Cyclone boys roll in season opener, earn victory in Mosher’s debut

HARLAN – The Harlan Community Cyclone boys basketball team opened their 2025–26 campaign in impressive fashion Thursday night, defeating the Shenandoah Mustangs 68–42 and giving Head Coach Dean Mosher a winning debut at the helm.
The Cyclones set the tone immediately, winning the opening tip and scoring just 15 seconds into the game when junior Kobe Klaassen stepped into a three and buried it for the first points of the season. 
Klaassen powered much of the Cyclone offense early, knocking down another three, adding a layup, and converting two free throws to score 10 of his eventual 17 points in the first quarter alone.
Defense and cohesiveness were major emphases for Mosher entering the season, and the Cyclones delivered right from the start. 
Their active, disruptive defense sparked an early 13–0 run, highlighted by a three from sophomore Kreed Boggess. Harlan forced several turnovers and built a commanding 19–5 lead before Shenandoah closed the quarter with a small burst to make it 19–9 after one.
Senior Dallas McDowell began to heat up in the second quarter, showing shades of last season’s scoring prowess.
McDowell poured in a team-high 26 points, helping the Cyclones extend their lead and enter halftime up 35–20.
Shenandoah opened the third quarter with urgency, rattling off an 8–0 run to trim the Cyclone lead to seven. But Harlan answered immediately with a 9–0 run of their own, reestablishing control at 46–29. 
The Cyclones kept rolling offensively, stretching the margin to 55–32 entering the fourth quarter.
Harlan continued its dominance in the final frame, maintaining a double-digit cushion and finishing off a strong 68–42 season-opening victory.
The Cyclones’ defensive intensity was reflected in the box score as they forced 17 turnovers and controlled the glass with a 40–29 rebounding edge.
The Cyclones’ next contest is set for Tuesday night at 1-0 Kuemper Catholic in Carroll with tip set for 7:30.