AUDUBON -- A highly successful season for Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton volleyball came to a close Monday night when the Spartans lost at 9th-ranked Audubon in a Class 1-A regional quarterfinal, 12-25, 15-25, 11-25. The Wheelers finished with a 40-12 advantage in kills and also served 12 aces in the match, improving to 25-6 overall and setting up a regional semifinal vs.

    AMES -- Ermelin L. Fallgatter, 94, Ames, formerly of Harlan, died Wednesday, Nov.

    ELK HORN -- Jacquetta “Ruth” Jenkins, 76, Elk Horn, died November 2 at the Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn.    Services are pending at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca.    Jenkins is survived by daughters Denise (Greg) Brown of Wichita, KS, Lisa Hansen of Audubon, and Linda Beckel of Council Bluffs; son William “Will” (Heidi) Jenkins Jr.

    HARLAN -- Agnes “Aggie” Gaul, 83, Harlan, died November 1 at Elm Crest Retirement Community.    Services will be held Saturday, Nov. 5 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Harlan with burial in the Harlan Cemetery.  A wake service will be held Friday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. at the church.  Visitation is Friday from 1-8 p.m. with family greeting friends from 5-8 p.m.

 ATLANTIC -- A “gutty” performance only begins to describe what Harlan Community sophomore Greichaly Kaster accomplished in Thursday’s Class 3-A State Qualifying Cross Country Meet. Becoming physically sick to her stomach during the last half-mile of the girls’ five-kilometer race, Kaster barely broke stride and stubbornly held her position to place 10th out of 86 runners at the Atlantic Country Club. By finishing in the top 15 with her time o

 HARLAN -- The Harlan Community football team finished the year on a positive note and perhaps offered a glimpse toward 2017 with Friday night’s 49-14 home win over Atlantic. Junior tailback Nick Foss stole the show for HCHS at Merrill Field, breaking one single-game rushing school record and tying another as the Cyclones finished 4-5 overall and 3-4 in Class 3-A, District 7, tying Winterset and A-D-M for fourth place.

 AVOCA -- In a Week 9 battle that doubled as a postseason play-in game, the AHSTW football team started fast, finished strong and looked every bit deserving of their 11th playoff berth in the last 12 years. Dominating at times en route to a 23-0 halftime lead, the Vikings answered a stern third-quarter challenge from Missouri Valley by scoring two fourth-quarter touchdowns and held off the Big Reds, 37-15, in Friday night’s regular-season fina

 MALVERN -- Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton steamrolled to a 40-0 halftime lead and cruised into the playoffs Friday night, beating East Mills 52-11 in a Week 9 matchup. The Spartans finished the regular season at 6-3 overall and 6-1 in 8-Player, District 7, placing second in the standings to earn the district’s runner-up playoff spot. Exira-EHK will play at Bedford (8-1) in a first-round playoff game Friday at 7 p.m.

 MANNING -- IKM-Manning scored the first 22 points of the game and never looked back Friday night, closing the season with a 48-21 home win over Tri-Center to finish tied for third in Class 1-A, District 7. Stephen Grimm totaled 228 rushing yards and four touchdowns to lead the Wolves, scoring on runs of 60, 10, 19 and 22 yards.