A pair of local teams take the pitch in Riverside for their first match of the year tonight when the Highland Huskies host the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks. The Huskies finished last season with a 1-12 record, beating Wapello 4-2 in their regular season finale. The Huskies scored eight goals last season while giving up 63. They recorded 31 shots on goal on offense, gave up nearly five goals per game on defense, with 208 saves with a 77% team save percentage on the back line. Individually, the Huskies graduated lone senior Carlos Valenzuela but return all others including Jared Diaz and Logan McFarland who tied for the team lead with three goals apiece as sophomores. McFarland also led the way with a pair of assists and 13 shots on goal. Highland’s leading keeper Ayden Havel is back after logging 577 minutes in goal with 115 saves and a 79% save percentage last year. Angel Avendano, Louis Horak, Landon Bell, Stella Slaymaker, Jack Peiffer, Bryce Weldon, Brody Miller and Remington Fields all return after each starting 10 matches or more last season.

The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks take the field after a season that saw them finish with a 9-7 record. The Hawks biggest success last season was a four match April winning streak where they took down Anamosa, Tipton, Highland and Maquoketa by a combined 19-4 tally. Statistically, the Hawks scored 47 goals last year and gave up 50, with 25 team assists, 147 shots on goal and 100 total saves on defense. They will need to replace the second highest all-time scorer in school history, Owen Trimpe, who capped off his Golden Hawk career with 19 goals last season to lead the way. Tucker Miller is the top returning scorer with eight goals a season ago. Miller’s eight assists also led last year’s team and behind Trimpe’s 50 shots on goal, Miller’s 28 from last season are next best. Defensively, four guys split time in goal last year for the Hawks with Joe Hall’s 560 minutes and 46 saves leading the way. Jacob Flynn’s 67% save percentage was best on the team. Mid-Prairie has experience back with Sawyer Hough, Dylan Henry and Daniel Rodgers returning after starting all 16 matches a season ago.

Mid-Prairie has won nine straight over Highland and 17 of the 18 all-time in the series. Last year’s meeting saw the Hawks take a 9-1 victory with two goals each for Miller and Trimpe and one apiece for Hough, Hall, Noah Ford, and Flynn. The Highland tally came from Avendano. Action gets underway tonight at 5p.m. at Highland High School.