In a matchup of two of the state’s standout teams, defenses and running games it was #11 Central Lee that scored a key road district win at #10 Mid-Prairie on Friday night 14-7. The game, heard on KCII, featured the states fourth and sixth ranked scoring defenses and two of the top rushing offenses in the state, played out just as it looked on paper, a defensive, grinding slugfest. It was Central Lee who got on the board first, the Hawks marched 65 yards on 11 plays, bleeding six minutes off the clock with their possession based offense before Garrett Holtkamp dove into the endzone on fourth and goal from the one to make it 7-0.

Mid-Prairie would find an answer right before the half on one of the more miraculous plays you will ever see. On third down from their own 30, Golden Hawk quarterback Ryan Cortum swung a screen pass to receiver Blake Schwartz. After Schwartz’ reception, he was immediately hit and brought to the ground. As he was being tackled he was able to lateral the football to his teammate Paul Hawbaker who caught the ball at full speed and sprinted 70 yards for the touchdown, tying the game in the final minute of the half.

After differing the ball to begin the game Central Lee took possession to begin the second half and put together a methodical drive, as is their calling card. Central Lee chewed up 80 yards on 17 plays, running more than nine minutes off the clock before Ethan Barnett scored from six yards out on a third down and three run, giving Central Lee a 14-7 lead. Mid-Prairie would mount two threatening drives the rest of the way. On the first, the Golden Hawks found themselves in a goal to go situation and found Levi Duwa in the back corner of the end zone. As he was bringing in the pass, Central Lee defender Blake Burgess wedged the ball free from Duwa with a combination of his hand and his foot as both players went to the turf.

Mid-Prairie had the final possession of the night, trailing by seven with around 90 seconds to play. The Golden Hawks drove the ball to midfield with 16 seconds left, and initially seemed to convert a fourth down and eight to keep the drive alive but were flagged for an illegal forward pass and the loss of down turned the ball over to Central Lee and ended the game.

Statistically Mid-Prairie was led by Ricky Vargas with nine carries for 26 yards. Nolan Faselt had 24 yards on six carries. Ryan Cortum was 12 of 25 through the air for 155 yards one touchdown and two interceptions. Blake Schwartz caught four passes for 44 yards, Paul Hawbaker had two catches for 72 yards and a touchdown. With the win, Central Lee wraps up home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. With the loss the Golden Hawks fall to 5-2 on the year 2-2 in district play and will next be in action Friday when they travel to West Liberty.