Spencer Halloran looks around a West Marshall double team to dish the ball off from the lane in West Fork’s 71-54 win over the Trojans. (Kristi Nixon/Hampton Chronicle)

West Fork’s Evan Sprung goes up high to corral a rebound over West Marshall’s Trenton Keislar during the Class 2A state quarterfinal at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. (Kristi Nixon photo)

DES MOINES—Three trips to the Class 2A state basketball semifinal in four years and it never gets old.

Third-ranked West Fork shot 75 percent from the field in the second half en route to a 71-54 victory over West Marshall to solidify another spot in the state semifinal.

Sam Amsbaugh was 10-of-14 from the field for 26 and Evan Sprung added 13 on 5-of-6 shooting to help propel the Warhawks to Thursday’s state semi against Treynor, who were 61-53 winners over North Cedar, also played on Tuesday in Des Moines.

“I like scoring and helping the team,” Amsbaugh said. “I don’t know, I just try to put the ball in the basket.

“We talked about settling for threes at the half; I know I did. We talked about getting the ball to the posts.”

Sprung, who wasn’t a starter on last year’s state runner-up squad, stepped up against the Trojans.

“I can’t really describe how it feels, I’m in shock right now,” Sprung said. “I think it will hit me on the way home.

“I just keep my composure and finish and that keeps me going. Once I finish once, my confidence keeps getting better and better.”

More on this story, along with photos, can be found in the March 13 print edition of the Sheffield Press and Pioneer Enterprise.