A new year dawns today for the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk volleyball team when they travel to Pella for tournament action. The Hawks are coming off of a program-record 31 win season in 2023, where they won a share of their first conference championship since 2002. En route to their 31-11 overall record and run to the regional finals in 3A, The Hawks finished in the top 10 of Class 3A in 12 different team and individual categories. Mid-Prairie led the state in three different stats. The Hawks piled up 2,053 digs, 288 aces and finished with a .339 kill efficiency rating, all best in 3A. The Golden Hawks were also second in the state with 1,296 kills and 1,271 assists. Individually, Jovi Evans ranked in the top 10 in four different categories. She finished with 64 aces, third in 3A, a .410 kill efficiency, sixth in 3A, 376 kills, eighth most and 432 serving attempts, ninth most. Dakota Mitchell led all of 3A with 639 digs. Her 55 aces from the backline were eighth in 3A. Callie Huber was third in 3A with a .450 kill efficiency rating. The Golden Hawks spent all season ranked in the top 15 of Class 3A by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. Five Hawks were named All-River Valley and four return including Evans, Huber, Mitchell, and Harper Pacha. The trio of Evans, Mitchell and Pacha were named All-District and All-State by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association. Head Coach Sherry Evans was last year’s RVC Coach of the Year and IGCA District Coach of the Year. Mid-Prairie starts this season ranked No. 6 in Class 3A by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. Golden Hawk head coach Sherry Evans joined the KCII PM Sports Page to talk about what has her most excited for the upcoming season.

Evans said, “It’s amazing to see all of these girls working incredibly hard. They truly love the sport. When you have the desire this group does, good things happen. That’s so exciting for us. We have a good group of incoming freshman also. They are going to push the older girls. There is going to competition for who is playing where and what and I love that they all embrace each other. We are going to have a lot of depth. I’m so excited about that! It’s a good problem to have!”

Mount Vernon will also be in Pella today. The Mustangs were WAMAC Champions a season ago and finished as State Runners-up in Class 3A with a 35-5 overall record. They return leading killer Chloe Meester who posted 559 as a junior. Sydney Huber is back after a team leading 1,092 assists last year. Jaden Rolland and Meester combined on 712 digs a year ago to finish one two in the back row for the Mustangs, with Meester and Huber’s 89 total blocks best on the team. Mavrik Schweer is back after generating a team leading 59 aces a season ago. Mt. Vernon starts 2023 No. 1 in the Class 3A poll.

Bondurant-Farrar was 16-15 last season, finishing 4-4 in the Racoon River Conference. Stat leaders back for the Bluejays include Nora Dodson, second in kills last year with 176. Dodson is also the best back with 21 blocks, third on the team a year ago. Assist leader Kai Arens returns with 367 as a sophomore a year ago. Hailey Mullen is the leading returner on defense with 219 digs, second in 2023. Mia Keith completed 2023 with 28 aces, third on the team and best returning.

The home Dutch went 21-20 last year, 5-3, third place in the Little Hawkeye Conference. Leaders back include Katie Scheckel with a team best 322 kills. She’s also the leader back after 382 assists a year ago, second most, and 307 digs, second most, to go with 47 aces, second most. Abbie Brand and Kelsey Tauke both posted 63 blocks to lead the way at the net in 2023.

Action starts at 5p.m. and continues into the evening at Pella High School.