HARLAN - The Harlan Community Cyclones volleyball team battled through a challenging 2026 schedule, showing growth and improvement throughout the season while gaining valuable experience against a competitive slate of opponents.

AVOCA - The AHSTW Lady Vikes volleyball team showed plenty of growth, determination and resilience throughout the 2026 season, finishing the year with several hard-fought performances against a challenging schedule.

AHSTW opened its season at its home tournament on Aug. 29, earning a victory over Atlantic while facing Earlham, MVAOCOU, Riverside and East Mills.

PANORA — The AHSTW cross country teams wrapped up their 2026 seasons at the state qualifying meet at Panorama, competing on a challenging course against a strong field of runners on Thursday, Oct. 22.

Despite a difficult course and an unusual season filled with weather-related cancellations and schedule changes, the Vikings continued to push themselves and gained valuable experience heading into the offseason.

AREA- Harlan Community had two players recognized on the 2026 Hawkeye 10 All-Conference Volleyball Teams that was announced on Wednesday, with senior Taylor Heese earning second-team honors and senior Aubree Wegner receiving honorable mention recognition.

Heese, a senior setter, finished the season with 277 assists, 68 kills and 30 service aces.

FORT DODGE- Harlan Community cross country wrapped up its 2026 season Saturday at the Iowa State Cross Country Meet, with junior Ashlyn Rau and senior Jeffrey Gross representing the Cyclones against some of the state’s top competition.

URBANDALE - Harlan Community’s 2026 football season came to a close Friday night, as the Cyclones fell 42-13 to undefeated Des Moines Christian in the opening round of the Class 3A playoffs.

The Cyclones finished the season with a 5-5 overall record, while the Lions improved to 10-0 and advanced to the next round of the postseason.

AVOCA — The AHSTW Lady Vikes showed plenty of fight Tuesday night, rallying from a nine-point deficit in the fourth set before ultimately falling to Shenandoah in a five-set thriller, 25-21, 21-25, 25-19, 23-25, 15-10.

The Lady Vikes finished with 30 kills, 18 solo blocks and 68 digs in the five-set battle, but Shenandoah held on in the deciding set to escape with the victory.

HARLAN — The Harlan Community football team finally got the win it had been searching for, and the Cyclones did it in dominant fashion with a 48-0 win over rival Denison-Schleswig.

HCHS rolled past rival Denison-Schleswig 48-0 Friday night at Merrill Field, putting together one of its most complete performances of the season on Homecoming night.

HARLAN — After opening the season with three consecutive losses, the HCHS girls tennis team has turned things around with back-to-back victories over Red Oak and Glenwood.

The Cyclones earned their first win of the season Friday, edging Red Oak 5-4 before returning home Monday and picking up a convincing 7-2 victory over Glenwood.

SHENANDOAH — The Harlan Community cross country teams got their 2026 seasons underway Tuesday at the Shenandoah Early Bird, with both Cyclone squads finishing near the top of the team standings.

The Cyclone girls finished second with 44 points, just four behind Treynor, while the boys placed third with 73 points.

HARLAN —With temperatures soaring into the 90s, RAGBRAI participants found ways to cool off after arriving in Harlan Sunday. The community hosted thousands of cyclists and support staff as the annual ride made its first overnight stop of the week. Despite the intense heat, riders enjoyed food, entertainment and hometown hospitality before departing early Monday morning for Day 2 of the ride across Iowa.

LOCAL - After a season that ended within one game of the Class 3A State Tournament, Harlan Community was rewarded with seven selections on the 2026 Hawk-eye 10 All-Conference Baseball Teams.
Headlining the group was junior infielder and pitcher Colton Schneider, who earned First Team All-Hawkeye 10 honors for the second consecutive season.

HARLAN — After months of anticipation, the 16th Annual Al Belt Custom Homes Silver Dollar Nationals officially shifted into high gear Thursday night at Shelby County Speedway, and the event wasted little time delivering the kind of racing fans had hoped for in its first appearance at the historic western Iowa facility.

CARLISLE - For six innings Monday night and another six on Wednesday, HCHS showed the resilience that defined its postseason.
The Cyclones opened the play-offs with back-to-back walk-off victories before their season came to an end Wednesday night, falling 14-5 to Carlisle in the Class 3A Substate Final.

HARLAN- The Harlan Community Cyclones baseball team scored in the bottom of the seventh inning to edge Atlantic 2-1 in the opening round of the Class 3A Substate 8 Tournament, earning their fifth consecutive first-round postseason victory under head coach Heath Stein.
Runs were hard to come by as the two teams combined for just six hits in a game dominated by pitching.