The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk football team is back under the lights Friday when they welcome the Pekin Panthers to Wellman. Mid-Prairie opened the season a week ago with a loss at home to Grinnell 47-20. The Hawks posted 286 yards of total offense in the loss, including 170 through the air. Mid-Prairie was led by Brad Tornow, who in only one half of action due to injury was seven of 15 for 153 yards and a touchdown. On the ground Kayden Reinier finished with 86 yards on 16 attempts and a touchdown. Justice Jones and Josh Wallington led the Mid-Prairie defense with eight tackles each, Wallington with four tackles for loss and a sack.

Pekin dropped the Backyard Brawl last week 34-14 to Sigourney-Keota. A year ago the Panthers put up 3,714 total yards and 40 touchdowns. 2,902 of those yards were on the ground. The Panthers were led by Dayne Eckley, who returns this year for his senior season after a campaign of 1,477 yards and 13 touchdowns a year ago. Pekin has to replace Caleb Comstock, their senior quarterback from a  year ago, who finished with 812 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions going 40 of 84 through the air. The top receiver for the Panther is also gone with Connor Reed graduating after a season of 16 catches for 290 yards and three touchdowns. Kennan Winn is back after 10 catches 221 yards and four scores a year ago. Defensively, the Panthers have to replace their top two tacklers with Reed and Tanner Bainbridge a year ago combining for 120 tackles and six sacks. Mid-Prairie head football coach Pete Cavanagh talked this week about the keys to the game. “We went back to the basics this week in practice and stripped it all down. This is what we need to do to block and tackle better. I think we are more than capable. We did not perform well last year against Pekin. They were more physical with us and handled us up front. They have some key guys back including a couple of offensive linemen and their running back. For us it’s a challenge to get better from week one to week two.”

You can hear all of the action live tonight on AM 1380, FM 102.5 and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the KCII Football Friday Preview Show at 6p.m., Washington HyVee Pregame Show at 6:30 and kickoff at 7p.m. from Dwight G. Sattler Field in Wellman.