WELLMAN

One big play put the Golden Hawks back in the game with No. 10 Regina on Friday night. 

Cobi Hershberger’s 62-yard reception energized the Mid-Prairie sideline —setting up a Brady Weber touchdown that cut the Regal lead to 14-11 late in the third quarter. 

But two big plays would be the difference for Regina. 

Sophomore running back Savion Miller returned the ensuing kickoff to the Mid-Prairie 35-yard line and Regal quarterback Kyle Tracy found his 6-foot-2 tight end for a fourth-and-12 conversion on the way to a double-digit lead and a 28-17 victory. 

The Regals had two fourth-down connections between Tracy and Tate Wallace during the game, as well as a hard count which drew an offsides penalty on fourth-and-5.

“It was three or four plays,” Mid-Prairie coach Daren Lambert said. “It was three or four plays against Wilton, and it’s three or four plays tonight where we’ve just got to execute and be on the other end of those plays and that changes the outcome.”

Trailing 7-0 early in the second quarter, Mid-Prairie was in position to tie the game. A third-down sack by Kaden Kos backed Regina to its own goal line, giving Mid-Prairie great field position after the punt. A sideline catch by Kos moved the ball 31 yards to the Regina 5-yard line. But an errant snap moved the Golden Hawks back to settle for a 39-yard Kale Miller field goal. 

Kos finished with 13 tackles, including four stops behind the line of scrimmage. He also caught three passes for 52 yards and a touchdown. 

“Defensively, Kaden had a night,” Lambert said. “He’s flying around, he’s shooting gaps, he’s extremely aggressive. Regina runs a tough offense. They try and scheme, use motions, and so the defensive backfield has to be on point. I thought we were getting some pressure at different times.”

Gentry Bontrager had seven tackles and Connor Wiles made five stops. Hershberger made six tackles with one sack.

“Connor Wiles had a great night and Cobi once again,” Lambert said. “You know, the defense is playing great. Offensively, I want to sustain some drives and give them a little break.”

Each of Mid-Prairie’s first half possessions stalled after needing a third-down conversion of nine yards or greater. 

The Golden Hawks gained 200 yards through the air on Friday. Weber was 17-of-26 passing with one rushing touchdown and one through the air. 

Weber completed passes to six different receivers, led by Hershberger who caught three balls for 76 yards. 

“He’s been battling a wrist injury so we weren’t really sure if he could catch a ball,” Lambert said about Hershberger. “Last week he said, ‘I can play receiver.’” 

His 62-yard catch set up a 2-yard sneak for Weber in the third quarter. 

“Coverage wise, we saw something and we wanted to take a shot. Big time throw, big time catch, and then finishing it down at the end… you’re two yards away, everyone knows what play you’re running. You’re going to run a quarterback sneak. Once again, they showed the fight and we got the push that we needed to put one through.”

Mid-Prairie held the Regals to 63 yards through the air, but the Regals picked up 220 on the ground led by 103 yards and two touchdowns from Miller. 

Hudson Ehrenfelt led the Golden Hawks with 36 yards on the ground. He also caught three passes for 22 yards. Blake Swart had a pair of catches for 26 yards and Ace Peck caught two passes for 19 yards. 

Next, Mid-Prairie (0-2) hosts Sigourney Keota (1-1) in a homecoming contest. The Cobras gained all 330 of their yards on the ground in a 23-7 win over Mediapolis on Friday. 

Scoring:

ICR – Savion Miller 1 run (Gabriel Hegelheimer kick)

M-P – Kale Miller 23 field goal

ICR – Kyle Tracy 2 run (Hegelheimer kick)

M-P – Brady Weber 2 run (Cobi Hershberger pass from Weber)

ICR – Savion Miller 9 run (Hegelheimer kick)

ICR – Drew Greve 2 pass from Tracy (Hegelheimer kick)

M-P – Kaden Kos 5 pass from Weber (Kick failed)