Courtesy Sioux City Journal....
 
HARLAN, Iowa | In the end, Justin Smith had a simple explanation.

"The better team took over," said the Sergeant Bluff-Luton coach after his team fell to Harlan. "They played better football than us tonight. They were an awfully good football team."

 HARLAN (Oct.

 AVOCA (Oct.

 INWOOD (Oct. 27) -- Top-ranked and unbeaten West Lyon was as good as advertised in last Friday’s first round of the Class 1A playoffs, beating IKM-Manning 35-0 to end the Wolves’ 2017 season. The Wildcats (10-0) outgained the Wolves 357-167 in total offense and already led 35-0 at the half. Quarterback Jaden Snyder threw two touchdown passes and also ran for a score. West Lyon will host Western Christian in the quarterfinals on Friday, Nov.

 FORT DODGE -- The Harlan Community tandem of Greichaly Kaster and Brecken Van Baale had two big goals for Saturday’s state cross country meet: stick together and finish strong. The Cyclone harriers did just that on a cool, sunny afternoon at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course, both placing in the top half of the Class 3A girls field less than six seconds apart. Making her state meet debut as a freshman, Van Baale spent much of the five-kilometer

 FORT DODGE -- Most kids throw a party and open gifts on their birthday. AHSTW senior Heidi Hall ran a five-kilometer race in 40-degree weather and wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Hall celebrated her 18th birthday by accomplishing a season-long goal Saturday afternoon, earning a 15th-place medal in the Class 1A girls division of this year’s State Cross Country Championships near Fort Dodge. Hall’s time of 19:59.1 clinched her a spot on

 FORT DODGE -- Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton senior Evan Wilson finished 45th out of 149 competitors in the Class 1A boys division of Saturday’s state cross country meet at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course. Wilson, who entered the state meet ranked 2nd in 1A by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches, positioned himself in the top five of the race early on before falling toward the middle of the pack.

 FORT DODGE -- Competing in her fourth and final state cross country meet, IKM-Manning senior Payton Sporrer placed 74th out of 143 runners in the Class 1A girls race at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course Saturday afternoon. Sporrer clocked a five-kilometer time of 21:44.2.
    A two-time state medalist, Sporrer placed ninth, 11th, 63rd and 74th in four trips to Fort Dodge.

 HARLAN (Oct.