Cyclone offense comes alive in win over Rams

 HARLAN -- Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor have the Harlan Community Cyclones fixed all that ailed them in a season-opening 32-point loss at Lewis Central.
 But there were certainly positive strides taken Friday night at Merrill Field as HCHS racked up 581 total yards - compared to 109 in Week 1 - and scored 28 of the last 34 points in a 42-19 non-district football win over Greene County.
 Cyclone junior quarterback Deren Schmitz started slowly but came alive in the second quarter and finished with 303 passing yards, 74 rushing and four total touchdowns, including three TD passes during the final 2:40 of the first half.
 Senior wide receiver Dillon Sears was a major catalyst in the aerial attack, catching five passes for 160 yards and two scores in the second quarter alone and adding a 38-yard reception early in the third.
 Ignited by a 13-play, 91-yard drive, HCHS outscored the Rams 28-6 during an explosive final 5:37 of the first half and went ahead 35-13 on its first drive after halftime. The Cyclones (1-1) amassed 33 first downs to just six for Greene County (0-2), wearing down the Rams as they ran almost twice as many plays (80-43) as the visitors.
 HCHS, which also had two long Caleb Rasmussen punt return touchdowns nullified by penalties, removed all doubt with an impressive 16-play, 92-yard scoring march that took more than eight minutes off the fourth-quarter clock.
 The Cyclones will now try to build off Friday’s positive vibes as they prepare for this week’s Class 3-A, District 7 opener at 10th-rated Creston/Orient-Macksburg (2-0).