The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk boys and girls basketball teams host the Camanche Storm tonight in an interdivisional River Valley Conference doubleheader. The Golden Hawk girls are 2-0 after wins over Fairfield and Benton to start the year by a combined 132-55 score. In their 59-29 victory at Benton Tuesday, the Hawks won the boards by 11, forced 29 turnovers and had 15 steals. They were led individually by Tessa Bombei’s 12 points and 10 for Morgyn Bender. This year, the Hawks score 66 per game and give up 27, shooting 40% from the floor, 27% from deep and 58% at the line with 46 rebounds, 17 assists, 23 steals and 21 turnovers per game. Individually, Brooklyn Schneider scores 12 per night, Callie Huber averages nine rebounds per game, Jeorgia Evans four steals and Katelyn Harland three assists.

Camanche is 1-2 with losses to Tipton and Clinton. The Storm got by Durant on Tuesday in triple overtime 60-53. They score 38 points per game and give up 42, shooting 29% overall, 19% from three and 59% at the line with 36 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 steals and 19 turnovers per night. Individually, Jeorgia Neumann scores 10 points and has 10 boards per game. Evalyn Vogel has five steals and three assists per night. This week, Golden Hawk head coach Danny Hershberger talked about his team’s work in practice and what they know about Camanche.

Hershberger said, “We have been going over details on defense that we want to clean up. Offensively, taking care of the ball in the half court. Camanche has been playing some good basketball and playing close games. They like to play zone, we have to be ready for that, they have a couple of girls that can shoot the ball so we have to close out on their shooters. I feel like if we do a good job of taking care of what we can take care of, getting after it defensively like we have been, playing aggressively without fouling, rebound the way we’ve been rebounding, and share the ball on offense the way we’ve been, we’re going to have success.”

The Storm have won six of the nine all-time meetings between the two schools with Mid-Prairie winning three straight including a 54-35 victory in 2022.

The Golden Hawk boys are 1-0 after a 63-43 win in their opener at Benton Tuesday where they made 12 threes, forced 20 turnovers, had 13 assists and 10 steals. Three got to double figures, led by Ace Peck’s 23 points, Bryce Henry’s 15 and Brooks Weber’s 12.

Camanche is also 1-0 after a 71-42 win over Durant where the Storm won the glass by eight and dished out 19 assists as a team. Ian Witt had a 10 point 11 rebound double double, Tyson Seeser scored 17, Cameron Dorsey 16 and Ty Hoerschelmann and Pierson White 11 each. Golden Hawk head coach Daren Lambert talked with KCII Sports this week about the work by his team since the win at Benton and the challenges against Camanche.

Lambert said, “They’re a long athletic team. Traditionally a program that has had a lot of success. They have some height. Our focus is on getting better with who we are. I think we took steps forward (against Benton), especially from half time on. We have to fine-tune things defensively, we’re probably going to see a different defense and some different pressure. We’ll have to adjust. We are starting to know what to expect, getting roles ironed out. Guys see things more clearly after (live game action). We’re excited for the challenge with Camanche Friday.”

The Hawks are 3-9 all-time against Camanche, winning the last two in the series including a 57-55 win at Kirkwood in 2022 during the River Valley Conference Shoot out. You can hear all of the action live tonight between the Golden Hawks and the Storm from Tim Grady Gymnasium in Wellman on AM 1380, FM 102.5, the KCII2 App and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Golden Hawk Basketball Pregame Show at 5:30p.m., Unc N Nephs Food & Brew tip of the girl’s game at six with the boys to follow.