Daily Newsletters
Account
Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
Mid-Prairie comes up short in 3A regional final
Golden Hawks fall to Center Point-Urbana 3-1 with state trip on the line
CENTER POINT — What a volleyball season it was for the Golden Hawks of Mid-Prairie.
The Golden Hawks put together one of their best seasons in program history this year and they once again found themselves in the Class 3A Regional Finals on Tuesday night for the second straight year.
However, Mid-Prairie’s season came to a close when all was said and done in the regional final as the Golden Hawks fell to Center Point-Urbana 3-1.
The No. 12 Golden Hawks were defeated by the No. 7 Stormin’ Pointers 25-23, 17-25, 25-17 and 25-21.
Despite the loss, Mid-Prairie came ready to play.
In set one, the Golden Hawks and Stormin’ Pointers tied four times before Mid-Prairie tied its largest lead of the frame at 17-14.
A big run by CP-U turned the tide of the set as it scored seven straight to make it 21-17.
“We were sending them to many free balls,” Mid-Prairie head coach Sherry Evans said. “When you have a right side hitter like (CP-U) Sydney Maue, who’s going to bounce it on the 10 foot line it hurts and that gets into your head.”
Mid-Prairie didn’t get flustered.
The Golden Hawks followed with a run themselves as an ace from Avery Helmuth and a kill from Jovi Evans put themselves back on top 23-22.
Evans would put together a phenomenal performance in the final, notching 25 assists, 24 digs and 20 kills to lead the way.
The Stormin’ Pointers were able to win it though as they scored three in a row to take the opener.
In the second, it was all Mid-Prairie as the a kill by Jovi Evans put the Golden Hawks up 4-3 and they would never trail.
The Golden Hawks led by as much as nine in the second set, as four kills in a row by Evans beginning at 11-6 kicked off a 7-3 run ending with a kill from Callie Huber to make it 18-9.
CP-U got as close as five at 21-16, but Mid-Prairie was able to close it out with an ace from Lanee Duwa.
The final two sets of the evening went to the Stormin’ Pointers.
Following the set two win, Mid-Prairie carried over the momentum, but a large CP-U run shifted the playing field.
The Golden Hawks leapt out to a 5-3 lead on kills from Evans and Harper Pacha, along with an ace from Dakota Mitchell, but the Stormin’ Pointers answered with nine straight to take the advantage 12-5.
They wouldn’t give it up.
Mid-Prairie got as close as two at 15-13 on a kill from Duwa, but the Golden Hawks scored just four more points the rest of the match.
In what would be the final set of the night, Mid-Prairie showed its will to win despite the loss.
After going down 15-10, their largest deficit of the set, the Golden Hawks battled back as a kill from Pacha followed by a quartet of kills from Evans sparked a 7-2 run to knot it at 17-17.
That was as close as they would come though as CP-U closed it out with an 8-4 run.
“Really proud of the girls,” Evans said. “They’re always ready to go out there and ball out. We had a lot of moments where we did that. I’m obviously disappointed, but it just wasn’t our day.”
Along with Evans’ big night, Mitchell carded 31 digs. Pacha had 22, Duwa had 13 and Helmuth 12.
Helmuth also posted 16 assists. Huber added nine kills, Pacha eight and Paige Safly finished with six. Helmuth and Pacha also had two aces a piece.
With the loss, the Golden Hawks end the season with a record of 31-11.
The Golden Hawks say goodbye to seniors Paige Safly, Reese Good and Ava Pence.
“They’re great kids” (speaking of the seniors), Evans said. “I adore and appreciate each every one of them.”
Center Point-Urbana moves to 27-9 and will play in next week’s Class 3A State Tournament at Xstream Arena in Coralville.
