Mid-Prairie Girls Basketball Falls Short of State Tournament

Top-ranked Mount Vernon Mustangs end Golden Hawks' season in Regional Final

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The No. 12 Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks girls basketball team saw their state tournament dreams come to an end one win shy of Des Moines, falling 58-50 to the No. 1 Mount Vernon Mustangs in the Class 3A Regional Final. Mid-Prairie jumped out to an early 9-2 lead, but the defending state champion Mustangs rallied with a 22-5 run to take control. The Golden Hawks made several runs to get back in the game, including taking a late 48-47 lead, but Mount Vernon closed strong at the free throw line to secure the victory and a return trip to the state tournament.

Why it matters

This loss ends a successful season for the Mid-Prairie girls basketball team, who were seeking their eighth all-time appearance at the state tournament. The Golden Hawks put up a valiant effort against the top-ranked Mustangs, but ultimately came up short against the defending champions.

The details

Mid-Prairie started strong, going on a 9-0 run to take an early 9-2 lead. But Mount Vernon answered with a 22-5 run to go up 19-14 after the first quarter. The Mustangs led by as many as 12 in the second quarter before Mid-Prairie closed the gap to 28-25 at halftime. Mount Vernon maintained a 41-34 lead heading to the fourth quarter, but the Golden Hawks made one more push to take a 48-47 lead with five minutes remaining. However, the Mustangs closed the game on an 11-2 run, including going 9-for-10 from the free throw line, to secure the victory.

  • The game was played on Saturday, February 22, 2026.

The players

Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks

The No. 12 ranked girls basketball team from Mid-Prairie High School, who were seeking their eighth all-time appearance at the state tournament.

Mount Vernon Mustangs

The No. 1 ranked girls basketball team and defending state champions, who advanced to the state tournament for the eighth time in program history.

Tessa Bombei

A Mid-Prairie player who scored 16 points in the loss.

Jovi Evans

A Mid-Prairie player who scored 13 points in the loss and is one of three seniors on the team.

Taylor Franck

A Mount Vernon player who scored a game-high 23 points.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

This loss ends a successful season for the Mid-Prairie girls basketball team, who put up a valiant effort against the top-ranked and defending state champion Mount Vernon Mustangs. While they fell short of their goal of reaching the state tournament, the Golden Hawks can be proud of the progress they made this season and the strong foundation they have built for the future.