In a game with playoff implications on Senior Night Friday in Bloomfield, the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks never trailed en route to a 49-32 win over the Davis County Mustangs. Both teams entered the fray at 4-3 overall and 3-1 in class 2A district six, meaning the winner would get the second seed and a home game in their playoff opener next week, while the loser would be forced onto the road to open the postseason. On their first drive the Hawks marched 65 yards on 11 plays, finishing the drive with a four yard Tyler Helmuth touchdown run, his first of three on the night. After the defenses settled in and each forced a punt, Mid-Prairie got the ball back late in the first quarter and drove 76 yards on nine plays, Helmuth again with the capper, a six yard touchdown run to put the Hawks up 14-0.
The second quarter is where things got interesting and Mid-Prairie took control, putting up 21 points in the last eight minutes of the frame. Davis County drove into the Mid-Prairie red zone on their first possession of the frame before Jack Pennington slammed the door with an interception, one of two Mid-Prairie forced turnovers on the night. After the Golden Hawks were turned away the Mustangs marched right back down the field and this time would find the end zone finishing a three play 42 yard drive with a 21 yard touchdown pass from Carson Maeder to Cadon Glosser. With the score 14-8, the Golden Hawks rattled off three straight scoring drives. The first, a five play 55 yard drive on Helmuth’s third rushing touchdown, a 25 yard sweep to make it 21-8. The Golden Hawks then capitalized on a special teams miscue, a poor Mustang punt and a penalty leaving them just 10 yards to go which they covered in two plays to go up 28-8 when Braden Hartley scored the first of his two touchdowns. Maeder then threw his second interception of the half to Collin Miller who returned it 24 yards to the Mustang 31 yard line and the Golden Hawks went to the air with Will Cavanagh finding Cain Brown on a 17 yard fade for six, putting Mid-Prairie up 35-8 at the break.
The second half saw the two teams trade scores the rest of the way as the offenses both found a groove. Davis County found the end zone three times after the break with touchdowns scored by Gavin McCall, and two more from Maeder to Glosser. Mid-Prairie’s scoring after the half included a rushing touchdown each for Cavanagh and Hartley. After the game, Mid-Prairie head coach Pete Cavanagh talked about his offensive line, backs and the big win. “We have a young group along the offensive line, kind of an inexperienced group and there have been some injuries but consistently, they have been able to block. Coach Hervey does a nice job getting them ready to work as a unit before the game. We’re not going to get off the bus and wow anybody. Last week I heard one of the Centerville coaches say ‘wow they’re small!’ and he’s right. But we get off the ball and we block, execute and play hard. What I like from Tyler Helmuth and Braden Hartley is that they each run with a slightly different style. Tyler is the lightning and Braden the thunder. They compliment each other and it’s nice to have depth back there. Braden also does a great job at full back when he’s not carrying the ball. Statistically, you can try to throw the ball around but you get to this time of year, you have to be able to run the football. All I know right now is we don’t have to get on a bus this Friday and that sounds good to me.”
Davis County outgained the Hawks 407 to 404 with Mid-Prairie recording 23 first downs and the Mustangs 20. The Golden Hawks rushed for 319 yards in the win and threw for 105. Mid-Prairie was five of nine on third down and a perfect five of five on red zone scoring chances. Individually, the Hawks had a pair of 100 yard rushers with Tyler Helmuth carrying the rock 19 times for 151 yards and three touchdowns, Braden Hartley complimented him with 16 carries for 120 yards and two scores, Cavanagh added a rushing touchdown, through the air he was eight of 11 for 105 yards and a score. Brown caught the Golden Hawk touchdown. The Mid-Prairie defense was led by 10 tackles by Braden Hartley. Miller and Pennington each had an interception. With the win the Golden Hawks wrap up the second seed in class 2A district six with a 5-3 overall record, 4-1 in league play and will open the playoffs at home next week. Davis County is 4-4, 3-2 in league play and are the three seed opening the postseason on the road.