The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks take centerstage as we break down Class 2A District 5 in high school football.

District 5 will be an absolute gauntlet every single week, as five of the eight teams had winning records last season including two teams that managed 11 wins.

Mid-Prairie had a very successful season, finishing the year 8-3. They were 7-2 in the regular season, finishing third in their district. They would then upset PCM on the road in the first round and lose to UNI-Dome-bound Albia in the second round.

The Golden Hawks will look to duplicate that success, but the spotlight is likely to fall on Anamosa and Mount Vernon.

Anamosa had an unbelievable season, going 11-0 before bowing out in the quarterfinal round against Mount Vernon, losing 33-20. That game was a rematch of an instant classic that saw Anamosa outlast MV, 45-42, in the regular year. Mount Vernon eventually would play in the state championship game in Class 2A, falling to Spirit Lake.

These two know each other well, and it would not be a surprise to see them at the top once again.

Joining Mid-Prairie in the tier just below those two schools is Williamsburg and Mediapolis.

Williamsburg went 6-3 in the regular season last year. The Raiders beat Tipton in the first round and fell in the second round of the playoffs to Anamosa, 42-14.

Mediapolis went 6-3 in the regular season as well, but they lost in the first round to Central Lee, 55-28.

Both of these teams will be battling Mid-Prairie to squeeze into the playoff picture, but it is very hard to determine which team is in the best position.

Rounding out the teams in Class 2A District 5 are Camanche (2-7), Northeast Goose Lake (2-7), and West Liberty (1-8). None of these teams are expected to challenge the top five.

The top two are the only teams that will automatically qualify for the playoffs, while two teams out of the seven districts outside the top two will get selected as wild cards to fill out the bracket. With all of the talented teams in District 5, that third position will be important as there very well could be a wild card from this group.

We’ll continue our look at area football districts with a gander tomorrow at Class 2A District 6, featuring Albia, Centerville, Davis County, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont, and PCM.