The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk boys and girls basketball teams travel to West Branch to meet the Bears in their new gym Friday for a River Valley Conference doubleheader. The Golden Hawk boys come in at 18-0 overall, 16-0 in conference following their 30 point win at Wilton Tuesday that clinched the RVC South title. The 18 straight wins is their best run since 1991. Mid-Prairie is ranked No. 2 in class 2A in this week’s poll from the Iowa Associated Press. The Golden Hawks score 64 points per game and give up 43, shooting 47% from the floor, 35% from downtown, both top 10 in 2A and 61% at the line. Carter Harmsen leads Mid-Prairie scoring 21 points per game, eighth in 2A and grabbing eight rebounds. Jack Pennington has a team best four assists and three steals per night.

West Branch is 10-8 overall, 9-8 in conference after beating West Liberty Tuesday 60-35. The Bears score 55 points per game and give up 54, shooting 43% from the floor with 26 rebounds, 12 assists and eight steals per game. Holden Arnaman leads the West Branch offense with 16 points per game and five assists. These two teams met January 7th with Mid-Prairie winning 75-54 in Wellman. West Branch has won 13 of the last 15 in the series.

The Mid-Prairie girls are 13-7 on the year and 12-6 in conference after a 67-36 loss at Wilton Tuesday. The Hawks are ranked No. 15 in this week’s poll from the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. Mid-Prairie scores 47 per game and gives up 42, shooting 37% from the floor with 30 rebounds and 12 assists and steals per night. Maddie Nonnenmann scores a team best 16 per game, sixth in 3A, Amara Jones leads the Hawks with five rebounds, four assists and four steals per game.

West Branch is 13-6 this year, 11-5 in league play, falling to West Liberty 53-34 Tuesday. They score 48 per game, giving up 40, shooting 38% from the floor with 31 rebounds, 12 assists and nine steals a night. August Palmer leads the way at 15 points per night. Delaynie Luneckas averages a team best 12 rebounds, five blocked shots and three assists. The Bears beat the Hawks in their lone meeting so far this year 54-47 and have beaten Mid-Prairie nine straight times. You can hear all of the action tonight between the Bears and Golden Hawks live from West Branch High School on AM 1380, FM 102.5 and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Washington HyVee Pregame Show at 5:30, tip of the girls game at six with the boys to follow.