Golden Hawks fall to No. 9 Wilton in volleyball showdown

WILTON

The clock wound back five years Tuesday night in Wilton.

Defeating Mid-Prairie for the first time since 2021, the Beavers swept the Golden Hawks in three games in a River Valley South battle that kept 3A ninth-ranked Wilton unbeaten in conference play.

Mid-Prairie junior Jeorgia Evans, the No. 2 attacker in the River Valley South, had a match-high 14 kills.

But the  Golden Hawks had trouble matching the quickness of Wilton, which became the first River Valley South team to reach 20 wins.

Wilton (20-4) had a five-point run in the first set, two six-point runs in the second set and a four-point run in the third set. Still, the Golden Hawks had tied the final set at 23-23 when Wilton’s Abren Bazal delivered her third ace for a one-point lead. The Beavers scored the next point to finish off the night.

The win kept Wilton tied with Tipton for the top spot in the River Valley South and dropped Mid-Prairie (11-9) into a third-place tie with Regina Catholic. They play next Tuesday in Iowa City.

“We’re using this game as a reason to motivate them on,” Golden Hawks coach Sherry Evans said. “I think we’ll be ready.”

Jeorgia Evans led the Golden Hawks with 13 digs and Claire Trimpe had 10.

Bazal led Wilton with 12 kills.

Ottumwa Invite

The Golden Hawks swept four opponents in Saturday’s Ottumwa Volleyball Invitational to win their first tournament of the season.

Jeorgia Evans had a team-high 36 kills and 37 digs over four matches, including 11 kills in a 21-14, 21-15 win over host Ottumwa and 13 digs in a 21-14, 23-21 win over Fairfield.

Kinsley Gingerich, a freshman libero, delivered a career-high 7 aces in a 21-14, 21-16 win over Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont. Gingerich also had 36 digs over four matches.

Ashlee Statler, a freshman, added 18 kills and Sierra Crowner, a junior, had 12 kills. Claire Trimpe, a junior, had a team-high 46 assists and freshman Lydia Witthoft had 39.

Trimpe added 4 aces in the 21-9, 21-12 win over Davis County.