HARLAN -- Hosting one of the top girls soccer teams in the state on Monday, Harlan Community fell behind 4-0 in the opening three minutes and never recovered, losing to Lewis Central 10-0 in a match that ended via the mercy rule with 18 minutes remaining. The 2nd-ranked (Class 2-A) Titans reached 10 goals for the fifth time on the year, improving to 9-3 overall and 6-0 in the Hawkeye Ten.

 CARROLL -- Junior Isaac Stitz earned two of Harlan Community’s three wins and placed third in the singles bracket last Thursday (May 12) as the Cyclones finished their season by placing sixth in the Class 1-A Boys District Tennis Tournament at Carroll. Just two days after finishing second in the Hawkeye Ten Conference Meet, HCHS was unable to repeat the same level of success at districts and scored only six points. “Today was not our day,” st

 COUNTY -- The Harlan Community Trap Team held their second home meet of the year at Shelby County Trap Range on April 16. The meet included 236 shooters from 12 different schools. Once again, the wind was a major factor with gusts of 25 mph making the targets very sporty.    Harlan Community High School’s Team Red placed 2nd in the team event. Team members were Jack Gubbels, Alex Assmann, Jamie Schechinger, Marshall Tucker and Lucas Schmitz.

 COUNTY -- The Harlan Community Trap Team held its first meet of the year April 2 at the Shelby County Trap Range. Two hundred shooters from nine different schools participated, with wind gusts up to 30 mph making the targets very challenging. Thirty middle and high school students shot this event. Harlan Community Middle Schooler Michael Heithoff placed first over the field of 83 shooters, hitting 41x50.

 MAPLETON -- IKM-Manning’s Brooke Waterbury shot identical nine-hole rounds of 50 on Monday, scoring an even 100 to place fourth in the Class 2-A, Region 2A Girls Golf Tournament at Mapleton’s Willow Vale Golf Club. By placing in the top five with her career-best 18-hole score, Waterbury qualified to play in the Region 2 Final tournament Monday, May 23, at Neola’s Quail Run Country Club.

    EARLING -- Linda Louise Kaufman, 65, Earling, died May 25 at Elm Crest Retirement Community.    Services will be held Saturday, May 28 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Westphalia with burial in the St. Boniface Cemetery at Westphalia.  A prayer service will be held Friday, May 27 at 7 p.m. at the church.  Visitation is Friday from 5-8 p.m.

    OMAHA, NE -- Word has been received of the death of Karen G. Risk, 68, Omaha, NE, a former Shelby County resident.    Services were held Tuesday, May 24 at 11 a.m. at Heafey Hoffmann Dworak Cutler Mortuary with interment in the Fort Calhoun Cemetery.    She is survived by her husband, Robert; brothers Gerald (Betty) of Portsmouth, Dallan (Sharon) of Omaha and Neil (Cherylene) of Panama; nieces and nephews. 

    AVOCA -- Gerald Aldrich Peck, 87, Avoca, died May 23 at Bergan Mercy Medical Center.    Services will be held Friday, May 27 at 10 a.m. at United Church of Avoca with burial in the Graceland Cemetery in Avoca.  Visitation was Thursday, May 26 from 1-7 p.m. with family greeting friends from 5-7 p.m.

    ELK HORN -- Mabel Madsen used to wait for her husband, Robert, to come home to greet him when he came home from work. This was one of her ways she showed her love.    Now as Robert and Mabel sit side-by-side holding hands at Salem Lutheran Homes in Elk Horn, Mabel repeats the question a little louder for her husband to hear. This is one of the ways she shows her love.