HARLAN (August 25) -- The Harlan Community football team’s revamped defense will be tested right off the bat here Friday night - perhaps their biggest test of the season - when Max Duggan and the Lewis Central Titans come to Merrill Field for a Week 1 non-district game at 7:30. Duggan, still just a junior, has become one of the nation’s highest-rated quarterback recruits in the 2019 class.

 AREA -- Three area volleyball teams will open the 2017 season in two separate tournaments this Saturday (August 26) at Harlan and Avoca. Harlan Community will host the annual Cyclone Tournament, starting at 8:30 a.m., with IKM-Manning also in the field for the first time. In the first round of pool play, HCHS will face East Sac County and Logan-Magnolia. IKM-Manning will play Abraham Lincoln and Treynor.

 AVOCA -- No matter which position group you’re talking about - linemen, backs, offense, defense, receivers or the secondary - the AHSTW football team has experience and talent returning at every spot on the field. While graduation surely took away several terrific players from last year’s 8-2 playoff qualifier and Class 1-A, District 7 runner-up, the pieces are in place for another outstanding Viking season on the gridiron. Sixth-year AHSTW h

 MANNING -- The IKM-Manning football team missed the playoffs for just the second time in nine years last fall, but the Wolves were much closer to a postseason berth than their 5-4 overall record and 4-3 district mark would indicate. In a 14-8 home loss to Class 1-A, District 7 champion Logan-Magnolia, IKM-M’s final drive stalled at the 5-yard-line.

 HARLAN -- The Harlan Community football team is hoping that history is about to repeat itself. Two years ago, HCHS bounced back from its first losing season in 49 years to win a district title and finish 8-2 overall. Following another down year in 2016 - 4-5 overall, 3-4 in District 7, no playoffs - the Cyclones might very well be poised for another nice turnaround this fall. Returning 24 lettermen and 19 seniors among its 61-player varsity r

 HARLAN -- Despite their 4-5 record last season, the Harlan Community Cyclone football team had one of the most prolific offenses in all of Class 3-A. HCHS averaged 242 yards passing per game and 194 on the ground, scoring at least 32 points in seven of nine games and averaging just under 38. The good news is that many of the key cogs from that group are back in 2017. Senior quarterback Deren Schmitz passed for 1,875 yards and ran for 323 in h

 HARLAN -- The question really isn’t whether Harlan Community’s defense will be better in 2017. The real query is how much better? The answers might vary depending on who you ask, but second-year defensive coordinator John Murtaugh is optimistic that the overall improvement on ‘D’ will show up early and often. Just to review, last year’s Cyclone defense allowed 38.6 points and 449 yards per game, surrendering 70 points vs.

    KIMBALLTON -- Liane Christensen, 94, formerly of Kimballton, died August 24 at the Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn.    Services will be held Saturday, Sept. 9 at 10 a.m.

    HARLAN -- Ronnie L. Powers, 72, Harlan, died August 25 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.    Services will be held Wednesday, Aug. 30 at 11 a.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca with burial in the Oak Hill Cemetery at Hancock.  Family will greet friends Tuesday, Aug. 29 from 5-8 p.m.