The first day of school is Monday for the Mid-Prairie School District, but the Golden Hawks are taking part in their first live action of the 2021-22 school year tonight when they travel to Wilton for a volleyball scrimmage. The Golden Hawk volleyball team is coming off of a 9-16 campaign last year, finishing 3-6 in the River Valley Conference. Their nine match victories are the most for the program in a single season since 2016. The three conference wins are the most since 2014. Mid-Prairie will try to replace seven seniors from last year’s squad including kills leader Tori Boyse who totaled 73 last year, their top three in digs with Amber Swart, Paige Peiffer and Myah Lugar accounting for 439 combined and their leading blocker with Phelan Hostetler accounting for 60. Also graduating were Karson Jehle and Maddie Edgington. The Hawks do return their assist leader, Landry Pacha, who racked up 265 as a sophomore. She is also the leading returner with 80 digs last year. Ella Groenewold is back after finishing second on the team as a sophomore with 62 kills and 40 blocks a season ago.

The Golden Hawks will be joined tonight in Wilton by Anamosa, Camanche, Durant, North Cedar, Iowa City Regina and the homestanding and defending conference champion Beavers. Action begins at 4p.m. and continues into the evening at Wilton High School.