The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk girls and boys basketball teams travel to Van Horne tonight for a pair of non-conference contests with the Benton Bobcats. The Golden Hawk girls are 1-0 after a successful season opener at Fairfield one week ago, scoring a 73-26 win, where all 11 players who dressed, got in the game and scored. Brooklyn Schneider had 14 points and five steals, Jeorgia Evans 13 points, and Callie Huber had 11 boards, as the Hawks shot 37% as a team, hit five threes, had 30 steals and won the boards by 36. This is the season opener for the Bobcats who were 18-7 a year ago, 11-5 in the WAMAC, finishing the year with a bid to State in 3A. The Bobcats scored 53 per night and gave up 40, shooting 36% from the floor, 30% from three and 66% at the line with 34 boards, 12 assists, nine steals and 10 turnovers per game. Benton lost their top three scorers, leading rebounder, assister and stealer to graduation, with Emma Townsley, McKenna Kramer and Piper Nelson combining for 36 points per night. They do return Aubrey Kelly at seven points, five boards and two assists per game. Benton won this matchup last year 66-45 in Wellman.
This is the season opener for the Golden Hawk boys who were 12-10 overall a year ago, with a 6-6 record in the River Valley Conference. The Hawks scored 63 per night and gave up 61, shooting 42% overall, 36% from three and 66% at the line with 30 rebounds, 14 assists, seven steals and 15 turnovers per game. Individually, the Golden Hawks two leading scorers are back with Bryce Henry and Ace Peck averaging 28 per game together a year ago. They will have to replace leading rebounder Dylan Henry and his six per game. Brady Weber returns at five boards and six assists per night to go with a pair of steals. His floor game numbers led the team last year. Benton finished the previous season 6-16 overall, 4-12 in the WAMAC Conference. They scored 51 per night and gave up 62, shooting 36% from the floor, 30% from three and 67% at the line, with 24 boards, 12 assists, seven steals and 15 turnovers per game. They lost their top two scorers, assists and steals leaders from last year, Quincy Gilbert and Wyatt Rinderknecht and their 18 points per game. They return Gavin Brooks at eight points per night, Carson Nolan at six boards and Kolby Wenger at two assists and a steal. The Bobcats won this game in Wellman last year, 54-42. Golden Hawk head boys basketball coach Daren Lambert previewed the upcoming season with KCII Sports on the Coaches Corner Saturday with what has him most excited.
Lambert said, “It’s the competitiveness and energy level from this group. They hold each other accountable through their actions. The next guy up can’t relax because he’s got to match the intensity of everyone else. That’s just who they are as a group. The juniors and seniors mesh really well as a group. That’s because they have been competing with each other in other sports. It’s like getting right back on the bike and picking up where we left off!”
Action starts with the girls game tonight at 6:30p.m. At Benton High School.