Mid-Prairie loses close game to 3A Williamsburg

The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks football team lost a very close to the Class 3A Williamsburg Raiders in the season opener at Wellman Friday, August 29. The final score was 26-28.

The Raiders scored with its first possession, marching from the Williamsburg 45-yard line into the end zone in two and a half minutes. The extra point kick was good, and Williamsburg led 7-0.
Mid-Prairie’s Brody Barthelman returned the ball to the Mid-Prairie 46-yard line, and Tanner Miller had a nine yard carry followed by a four-yard carry to put the Golden Hawks at the Raider 41-yard line with first and 10. Josh Boone rushed for a first down at the 29-yard line in two carries.
Miller got short yardage rushing, and the ball was knocked loose. Ryan Gent recovered for a Mid-Prairie first down at the 19-yard line. Gent completed a pass to Micah Berg for first and goal at the seven-yard line.
Miller took it to the three-yard line, and Berg took it in for Mid-PrairieÕs first touchdown of the night. The kick was no good, and Mid-Prairie trailed 6-7.
Williamsburg started their second drive on their own 33-yard line. The Mid-Prairie defense stepped up and forced a punt on fourth down and 14.
Mid-PrairieÕs second drive didnÕt get far, and Williamsburg had the ball on the Mid-Prairie 29-yard line with under two minutes to go in the opening quarter. They quickly moved the ball down the field and, with the help of a Mid-Prairie penalty, scored a touchdown with 34 seconds left in the quarter. The kick was good and the lead was 14-6.
Barthelman returned the kick to the Williamsburg 46-yard line. Colin Brenneman made a diving catch at the 20-yard line, and Miller rushed for a touchdown with seven seconds left in the quarter.
The two-point conversion attempt by Abe Kos was just short at the corner of the end zone. The score was 12-14.
The Raiders started the second quarter with another strong drive. They marched from their own 23-yard line into the end zone in less than two and a half minutes. The kick was good to bring the score to 12-21.
The Golden Hawks started its first second-quarter drive at the 37-yard line and benefited from a face mask penalty against Williamsburg on the kick off return. However, despite a Brenneman catch for a first down, another first down on a Boone carry, and a pass interference call on the Raiders that put Mid-Prairie at the nine-yard line on first down, the Hawks didnÕt score.
The ball was turned over on downs to the Raiders with 5:23 left in the half at the Williamsburg seven-yard line.
The Raiders turned the ball back over on downs after three quick first downs. Mid-Prairie stopped the ball in the air and on the ground to get the ball back on their own 44-yard line.
The Golden Hawks took advantage of their good field position, quickly moving the ball down the field on BooneÕs rushing. Brenneman caught a 43-yard pass from Kos. The extra point kick was good, and Mid-Prairie trailed 19-21 with 2:23 remaining in the half.
Williamsburg got the ball on their own 20-yard line for the final drive of the half. A Mid-Prairie penalty and a strong running game brought the Raiders to the three-yard line with 1:42 left in the second quarter. Mid-Prairie stopped the Raider passing offense three times before Williamsburg called a time out. Boone intercepted the ball with 28 seconds left in the half to end the scoring threat.
There was no score in the third quarter. Mid-Prairie turned the ball over on downs, forced Williamsburg to punt, and gave up an interception. Williamsburg then turned the ball over on downs and Mid-Prairie got the ball at the 36-yard line.
A holding penalty on Mid-Prairie put them at first down and 23. A face mask penalty on the Raiders and a carry by Boone gave the Golden Hawks a first down. Miller carried the ball to the 50-yard line at the end of the third quarter.
Williamsburg was called for pass interference and Mid-Prairie had a first down on the Raider 40-yard line. That was as far as the Golden Hawks got on the drive, and they were forced to punt.
The Raiders got from their own 15-yard line to their 31-yard line before they punted. Mid-Prairie also punted after a brief possession.
The Raiders moved the ball into Mid-Prairie territory and had first down on the Golden Hawk 37-yard line before Miller recovered a Raider fumble with 4:09 remaining in the game. But Mid-Prairie didnÕt get far and turned the ball over on downs. Three plays later, Williamsburg scored another touchdown and PAT, bringing the score to 19-28 with 2:17 left in the game.
Needing to score quickly, Mid-Prairie relied on their quarterback, Gent. Gent ran for the sideline in a quarterback keeper but didnÕt make it out of bounds. Next he completed a pass for a first down.
A completed pass to Brenneman who tossed a lateral to Boone gave Mid-Prairie a first down at the Raider 46 with just over a minute to play. An incomplete pass and a sack by the Raider defense gave the Golden Hawks a third and long situation.
Gent completed a pass to Kos who flicked it to Boone for a first down at the 28-yard line with 40 seconds to go.
Brenneman caught another pass for first and goal a the eight, and snagged another pass for a touchdown with 26.4 seconds. The PAT was good and the score was 26-18.
Brenneman kicked a squib, hoping Mid-Prairie could recover the ball, but the Raiders fell on it with 25 seconds to go in the game. One play later, and time expired.
Mid-Prairie stats: Rushing: Tanner Miller 23/94, Josh Boone 10/51, Brody Barthelman 1/6, Micah Berg 1/3, Ryan Gent 7/1. Passing: Gent 9/26, 1 interception, 153 yards; Abe Kos 1/1, 43 yards. Receiving: Colin Brenneman 6/133, Kos 2/42, Berg 1/13, Boone 1/8. Interceptions: Boone 1/2.