The tournament trail continues Tuesday for the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk girls soccer team when they travel to Van Meter High School for a Class 1A regional semifinal against the home Bulldogs. The Hawks are 11-6 this season after a 1-0 shut out win in the quarterfinals last week over Central Lee in Wellman. Mid-Prairie advanced thanks to a Zoey Curtiss goal and an 18 save clean sheet from Niva Helmuth. This season, the Hawks have outscored their opponents 45-32 including seven defensive shut outs. Individual leaders include Amara Jones with 11 goals in eight matches. Kina Miller and Elise Gingerich each have seven assists. In goal, Miller and Helmuth have a combined 202 saves and 86% save percentage.

Van Meter is the top seed in region three. They come into the match 10-3 on the season after a quartefinal win 10-0 over Centerville last week. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 6 in the final Class 1A poll of the season issued by the Iowa High School Soccer Coaches Association. This year, they have outscored their opponents 79-11. Individual leaders include Eden Moore with 29 goals, Mary Kelly with 13 assists and Regan Bernhardt with 44 saves. These programs have never met. The winner advances to the Class 1A regional final with a bid to state in Des Moines on the line against the winner of No. 13 Panorama and No. 14 Pella Christian. This week, the Golden Hawk defense of Lydia Beachy, Evangeline Marner, Emily Curtiss, Kyla Karnes, Meadow Flynn, Morgan Nafziger and keeper Niva Helmuth talked about their focus against Van Meter.

Marner said, “We’ve been working on keeping a tight defense. Not stepping hard, but staying in front of the player with the ball.”

Curtiss said, “It’s always those first five minutes after a goal where you need to stay locked in. Make sure that you’re focused because anything can happen. The other team has motivation to come right back at us after we score.”

Helmuth continued, “I would definitely say there’s more pressure in the playoffs. We just have to stay really sharp, really focused, and keep our heads in the game.”

Karnes added, “Against Central Lee, our communication was really good. We stayed compact and talked really well.”

Action between the Hawks and Bulldogs starts tonight at 5:30p.m. in Van Meter.