Cyclones step up level of play, rout Denison in district final

 HARLAN -- It was shades of early June at Jim Goeser Field Monday night - a welcome sight for the Harlan Community baseball team and its fans.
 Playing one of their best all-around games since a dominant 10-1 stretch to open the season, the 2nd-ranked Cyclones crushed Denison-Schleswig for the third time this summer with an 11-1, five-inning win in the District 16 (Class 3-A) final.
 HCHS junior Josh Cheek pitched three-hit ball with seven strikeouts, Kyle Juhl belted his sixth home run of the year and Nick Tarney’s third single - a line shot to the base of the left field fence - drove in the game-ending run with one out in the bottom of the fifth.
 The Cyclones improved to 26-5 overall, advancing to Wednesday’s Substate 8 final vs. Winterset (20-12).