WASHINGTON

After tough losses to the Wilton Beavers, both Mid-Prairie basketball teams bounced back against the Washington Demons on Monday, Jan. 29. 

The girls’ team won 47-32 and the boys’ team won 62-59.

Leading the girls’ team was freshman Brooklyn Schneider with 15 points. Behind her was junior Callie Huber with 13 and senior Nora Pennington with seven. 

For the boys’ team, it was their first victory over the Demons since 2019. 

Energetic comebacks highlight Golden Hawk vs. Beaver doubleheader, 1/26

Both a devastating loss. 

Both tied to an energetic comeback.

The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks hosted the Wilton Beavers in a girls/boys varsity doubleheader on Thursday, Jan. 26.

The Hawks girl basketball team fell 42-41 after consistently holding a lead throughout. 

The Hawks boy basketball team lost 72-61, watching their energetic comeback fall short. 

Mid-Prairie girls’ basketball vs. Wilton

After starting with a 4-0 disadvantage, junior Callie Huber opened the Golden Hawk scoring with a field goal, battling under the net. Huber finished with nine points, eight rebounds and two blocks. 

Later on, the Hawks had offensive possession with the game clock leaking below 30 and a shot clock that was just above. Moments like these are where the Hawks struggled.

With the ability to run out the clock while taking one more shot, Mid-Prairie instead played with urgency.

This urgency resulted in a turnover, allowing Wilton to score before the quarter ended.

After one, the Hawks held a slim 13-10 lead, carried by sophomore Jovi Evans who scored seven. Evans would conclude her night with a team-high 13 points, two rebounds and two assists.  

The second quarter was not much different. Each squad had answers for the other. Mid-Prairie held the lead throughout, up 23-21 at halftime.

But just because either team did not pull ahead does not mean neither had chances. 

With the seconds draining fast, the Hawks were rushing once more. Another turnover allowed the Beavers to gather offensive possession with nine seconds left. The Wilton shooter called for the ball while in the corner, just missing the shot to end the half. A lucky Hawk bounce kept the ball out.  

Wilton began the second half as they did the first, scoring four straight to pull ahead. 

Swiftly, Mid-Prairie reclaimed the lead. Additionally, freshman Morgyn Bender hit a three-pointer. She was threatening the Beavers all night long but only made one of four shot attempts.

After three, the Hawks led 33-29.

The fourth quarter featured a great sequence which started with senior Nora Pennington. 

She laid out for the ball near the sideline, keeping it alive for Evans who passed to freshman Brooklyn Schneider who banked a three, giving the Hawks their largest lead of the night, 39-29.

Pennington scored seven points, had four assists and four rebounds. Those seven points gave Pennington a career total of 500 on the dot.

Unfortunately for the Hawks, their momentum was short-lived. It was the Beavers who went on a 10-0 scoring run to tie the game at 39. 

Evans would score a layup by her lonesome to reclaim the lead, but the Beavers were not rattled. They hit an explosive three to regain the lead with seconds now waning quickly.

Again, Evans streaked down the court for yet another layup attempt. This one bounced away from the net but Mid-Prairie controlled possession with 10 seconds left.  

The Hawks executed a perfect pass-in to Pennington who was all alone. She passed inside to Huber who passed it back to Pennington. From here, Pennington was unable to shoot as players from both teams collided.

The collision resulted in a whistle that came with what appeared to be one second remaining, despite the game clock showing zeros. Wilton celebrated while Mid-Prairie asked referees to put time back on the clock. After a huddled discussion by officials, the game was ruled over with the final score of 42-41.

Mid-Prairie boys’ basketball vs Wilton

Eerily, this game between the Wilton Beavers and Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks mirrored their previous outing, a 71-60 Wilton victory. It is also similar to their playoff appearance in which Wilton also won 83-61 last Winter.

The final score in this one: 72-61 in favor of Wilton.

This game was jumping from the first second of action. Wilton won the tip-ball and scored three immediately. Mid-Prairie’s Dylan Henry answered with a three on the Hawk’s first possession as well. Dylan finished with 13 points and eight rebounds.

After one quarter, the Hawks were only down by three, despite the team’s leading scorer, Bryce Henry, starting slow. Bryce scored six in the opening frame, both threes, and the second came with under 10 seconds on the clock. He finished with a team-high 29 points, four rebounds and two assists.

The Wilton squad, devised with a hearty mix of tall and short athletes who work tirelessly, displayed an impressive second quarter, pulling ahead 46-25.

But the Hawks are no strangers to playing strong after halftime. They came out swinging, going on a 16-3 run, pulling to within eight, 49-41. It seemed the Hawks could not miss and would surely mount an energetic comeback.

But momentum was a shaky ship entering high tide; it teetered back and forth with no true rhythm.

After a buzzer beater from Bryce Henry, the Hawks remained down 56-45 entering the final frame. 

The fourth featured senior Brock Harland diving for the ball, maintaining possession which led to points; the Henry brothers displaying a tight level of chemistry with their passes to one another; and a crowd that played their part, building the energy. But the Hawks lost their third quarter touch, missing shots that could have put them right back in.

Both squads scored 16 in the fourth to reach the final verdict.

Juniors Ace Peck and Brady Weber were tied at third in team scoring with six. Both also had four assists, a tie for the team high. 

Up next

Mid-Prairie girls’ basketball: the Hawks have three remaining regular season games. 

All three are home games. First, they’ll host Williamsburg on Thursday, Feb. 1. Next, they’ll compete with Regina on Friday, Feb. 2. Finally, they’ll play Tipton on Monday, Feb. 5. 

Mid-Prairie boys’ basketball: Mid-Prairie has a slew of remaining games in the regular season. Their next three games follow the girl’s games above, all at home.

Following, they’ll travel to Fairfield on Tuesday, Feb. 6 and finish their season at home against West Branch on Thursday, Feb. 8.