Picture Courtesy of Mid-Prairie Football Social Media

The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk football team travels south tonight with a chance to clinch a playoff spot, when they meet Central Lee. The Golden Hawks are 2-4 overall, and 2-1 within district after suffering a setback in Wellman against Mediapolis 38-7 a week ago. The Hawks were outgained in total 408-322 including 314 to 154 on the ground. Individual Mid-Prairie leaders included Hudson Ehrenfelt with 168 all-purpose yards. Quarterback Brady Weber was 11/24 through the air for 135 yards and a 38-yard touchdown connection to Kaden Kos. Grady Miller led the Golden Hawk defense with seven stops, three for loss. On the year, the Hawks are averaging 24 points per game and giving up 23, to go with 315 yards per night, 160 of that on the ground. The Mid-Prairie defense has six takeaways. Weber is 75 of 129 passing for 882 yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions. Ehrenfelt has 1,148 all-purpose yards on 135 touches with seven touchdowns. Leading receiver is Cobi Hershberger with 25 grabs for 305 yards and a score. Mid-prairie ranks in the top 10 of Class 2A in six different categories.

Central Lee is 3-3 this year, but after starting the season 3-0, they are still winless in district following a 27-0 loss a week ago at West Burlington. The Hawks were held to just 34 total yards including -3 on the ground. Quarterback Kayden Calfee led the offense with 25 all-purpose yards. Landon Lowenberg had 11 tackles and Cory Jones and Ethan Bergman each an interception. On the year, Central Lee is scoring 21 points per game and giving up 17. The Hawks average 252 total yards per night, 227 on the ground. Individual leaders include Calfee with 552 all-purpose yards and seven total touchdowns. Chase Johnson leads the defense with 41 tackles and Cory Jones has picked off five passes. Central Lee is in the top 10 of Class 2A in six different categories. They are last in the state in all passing stats. This week, Mid-Prairie head coach Daren Lambert talked about the takeaways from the loss to MEPO, the challenges Central Lee poses this week, and keys to a win. He said, “In most football games, it comes down to five to eight plays, where, if you win on those plays, the game can be vastly different. We went back and watched (Mediapolis) film. Those plays were some of the things that stood out. Missed blocks, missed tackles, dropped passes, and if you convert on those plays, that can change the momentum. This week, you’re facing an offense of Central Lee that likes to run a triple-option. That’s assignment football. You have to do your job. The biggest thing is you don’t want them to get too many yards on first down. That way they’re seeing third and long. We still have a lot to fight for this season. The district is now in MEPO’s hands, but they still have to play two opponents and we still have to play two opponents. So you’re fighting to stay in the hunt, but also, you want some home football playoff games.”

Mid-Prairie is 12-2 all-time against Central Lee, including a current streak of six straight over the Hawks with a 51-0 victory a season ago. A win for Mid-Prairie tonight clinches a playoff bid and keeps them alive for the second seed in Class 2A District 5, which would give them home field advantage in the opening round of the playoffs. A loss for Central Lee eliminates them from playoff contention. You can hear all of the action between the Golden Hawks and Hawks live on AM 1380, FM 102.5, the KCII2 app and KCIIradio.com tonight, beginning with the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk Football Pregame Show at 7p.m. and kickoff 7:30 at Central Lee High School.