The South Hamilton basketball teams were winners over Greene County Friday night in Jewell in a Heart of Iowa Activities Conference girl/boy doubleheader. The Hawks used a 19-0 scoring run in the girls’ game and a 17-0 run in the boys’ contest to fuel the victories. SH won the girls’ contest 55-40, then took the boys’ game, 64-56. The action was heard on KG98 and streamed on www.raccoonvalleyradio.com.

The Greene County girls led 22-14 on the strength of a 14-0 run to start the second quarter. SH scored the last four points of the first half and the first 15 of the third quarter and that decided the contest. The Hawks trailed 22-18 at intermission, then out scored the Rams 37-18 in the second half, including 20-4 in the third quarter.

Syndey Friest scored 18 points and Taylor Volkmann had 10 for SH. They normally score 8.4 and 2.5, respectively. The 55 points are 18 above the Hawks’ game average, and the five three-point baskets for SH are three more than they typically make. SH also shot free throws better than usual, going 11 of 16 after entering the game at less than 53%.

Greene County’s girls received a career scoring night from sophomore reserve Izzy Bravard with 16 points. She entered the game averaging two points per contest. Senior Samantha Hardaway added 12 points. Hardaway ended December at six points a game, but scored a combined 27 points in the two January games the Rams have played.

The Rams were seven of 11 from the foul line, but did not have a free throw attempt after halftime. Coach Dean Lyons’ team has lost seven of its last eight games.

The SH boys improved to 11-0 on the season and 7-0 in HOIAC action, while Coach Chris Nelson’s Rams fell to 5-2 in the conference and 6-4 overall. The loss was the third in a row for the Rams, who led 19-7 after one quarter, fueled by a pair of three-point baskets in the last 10 seconds of the opening period from senior Joe Towers. He electrified the crowd by sinking a shot from the half court line as time expired. That momentum would not carry into the second quarter, however. SH put 17 in a row on the Rams in that period and out scored Greene County 26-6 in the frame to lead 33-25 at the half. Both teams scored 31 points in the second half. The largest margin for SH was 10 points in the third quarter, which Greene County cut to three at 49-46, but could get no closer.

SH junior Conner Hill scored 17 of his game high 22 points in the first half. Twelve came in the big second quarter. He did not score in the final stanza. Senior Marco Baladeras scored 10 of his 13 points in the final quarter, and junior Cole Berg put up eight of his 11 points, also in the final eight minutes. SH was 13 of 21 shooting free throws, including making eight of nine in the last quarter.

The Rams were led in scoring by senior post Wade Adcock with 21 points. Towers scored 15, with juniors Trey Hinote and Lance Hughes each adding eight. Jordan Patterson added four points. The Rams had zero points off the bench for the first time this season. The Rams were whistled for 23 fouls while the Hawks were called for 12. Greene County made nine of its 13 foul shots.

The Greene County teams are off until Friday, Jan. 12 when they will host Saydel (Des Moines) in the middle school gym in Jefferson.