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Washington Evening Journal
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Mid-Prairie football takes on PCM
Golden Hawks look to upend second-ranked Mustangs in 2A quarterfinals
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
MONROE — The 2023 Mid-Prairie football season ended an hour and-a-half down the road at Prairie City-Monroe. The 2024 Golden Hawks hope that same field will be the site of a state semifinal berth.
On Friday night at PCM High School, the 10th-ranked Golden Hawks will look for an upset win against the second-ranked team in the state of Iowa, and also a little revenge for a 36-0 loss one year prior.
Mid-Prairie comes into the game 7-3 overall. The Golden Hawks lost their first three games, but then ripped through district play unbeaten. Mid-Prairie ran through Union Community 35-7 in the opening round before knocking off Mediapolis 35-14 last Friday.
PCM hasn’t had a close game all year. The Mustangs are 10-0 with all 10 wins coming by 23 points or more. The Mustangs have only scored less than 40 points one time all year, a 30-7 win over Nevada.
Mid-Prairie’s Brady Weber has thrown for 1,610 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, while throwing for just four interceptions all year. Weber has a laundry list of receivers to throw it to, as six different players have over 200 yards through the air.
Blake Swart leads the Golden Hawks with 27 catches and 351 yards receiving, but hasn’t scored yet this season. Kaden Kos and Ace Peck have both caught three touchdown passes.
On the other end, PCM’s Adrien Robbins is one of the best running backs in the entire state of Iowa, rushing for 1,807 yards and 21 touchdowns so far this season. He’s also caught 16 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns.
Gavin VanGorp has thrown for 1,438 yards and 27 touchdowns this season, while only getting picked off one time. VanGorp’s favorite receiver is Riley Graber, who has 25 catches for 591 yards and 12 touchdowns.
While the Golden Hawks and Mustangs have been fantastic at keeping the ball away from opposing teams, the defenses have been just as good at taking the ball away. Mid-Prairie has nine interceptions and seven fumble recoveries this season, including a fumble recovery touchdown by Conner Wils. PCM has picked off 12 passes this year, including a 42-yard pick-six by junior Keegan Fenton, and the Mustangs have eight fumble recoveries.
Mid-Prairie-PCM game will be one of three Class 2A quarterfinal matchups taking place on Friday night. No. 1 West Lyon hosts No. 5 Kuemper Catholic. No. 3 Spirit Lake hosts No. 6 North Fayette Valley, and No. 4 Van Meter plays host to No. 9 Anamosa.
The four winners will be bracketed out for next week’s Class 2A state semifinals at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.
