Photo Courtesy of Mid-Prairie Basketball Social Media

The fourth biggest story in Mid-Prairie athletics in the last year relives a record setting year for the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk boys basketball program. The Hawks rolled through the regular season 21-0, matching the school record set in 1991 for best start to a season, climbing as high as No. 2 in the Class 2A Associated Press poll and winning their first River Valley Conference championship since 2009. The Golden Hawks clinched the conference title with a victory in Tim Grady Gymnasium over the visiting No. 7 Monticello Panthers 65-50 in the final regular season game of the year behind Jack Pennington’s 24 points. Mid-Prairie would break the school record winning streak by plowing through Mediapolis 57-31 in the first round of the playoffs to move to 22-0 with Ethan Kos scoring 18 points, beat West Burlington at Mount Pleasant for their first district title in 12 years and a 23-0 mark on 20 points from Jack Pennington and ultimately clinch a bid to state for the first time since 2010 by dismantling Northeast Goose Lake in Muscatine at substate with Will Cavanagh scoring 23 points on six three point goals.

The Golden Hawks suffered their lone setback of the year in the quarterfinals in Des Moines as Monticello got revenge by a 46-43 score. Six members of the team were selected all-River Valley including unanimous elite selection Carter Harmsen, elite pick Pennington, south team picks Kos, Cavanagh, and Alex Bean and honorable mention selection Justice Jones. Head coach Daren Lambert was named River Valley Conference South Division Coach of the Year. Harmsen was also a second team All-State selection in 2A.

Tune in Wednesday when our countdown of the top 10 stories in Mid-Prairie sports from last year highlights Golden Hawk baseball.