Cyclone girls finish fifth in tough Koos Relays field

 HARLAN (April 5) -- Considering the days of cold weather that came before and after the Koos Invitational Girls Track Meet, the 13 teams competing at Merrill Field Thursday night found conditions to be downright favorable.
 When it was over, two long-standing meet records fell by the wayside, Harlan Community junior Chloe Hansen earned two gold medals and the Cyclone girls placed fifth among a field of teams that traveled from as far away as Estherville seeking competition.
 Denison-Schleswig won a meet-best five events and also claimed the team title by a 113-104 margin over Sioux City Bishop Heelan. Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln placed third with 87 points, followed by Atlantic (78), HCHS (71) and Thomas Jefferson and Lewis Central with 60 each.
 The meet was originally slated for eight teams, but that number increased due to the high amount of postponements and cancellations that have plagued the sport so far this spring.
 Hansen continues to be the team’s top point winner with her steady performances in the hurdle events. She won the 100-meter hurdles with a season-best time of 16.60 seconds, also earned gold in the 400 hurdles and helped the Cyclones place third in the shuttle hurdle relay and fifth in the 4x100.
 HCHS placed in 14 events overall, including a second-place effort from the 4x200 relay quartet of Sidney Craig, Cassidy Riley, Ashley Hall and Alyssa Sotelo.
 Junior Greichaly Kaster placed third in the 3,000 and fourth in the 1,500 with a pair of season-best times and also anchored the distance medley relay to sixth.