The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk football team will be under the lights for the first time this season against a live opponent when they host Iowa City Regina for a scrimmage. The Golden Hawks were 3-6 a year ago, 3-2 in district play, collecting wins against Central Lee, Davis County and Albia. Mid-Prairie finished last season with 2,625 yards including 1,708 on the ground. The Golden Hawks will have to replace their top five leading rushers from a season ago including Justin Schwartz who led the way with 1,015 yards and 12 touchdowns on 200 carries. Through the air the Hawks return Brad Tornow for his senior season under center, after a junior campaign that saw him finish 58 of 138 for 816 yards, five touchdowns and eight interceptions. Tornow’s top three targets from a season ago have moved on with Jack Baker at tight end being the leading returner with 12 catches for 144 yards. Baker is the leading returner defensively, finishing second on the team last year with 42.5 tackles.

Iowa City Regina was 5-4 last season. The Regals piled up 3,190 total yards including 2,160 through the air and 31 touchdowns as a team. Ashton Cook battled injuries to finish as the leading passer for Regina going 98 of 158 for 1,270 yards, nine touchdowns and six interceptions in his sophomore season. His favorite target was fellow sophomore Alec Wick with 59 catches for 746 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Regals will have to replace their top five rushers from a season ago who compiled more than 800 yards and 11 touchdowns. Their leading returner is Levi Quinlan who had 17 carries for 59 yards and a score. Mid-Prairie head football coach Pete Cavanagh talked this week about what he hopes to see at the scrimmage. “We want to stay healthy obviously, but I want to put some kids into the fire and see what they can do in a game situation. That’s why I like the state allowing us to scrimmage another team, so we can really see what we have. I’m excited to see what our guys can do. We are more athletic than we have been the last few years. We have some speed. We might even do a couple of forward passes this year believe it or not. It’s excited and we look forward to proving that on the field this year.”

The event begins at 6:30 tonight at Dwight G. Sattler Field in Wellman with the player auction, followed by the scrimmage against Regina at 7:30.