Photo Courtesy of Mid-Prairie Football Social Media
One of the biggest games in the state takes place on one of the biggest stages in Southeast Iowa tonight when the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks host the Williamsburg Raiders in their 63rd annual Homecoming football game. The Golden Hawks enter play 4-1 overall, 2-0 in district play after a 51-0 hammering of the Central Lee Hawks a week ago. Mid-Prairie is ranked No. 9 in Class 2A this week, according to the poll from the Iowa Associated Press. The Golden Hawks are scoring 33 points per night and giving up just 15 while posting 300 yards per game, 223 of that on the ground. Mid-Prairie has beaten their first two district opponents by a combined 107-0 score. Individually, the Hawks are led by Braden Hartley with 110 carries 765 yards and 10 touchdowns. Collin Miller has three rushing scores and Landon Sullivan, Lukin Rediger, Jarron Thomas and Jack Zahradnek one each. Through the air, Miller is 20 of 52 for 340 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions. His favorite target is Cain Brown with 11 catches 210 yards and two touchdowns. Cobi Hershberger and Grady Gingerich each have a scoring grab. Brown leads the Mid-Prairie defense with 24 tackles. The Hawks have 17 takeaways, Brown and Dylan Henry lead with three interceptions and Grady Miller has two fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown.
Williamsburg is a perfect 5-0 on the year and also 2-0 in district play entering week 6. The Raiders were 55-7 winners a week ago on their Homecoming against Centerville. They are ranked No. 1 in this week’s Class 2A poll from the Associated Press. They average 41 points per game while giving up 10, outscoring their opponents in total this year 207 to 52. The Raiders average 290 total yards per contest, 147 of that on the ground. Individual Williamsburg leaders include Gable Dayton with 37 carries 264 yards and three touchdowns. Carson Huedepohl has seven rushing scores this year. He’s also the leader through the air at 46 of 81 for 600 yards, seven touchdowns and 20 interceptions. His favorite target is Derek Weisskopf with 14 grabs, 223 yards and four touchdowns. Rayce Heitman leads the Raider defense with 35 tackles, four and a half for loss. The Raiders have 17 takeaways on the year, Heitman leads with a pair of fumble recoveries and Weisskopf has five interceptions. This week, Mid-Prairie head coach Pete Cavanagh talked about what will decide the top 10 tilt. “(Williamsburg) is fast. They’ve got some elite talent on both sides of the ball and they’re playing at a championship level. We understand what we’re up against. There’s a lot of will, desire there for our guys to play well and I think we will. Williamsburg thrives on turnovers. We have to make sure we don’t turn it over and while we’re on defense we have to create some. We have to tackle. The last couple of years against them, we didn’t tackle very well and they had a couple of big plays. We have to rally to the ball. Get a lot of guys there, and play fundamental football.”
Williamsburg has won 18 of the 22 all-time meetings between the two schools including a 24-21 contest on the Raiders Homecoming a year ago. You can hear all of the action live tonight between No. 9 Mid-Prairie and No. 1 Williamsburg from Dwight G. Sattler Field in Wellman on AM 1380, FM 102.5 and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Washington HyVee Pregame Show at 7p.m. and kickoff at 7:30.