HARLAN (Sept. 10) -- It was a tale of two halves at Merrill Field Friday night. Following a wildly entertaining first half that featured eight touchdowns, diving and juggling catches all over the field, and even a sequence of three turnovers in two plays, top-ranked (3A) Harlan Community went to the locker room clinging to a 28-26 lead over No.

 HARLAN (Sept. 10) -- For the second time in three weeks, Merrill Field is the host site for a tantalizing matchup of highly-ranked football teams. Harlan Community, voted No. 1 in the first Associated Press Class 3A poll of the season, will take on No.

 SHENANDOAH (Sept. 7) -- The Harlan Community volleyball team picked up its second 3-0 sweep in as many Hawkeye Ten matches Tuesday night, overpowering Shenandoah at the net for a 25-12, 25-19, 25-10 victory. HCHS improved to 7-4 overall and 2-0 in conference play going into Saturday’s South Central Calhoun “Master Blaster” Tournament at Rockwell City. The Cyclones finished with 41 kills against Shenandoah, which countered with only eight.

 AVOCA (Sept. 9) -- Two games into the 2021 football season, AHSTW has experienced the thrill of a last-minute 20-16 win at IKM-Manning and the disappointment of a 40-7 loss at Earlham. Armed with a roster of 51 players that includes some of last year’s top performers, Viking head coach G.G.

 GRINNELL (Sept.

 EXIRA (Sept.

 SLOAN (Sept. 3) -- Amos Rasmussen rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns and also kicked four PATs Friday night to lead IKM-Manning past Westwood 28-20 in a Class A, District 8 opener. The Wolves (1-1 overall) led 14-0 at halftime and answered two of the Rebels’ three second-half scores with touchdowns of their own.

 COUNCIL BLUFFS (Sept.

 SHENANDOAH (Aug. 31) -- It was a great meet for team newcomers Tuesday as the Harlan Community girls placed first and the boys took third at the Shenandoah Early Bird Cross Country Invite. The Cyclone girls placed five runners in the top 10 (seven in the top 14) for a winning score of 32, followed by Atlantic with a 48 and Clarinda (49). The top three boys teams were bunched even closer.

 GRINNELL (Sept.

 AVOCA (Aug. 31) -- The AHSTW volleyball team defeated both Nodaway Valley and Griswold in non-conference triangular action Tuesday night as head coach Kelsey Muxfeldt surpassed the 100-win mark for her career. The Lady Vikes, now 4-2 overall, outlasted Nodaway Valley in three sets to start the night, winning 25-16, 18-25, 15-7.

 DENISON (Aug. 31) -- The Harlan Community volleyball team won its conference opener in straight sets Tuesday night, sweeping an error-prone Denison-Schleswig team by scores of 25-16, 25-17, 25-19. HCHS improved to 6-4 overall and 1-0 inside the Hawkeye Ten while Denison dropped to 1-4 and 0-1. Senior outside hitter Zophi Hendricks led the Cyclones at the net with 28 successful attacks and 13 kills and had an efficiency of .281.

 GRISWOLD (Aug. 27) -- Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton opened the football season last Friday night with a dominating 59-8 non-district win at Griswold. The Spartans led just 16-8 after one quarter before outscoring the host Tigers 35-0 over the next two periods. Junior quarterback Trey Petersen had an outstanding game overall, completing 9-of-18 passes for 157 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 107 yards and three more scores.

 HARLAN (Aug.

 MANNING (Aug.