WILTON

Mid-Prairie volleyball coach Sherry Evans got an early preseason look at the Golden Hawks in a scrimmage session last Wednesday that featured five matches.

And she liked the surprises that one afternoon delivered.

“I would say, surprises in good ways,” Evans said. “Wow, we’re even better than I thought.”

Those are huge words from a coach who is expecting the Golden Hawks, who won a school-record 31 matches last year, to compete for a River Valley Conference championship and then reach the Iowa 3A state tournament.

“It’s really exciting,” she said. “Like our ball control is allowing us this year to do a lot of different things.”

The scrimmages against Wilton, Iowa City Regina, Lisbon and others included regular rotations for the Golden Hawks, including senior libero Dakota Mitchell, the state’s returning defensive leader in digs, and sophomore Jovi Evans, who was the team’s leading attacker last year.

New varsity players include Jeorgia Evans, a freshman who is Jovi’s younger sister. Returnees include a line of 6-foot attackers: Harper Pacha, a sophomore who ranked second to Jovi Evans in kills last year; seniors Callie Huber and Brylee Gearhart; and junior Laurin Fay.

Lanee Duwa, another senior, is part of the regular rotation.

The bench is deep.

“From what our base group is, we have nine girls who rotated in and out,” Sherry Evans said after the Wilton scrimmage session. “Being able to keep some of our front row players, fresh legs. Harper (Pacha) last year had to play all six rotations and she got a little fatigued, and this year we have enough depth that we can have someone become a back row player. It doesn’t mean she’s not a good back row player. She’s a great back row player. Just giving her that break to be more fresh coming in the front row.”

The Golden Hawks will unleash all that depth in their season-opening competition Thursday at Pella in a quad that will also feature 3A state finalist Mount Vernon and Bondurant-Farrar. Saturday, they’ll go to Central Lee for an eight-team tournament.

Mid-Prairie will host West Branch in its River Valley opener Sept. 5.