Halfway done with high school, incoming Exira-EHK Junior Harlee Fahn hopes to build off an already stellar career.
Fahn plays softball, basketball, volleyball and runs track and field. Most recently, softball ended with her taking home honorable mention in the Rolling Valley All Conference list.
“It was great,” Fahn said. “That was my first time ever being an honorable mention, so it was just great to accomplish that.”

IKM-Manning’s Anna Stangl and Alikxa McGinn were recently awarded for their efforts in softball. Stangl made 2nd Team in All Conference and McGinn received honorable mention.
“When I saw that I did, I was in shock and I was like, oh my gosh, that’s amazing,” McGinn said. “I know that I had a pretty good year, maybe not as a team, but we all came together and definitely couldn’t have done it without them.”

Juniors Graycen Partlow and Rylie Knop and Freshman Halle Goodman recently made the Western Iowa All Conference list for their efforts in softball. Partlow made 1st Team, while Knop and Goodman made 2nd Team.
“It was really great,” Partlow said. “It came out and it was just good to see that my hard work had paid off and that I was able to get the job done. It’s really good to see and it made me feel good.”

Incoming AHSTW Senior and multi-sport athlete Saydi Paulsen is excited for her senior season when she’ll be playing volleyball, basketball and soccer.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Paulsen said. “We have a lot of girls working really hard this summer, and it’s great to see everyone willing to step out of their comfort zone, so I’m really excited to leave everything I have on the court and give it all for my team.”

After a successful 2023 campaign when the Exira-EHK Spartans won 22 games, including a 4-2 first round tournament win against the Audubon Wheelers and a 3-2 second round tournament victory over the Woodbine Tigers, six Spartans were presented all conference awards.

After a state tournament berth, it’s no surprise the Cyclone had eight players recognized. Cade Sears and Stephen Leinen made 1st Team, Hayden Soma, Quinn Koesters, Jozef Reisz and Matthew Sorfonden made 2nd Team in all district and Braydon Ernst and Brock Lemrick took home honorable mention in all conference.

IKM-Manning student and multi-sport athlete Karlee Arp just finished her freshman season, when she played volleyball, basketball, track & field and softball.

In the bottom of the 2nd inning in the Class 3A Quarterfinal game, Senior Bobcat Connor Maiers scored on a wild pitch from third base putting his team up 1-0, which would be all the Bobcats needed en route to an eventual 10-0 victory over the Cyclones.

Cyclone Seniors Ella Plagman and Ellie Ineson recently took home individual honors for their seasons in softball. Plagman received honorable mention, while Ineson made 2nd team.

Junior Cyclone Quinn Koesters slammed the door on Hawkeye 10 rival Lewis Central Wednesday night recording the final four outs in the Cyclones 9-6 3A-8 Championship game victory.
“This team has worked hard all year,” Koesters said. “We’ve had struggles, but right now we’re on top and we can do anything.”

Braydon Ernst got the ball to start the night for the Cyclones. Ernst went three innings, struck out five batters, but gave up four runs on six hits, including three walks.
“Braydon got in a little bit of trouble when he walked their eight and nine hitter and put guys on base for their best hitter who hit a triple down the right field line to score a couple,” said Cyclones Head Coach Heath Stein.

In the bottom of the 2nd inning up 1-0, Freshman Warhawk Lola Shriver hammered a 2-run home run over the head of Spartan left fielder Hailey Bieker putting the Warhawks up 3-0, which would be all they would need to win the Regional Finals and send the Spartans home.

In the bottom of the 1st inning with two outs, Spartan Junior Hannah Nelson launched a ball over the head of the left fielder plating two runs, putting the Spartans up 2-0. Nelson also hit an RBI single in the bottom of the 3rd inning en route to an eventual 3-2 victory.
“I knew I had to put the ball in play, so anything close I took a swing at it, and it worked in my favor,” Nelson said.

Senior Cyclone Stephen Leinen pitched six innings, throwing 101 pitches, striking out 12 batters Friday night in the 3A-8 First Round Tournament game en route to a 12-2 mercy rule victory over the Atlantic Trojans.

Adam Bendorf said he was super excited to be named the new head wrestling coach for Harlan Community High School.
“It’s something that I’ve always kind of joked about that if I had a second life to live, I’d be a preschool teacher and a high school wrestling coach,” Bendorf said.
Bendorf will be taking over for John Murtaugh who coached HCHS wrestling for 20 years.