The #14 Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk football team opens the 2015 class 2A playoffs with a road trip to Prairie City Monroe tonight.

The Golden Hawks advanced to the playoffs as the three seed from class 2A district five. Mid-Prairie enters the contest with an overall record of 7-2. In Mid-Prairie’s last contest they knocked off Mediapolis 20-7. Ryan Cortum was five of 10 through the air for 116 yards a score and an interception. Nolan Faselt had 31 carries, 110 yards and two touchdowns, Blake Schwartz finished with 160 yards receiving. Mid-Prairie outgained Mediapolis 351-173 in the win.

Mid-Prairie has big play potential on the offensive side of the football. The Golden Hawks average seven yards per snap, 10th best in the state and 19 yards per completion sixth best in class 2A. Cortum leads the Golden Hawks from the quarterback spot, he is 53 of 106 for 956 yards, eight touchdowns and six interceptions on the season. On the ground Mid-Prairie has a 1-2 punch with Ricky Vargas at 114 carries, 900 yards and 11 touchdowns while Nolan Faselt has 121 carries 625 yards and eight touchdowns. Through the air Blake Schwartz leads the way with 22 catches for 469 yards and three scores. Mid-Prairie’s defense ranks #8 in the state allowing just 13 points per game and has forced 16 total turnovers, also putting them in the state’s top 10.

The Golden Hawks will see the #14 ranked Prairie City Monroe Mustangs tonight. PCM finished with a 7-2 overall record, placing second in class 2A district seven. The last time the Mustangs were on the field they knocked off North Polk 35-18. Logan Gilman led the way for PCM, going 14 of 25 through the air for 261 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Logan Litrell had 18 rushes for 86 yards and a score.

Prairie City Monroe has thrown for more yards than anyone else in class 2A at 2,056 for the year and the third most passing touchdowns. Logan Gilman has 2,003 yards through the air this year and 21 scores. His favorite targets are Luke Greiner and Noah Clark, seventh and eighth in the state respectively in receiving yards. Greiner also ranks second in the state with 12 receiving touchdowns, Clark is eighth with eight of them. The Mustangs have the ninth fewest rushing yards in the state, average just over 100 per game. The Prairie City Monroe defense is 16th in the state allowing 19 points per game and has forced 18 turnovers on the year.

PCM leads the all-time series with Mid-Prairie3-1. Their last game was a 2012 Mid-Prairie win 24-7. These two teams have matched up once in the playoffs, a Prairie City Monroe win 13-7 in the 2006 class 2A quarterfinals. You can hear all of the action tonight between the Golden Hawks and the Mustangs live from Prairie City Monroe High School with the Washington HyVee Pregame show at 6:30 and kickoff at 7PM on AM 1380, FM 102.5 and KCIIradio.com