The South Hamilton Hawks basketball teams opened up their 2024 schedule on Tuesday night, as they hosted the Jaguars of Southeast Valley in non-conference action at South Hamilton High School in Jewell. The Hawk girls entered at 8-2, while the Hawk boys entered at 8-1.
The girls game would be a slugfest throughout, with the Hawks and Jags tied at 7-7 after the first, but Southeast Valley put together a big second quarter to take a 24-15 halftime lead. The Jaguars held the lead out by double-digits throughout much of the 3rd, before the Hawks mounted a comeback effort that would fall just short in a 40-36 loss. Ashlyn Erickson was the KQWC Player of the Game, leading the Hawks with 14 points in the loss, Hawks senior Makena Galetich exited the game in the 2nd quarter with an injury.
South Hamilton’s boys followed by jumping all over the Jaguars early on, starting the game on a 13-0 run and leading 16-5 after the first quarter. South Hamilton’s defense continued to suffocate the Jaguars in the 2nd quarter, turning that defense into offense to hold a 31-9 halftime lead. The Jaguars offense would wake up in the 2nd half, but by then the damage had been done as South Hamilton cruised to a 66-36 win. Ryland Ubben was the KQWC Player of the Game, finishing with 15 points, Ty Koehnk had a game-high 17 points as well.
South Hamilton basketball returns to action on Friday night, when they travel to Story City to take on long-time rivals Roland-Story at 6 PM.