The Golden Hawks got off the bus in Donnellson with a game plan, and took care of business early in a 66-8 win over Central Lee. 

The Mid-Prairie defense blocked two punts, recovered a fumble, forced a safety, and had allowed -28 total yards by the time the Central Lee Hawks began their seventh drive of the first half. 

After sacks by Braden Hartley and Justice Jones, a light rain fell as the Hawks tried to go to the air again on third-and-24. The pass was intercepted by Jones. 

“I just read pass, started backpedaling and then he ran a curl and I saw that, and then he threw me the ball.”

Jones returned the interception 33 yards, tackled three yards short of the endzone. He took a few steps toward the sideline before instruction came from coach Pete Cavanagh to stay in at fullback. 

His first carry of the season put Mid-Prairie ahead 52-0 with 8:24 left in the first half. 

“I was hoping I could get a touchdown on the interception, but I wasn’t able to make it,” Jones said. “Coach gave me the 3-yard touchdown, so that was nice of him.”

Jones’ touchdown run was just the ninth offensive play of the game for the Golden Hawks. It was Mid-Prairie’s seventh touchdown. 

"We scouted these guys all week," Jones said.  "So we were ready for them."

All four of Tyler Helmuth’s carries resulted in touchdowns. He finished the game with 55 total yards. Will Cavanagh completed both of his pass attempts for 68 yards and a score. 

“That’s what you want, you want to be efficient,” Mid-Prairie coach Pete Cavanagh said. “I thought we blocked really well up front. We didn't really need to throw the ball tonight. So it was nice.”

Helmuth scored Mid-Prairie’s first touchdown after Kaden Meader forced a fumble, recovered by Gannon Callahan at the 14 yard line. The Golden Hawks had even better field position for their second drive after Shawn Dodds blocked a punt, which was downed at the four. 

After his second touchdown carry, Helmuth returned a punt 23 yards to the Central Lee 31, where the Mid-Prairie offense would run just its third play, leading 15-0. 

Mid-Prairie quarterback Will Cavanagh looked for his fellow senior Jarrett Hoffman, who broke open and caught the ball for a touchdown. 

“I had a wheel route and the corner bit on my quick out and I was open from there and just ran it in for the touchdown,” Hoffman said. 

Hoffman had another catch for 37 yards on Mid-Prairie’s next drive, which set up Hartley’s eight-yard touchdown run. 

The Mid-Prairie defense had nine tackles for loss in the game, led by Terry Bordenave, who had six total tackles, two for loss and a sack. Jones led the defense with 7.5 tackles. He had 1.5 for loss and a sack as well. Hoffman and Hartley each had 1.5 tackles for loss and Meader had a sack. 

Jaxsen Timmerman had a sack and forced a fumble, recovered by Colin Miller and returned 26 yards for a touchdown. Parker Ehrenfel also blocked a punt. 

Dylan Henry was Mid-Prairie’s leading rusher with 111 yards on 11 carries. Central Lee finally scored on a 40-yard drive with six minutes left in the game, but Cavanagh thought his second unit did a good job with the 52-point lead. 

“I thought they were great,” he said. “Offensively we moved the ball and we were efficient there. And defensively all night we played really well. A couple got away from us there at the end but I thought we tackled well, we ran to the ball well.”

On Friday, Mid-Prairie travels to Williamsburg, who has also blown out its first two district opponents. The Raiders defeated Central Lee 62-0 and Centerville 48-3. 

Williamsburg has a seven-game winning streak in the series with Mid-Prairie.