Cyclones extend state streak to six years

 HARLAN -- Only three other baseball programs in the state have accomplished what Harlan Community just did Wednesday night.
 Bolstered by a six-run, first-inning outburst and the sturdy right arm of senior pitcher Brett Croghan, the Cyclones held off Winterset, 9-5, in a Class 3-A substate final at Jim Goeser Field, securing the team’s sixth consecutive state tournament berth.
 In the 71-year history of Iowa’s summer state baseball championships, only one other school has put together a state-qualifying streak longer than that of HCHS. Newman Catholic of Mason City just clinched its ninth straight 1-A state appearance, while Martensdale-St. Marys saw its six-year run ended with a substate loss on Wednesday. Cherokee also qualified six straight years from 2005-2010.
 The 2nd-ranked Cyclones (27-5) will be seeded fourth in the 3-A field and will take on fifth-seeded Bishop Heelan Catholic (27-15) in a quarterfinal game Tuesday (11:00 a.m.) at Principal Park in Des Moines.