Thanks to a big second half, Waverly-Shell Rock is still unbeaten and its state tournament losing streak is over.

The Go-Hawks stayed with it after falling behind by 10 early in the third quarter and rallied to beat Sioux Center 55-51 to earn a spot in the Class 4A semifinals. It was Waverly-Shell Rock’s first state tournament victory since 2013 and ended a string of four consecutive losses in the opening round.

Katelyn Eggena sparked a 13-0 third-quarter run that got the Go-Hawks back into the game and finished with 21 points to lead all scorers. Sydney Bienemann added 12 points, six rebounds and three assists, while freshman Lizzy Frazel had eight points, five assists, four blocks and a steal.

Bienemann, a 5-foot-9 junior averaging 5.1 points a game, came up big in the fourth quarter when she scored seven straight Waverly-Shell Rock points, including a layup that put the Go-Hawks ahead stay.

Freshman Maryn Franken was outstanding for Sioux Center, which moved up a class after winning the 3A championship last season. Franken flirted with a triple-double before fouling out in the final minute, finishing with 12 points, 18 rebounds and eight assists.

Margo Schuiteman, a key reserve on last season’s team, led the Warriors with 19 points, including three 3-pointers, and grabbed eight rebounds. Makailyn Vander Waal added 16 for Sioux Center, which led 39-29 when Schuiteman hit a 3 in the first minute of the third quarter.

Eggena then went to work for the Go-Hawks, knocking down two 3-pointers from the top of the key around a trey from Brenna Bodensteiner, then going inside for two buckets to pull her team into a 42-39 lead.

Sioux Center came right back with six straight points to go up 45-42 and it was 45-44 going into the fourth quarter. That’s when Bienemann stepped up. She cashed in on a layup, then drew a foul with a pump fake and sank one of the two free throws to put Waverly-Shell Rock back in front at 47-45.

The game was tied twice after that, the last time at 49 when Franken scored in the lane with 2:23 left. Bienemann broke the tie when she worked her way in for another layup and Eggena followed with a short jumper in the lane for a 53-49 with 1:35 to play. That was enough for the Go-Hawks to hold on.

Waverly-Shell Rock  will take a 24-0 record into a semifinal at 6:45 p.m. Thursday. Sioux Center finished strong after a 5-5 start and closes at 17-7.