Entering their 2015 season opener against Durant, much of the talk surrounding the Mid-Prairie football team was how they remember the 2014 meeting with the Wildcats, a tight game that they lost 7-6. Expect Friday nights game to be one they remember as well, for a much different reason, a dominating 54-22 win on the road that you heard on KCII. Despite the lopsided score it was Durant that got on the board first when Will Bently connected with Gavin Blake on a seam route for a 73 yard score on the second play from scrimmage, the two point conversion made it 8-0 Wildcats. That’s when the Hawks took control of the game.

Mid-Prairie scored the next 42, getting on the board at the 9:34 mark of the first quarter when Nolan Faselt capped a four play 52 yard drive with a nine yard touchdown run to get Mid-Prairie within 8-6. Paul Hawbaker picked off a Bently pass on Durant’s next possession and raced 45 yards for the score off the turnover, giving Mid-Prairie their first lead at 12-8. Ryan Cortum hooked up with Blake Schwartz for the two point conversion making it 14-8. Early in the second quarter the advantage swelled to 21-8 when Ricky Vargas raced around the end for a 10 yard score, finishing an 11 play 84 yard drive, the Terrhyn Jacoby extra point made it 21-8. Nolan Faselt found pay dirt again for the Golden Hawks on their next drive, he pounded in from 10 yards out to push the lead to 27-8 following the blocked extra point, that’s where the score stood at the half.

After winning the coin toss and differing, Mid-Prairie took the ball in the second half and marched down the field on an eight play, 56 yard drive, that Vargas finished for his second score of the night and it was 34-8 Mid-Prairie. Faselt found the endzone for a third time on the next Hawks possession, running the tally to 42-8 at the end of the third. In the fourth quarter, Mid-Prairie began to substitute some of the starters out of the game but those who got on the field took full advantage including Keaton Duwa, who scored on a five yard touchdown run after Durant got within 42-16. With the score 48-16, each team got in the endzone once more. For the Golden Hawks Jackson Young dove in from two yards out.

Mid-Prairie rolled up 411 yards of total offense on the night, 363 of that was on the ground. Mid-Prairie was a sterling seven for eight on third down in the game and a perfect seven of seven in the red zone. Defensively, Mid-Prairie posted five tackles for loss and two sacks. Individually, the Golden Hawks were led by Faselt with 105 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries. Ryan Cortum was three of five through the air for 48 yards. Levi Duwa caught all three passes for the 48 total yards.

With the win Mid-Prairie is now 1-0 on the season and will open up the home portion of their schedule next Friday night at Dwight G. Sattler Field in Wellman when they host Clear Creek Amana.