HARLAN (Oct. 9) -- Game, win, bye. This year’s Class 3A, District 9 football championship belongs solely to the Harlan Community Cyclones. Playing better with each quarter at Merrill Field Friday night, fourth-ranked HCHS trailed 10-7 early in the second half but finished with 21 unanswered points to beat No.

 AREA (Oct. 10) -- The Iowa High School Athletic Association has released first and second-round pods for the 2020 Iowa prep football playoffs. Pods involving area teams are listed below. First round games will be played Friday, Oct. 16. Second round games are Friday, Oct. 23. Kickoffs at 7:00 p.m.

 HARLAN (Oct. 8) -- The Harlan Community volleyball team scored the first eight points of the match and opened set five with a 6-1 run. Other than that, the Cyclones struggled to beat a determined Clarinda squad here Thursday night before overcoming a 2-1 deficit to prevail 25-15, 22-25, 22-25, 25-23, 15-12 in Hawkeye Ten Conference action. HCHS improved to 15-8 overall and 6-3 in the H-10, remaining tied for third place in the standings.

 ATLANTIC (Oct. 8) -- Trey Gross of Harlan Community placed second to Atlantic’s Craig Alan Becker in a tremendous boys race and the HCHS girls earned three medals at Thursday’s Atlantic Cross Country Invite. Held on the rolling Nishna Hills Golf Course, the meet featured 19 varsity boys teams, 18 girls teams and 263 varsity runners. The Cyclone girls scored a 101 and placed second to Glenwood (64) while AHSTW finished ninth with a 271.

 COUNCIL BLUFFS (Oct.

 HARLAN (Oct. 9) -- Two highly-ranked, unbeaten rivals will battle for a district title and potential first-round playoff bye Friday night when third-ranked Lewis Central visits Merrill Field to take on fourth-ranked Harlan Community. The Titans, whose game last week vs. Denison-Schleswig was cancelled, enter tonight’s regular-season finale at 5-0 overall and 3-0 in Class 3A, District 9.

 HARLAN (Oct. 9) -- The Harlan Community Schools Athletic Booster Club will be celebrating its 30th anniversary Friday night at halftime of the Cyclones’ football game against Lewis Central. The booster club’s original Articles of Incorporation were signed on October 16, 1990. The 18 founding board members will be recognized Friday.

 GLENWOOD (Oct. 6) -- Four below-average sets and three good ones resulted in a triangular split for the Harlan Community volleyball team Tuesday at Glenwood. HCHS was swept in less than an hour by the third-ranked (4A) Rams (11-25, 14-25, 18-25), then bounced back to beat St. Albert in four (20-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-23). Glenwood finished the night with a 25-14, 25-18, 25-20 victory over St.

   GREENFIELD -- The AHSTW cross country teams competed at the Nodaway Valley Invite on October 5. Results were as follows.
Nodaway Valley Cross Country Invite • Monday, Oct. 5 • Greenfield Golf Course

 MANILLA (Oct. 1) -- Paced by boys individual champion Quentin Dreyer, eight IKM-Manning runners took home top-20 medals from Thursday’s IKM-Manning Cross Country Invite at the M&M Golf Course. In the school’s first home meet in recent memory, the Wolves won the boys team title with a score of 31 as five runners placed in the top 12.

 MONDAMIN -- Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton picked up a pair of Rolling Valley Conference volleyball wins last week and improved its overall record to 8-14. The Spartans won a home match vs. Woodbine on September 29 by scores of 26-24, 13-25, 25-21, 25-22. They also won a five-setter at West Harrison on October 1: 25-15, 21-25, 25-27, 25-16, 15-6.

 SLOAN (Oct. 2) -- IKM-Manning racked up a season-high 475 total yards, played turnover-free football and committed just two penalties Friday night, topping Westwood 35-14 for its second consecutive win. The Wolves improved to 2-2 in Class A, District 10 and 2-4 overall, picking up some momentum for their Oct. 9 regular season finale against district leader Logan-Magnolia (3-0, 5-1).

 EXIRA (Oct. 2) -- Ar-We-Va rushed out to a 47-6 halftime lead and cruised by Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton 61-12 here Friday night in the Spartans’ Homecoming game. The Rockets won for the second straight week and improved to 2-4 in 8-Player, District 8. Exira-EHK (0-5) is still searching for its first 2020 victory and will host Boyer Valley (1-5) in its regular season finale (Oct.

 CRESTON (Oct. 2) -- Teagon Kasperbauer connected with Connor Frame for touchdown passes of 51, 65, 19 and 20 yards Friday night as the Harlan Community football team improved to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in district play with a 35-7 win at Creston/Orient-Macksburg. HCHS also got a 41-yard punt return TD from Joey Moser and led 27-0 at halftime.

 HARLAN (Sept.