Fresh off a 53–30 first-round win over Holton, the Hiawatha Red Hawks showed their resilience Tuesday night, shaking off a sluggish start to pull away for a convincing 73–48 victory over Oskaloosa in the Sub-State semifinals.

The opening quarter was anything but smooth. Hiawatha struggled offensively, while Oskaloosa’s Derrick Harvey caught fire early, scoring 11 of his 16 points in the first half. The Red Hawks didn’t grab their first lead until the final seconds of the first quarter, when Ethan Morton drilled a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer to give Hiawatha a 10–9 edge. The challenge grew tougher when Braylen Siebenmorgen exited with an injury in the first quarter and did not return, but the rest of the team responded in a big way.

After halftime, Hiawatha flipped the switch. The Red Hawks came out sharp on both ends of the floor, building momentum with balanced scoring and tightened defense. Although Oskaloosa’s Richie Rockhold knocked down a pair of three-pointers to keep the Bears within reach, Hiawatha steadily pulled away, extending its lead to 52–37 by the end of the third quarter. The final minutes allowed both teams to clear their benches and honor their seniors with about 90 seconds remaining.

Michael Jensen paced the Red Hawks with a game-high 23 points, including 14 in the first half, while adding four rebounds and a steal. Lane Kesler dominated inside, recording a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds, along with three blocks and two assists. Leyton Moore provided a spark with 13 points, four rebounds, and two steals. Morton finished with 10 points and four rebounds, Karson Henry contributed four points and five boards, and Alex Ross added a free throw. As a team, Hiawatha controlled the glass with 31 rebounds, committed just eight turnovers, and converted 16 of 24 free throws.

Oskaloosa, coming off an upset win over Bishop Ward, fought hard throughout. Tavarious Cannon scored all six of his points in the second quarter and provided strong defensive minutes off the bench. Harvey led the Bears with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Rockhold added 13 points and five boards. Hunter Miller scored nine points, and Michael Surto chipped in three. However, 16 turnovers and a 21-rebound total hampered Oskaloosa’s efforts. The Bears shot 11 of 15 from the free-throw line and hit four three-pointers, finishing their season at 12–13.

After outscoring Oskaloosa 40–21 in the second half, the Red Hawks (22–3) are now one win away from a trip to state. They will travel to Sabetha High School on Friday at 6:00 p.m. to face Heritage Christian Academy in the Sub-State Championship.