In their 8-0 win over the Arrows, the Golden Hawks were led by two goals each from Meadow Flynn and Zoey Curtiss, one goal apiece for Gaby Geno, Kassidi Greiner, Maya Banuelos and Brooklyn Schneider, two assists each for Sam Wunderlich and Ruth Witthoft, one apiece for Banuelos Ahna Townsend and Curtiss and a clean sheet for keeper Niva Helmuth.

This year, the Hawks have been outscored 36-32 in total with 147 shots on goal, 65 corner kicks, 18 assists and an 81% team save percentage. Individually, Flynn’s 10 goals are best, Lydia Beachy leads with four assists and Helmuth has 125 saves.

Mount Pleasant is 8-5-1 overall this year, after finishing 5-5, third in the Southeast Conference. They have been off for a week after a 4-0 win over Burlington Notre Dame. This season, the Panthers have outscored their opponents 38-31 with 90 shots on goal, 44 corner kicks, 27 assists and an 81% team save percentage. Individually, Charice Auwerda has 18 goals, Tori Wilson eight assists and Eli Heaton 97 saves to lead. Following their Tuesday win, Golden Hawk head coach Truman Shetler spoke with KCII Sports about his team’s keys to success against the Panthers.

Shetler said, “We are in a back-to-back, but we’ve been in several of those this year. We were able to win the first one and rest some people and keep them fresh for Wednesday. Against Mount Pleasant, it’s going to be a mental thing. I think everyone is in shape enough to do it physically, but, it’s going to be the mental side of things. We have to stay focused, stay in good positions and connected passes with teammates. Those things are going to make the difference.”

Mount Pleasant has won four of the five all-time meetings between the schools, the most recent a 1-0 win in 2014. The winner of this contest advances to the regional semifinals Wednesday to face the winner of Mediapolis and Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union. Action between the Panthers and Hawks starts tonight at 5:30p.m. At East Lake Park in Mount Pleasant.