Keota, Mid-Prairie, Cardinal battling through their conference ranks

Keota, Mid-Prairie and Cardinal are the only three Union area small school basketball teams that are not apart of the Southeast Iowa Super Conference.

With 2024 now beginning, it’s time to take a look at how the trio stand in their perspective conference after competing through the first half of the season.

As it stands, the Keota boys and Mid-Prairie girls are in the best positions through two months of action. The Eagles hold the lead in the South Iowa Cedar East standings, while the Golden Hawk girls currently sit second in the River Valley South.

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The No. 7 Eagles of Keota have dominated the South Iowa Cedar East league thus far and it doesn’t look like anyone will be able to keep up. So far, they’re a perfect 8-0 in the conference standings.

The good news for the Eagles, they’ve already topped the second and third seeded teams in Belle Plaine and Sigourney by over 35 points.

The Mid-Prairie boys are right in the middle of the pack in the River Valley South standings. The Golden Hawks currently have a 3-2 RVC South record, which places them fourth.

Good news for the Golden Hawks is they’re just two games back from top seeded Regina Catholic, who is 7-0, but Mid-Prairie has lost games to both the second and third seeds in Wilton, 71-60, and West Branch, 83-46.

For Cardinal, it’s been a tough road in thus far in the South Central Conference standings. The Comets are currently at the bottom of the SCC, gracing a record of 0-6.

The Comets closest conference game through the first half of the season came against six seeded Chariton. That ended with the Comets falling by 28, 85-57.

On the girls’ side, Mid-Prairie currently holds the second spot in the River Valley South standings. The Golden Hawks are 4-0 through the first half of the season and have handled everyone below them, but have not faced off with Regina Catholic or Tipton, who are one and three in the standings.

Keota and Cardinal both have work to do in their conferences.

The Eagles have just one South Iowa Cedar win under their belt at 1-6. That victory came against another one win team in Belle Plaine, 53-28.

Cardinal meanwhile still is searching for its first South Central victory of the season, sitting at 0-6.

Boys South Iowa Cedar-East Standings

Keota 8-0

Belle Plaine 6-2

Sigourney 3-5

Iowa Valley 2-5

English Valleys 1-7

Tri-County 0-7

Boys River Valley — South Standings

TeamCONFSTOVERPCT

Wilton 3-1

West Branch 3-1

Mid-Prairie 3-2

Tipton 1-4

West Liberty 1-4

Durant 0-5

Boys South Central Standings

Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont 5-0

Albia 5-1

Knoxville 4-1

Clarke 4-2

Centerville 3-3

Chariton 1-5

Davis County 1-5

Cardinal 0-6

Girls South Iowa Cedar — East Standings

English Valleys 6-1

Sigourney 3-4

Iowa Valley 3-4

Belle Plaine 1-5

Keota 1-6

Girls River Valley South Standings

Regina Catholic 5-0

Mid-Prairie 4-0

Tipton 4-1

Wilton 1-3

West Branch 1-3

West Liberty 1-4

Durant 0-5

Girls South Central Standings

Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont 5-0

Chariton 5-1

Knoxville 4-1

Clarke 3-3

Davis County 3-3

Albia 2-4

Centerville 1-5

Cardinal 0-6