IRWIN (June 4) -- IKM-Manning split a pair of Western Iowa Conference softball games earlier this week, winning 5-0 at Audubon Monday and losing to Underwood 7-2 here Tuesday night.IKM-M 5, Audubon 0 Freshman Bianca Cadwell pitched a two-hit shutout for the Wolves with five strikeouts and two walks and also chipped in with a hit and RBI at the plate during Monday’s 5-0 win at Audubon. IKM-Manning took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and pulled

Exira-EHK 9, Tri-Center 5 ELK HORN (May 31) -- Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton took a 4-1 lead after two innings and answered every Tri-Center challenge the rest of the way last Friday night, scoring three runs in the fourth and two in the sixth to beat the Trojans 9-5. Offensive leaders for the Spartans included Josh Pettepier with two singles, two walks and two RBI, Tyler Petersen a single and two RBI and Cole Burmeister a single, two stolen bases

 AVOCA (June 1) -- The AHSTW softball team placed first in its three-team, round-robin tournament last Saturday, beating Fremont-Mills 13-0 in four innings and also shutting out Sidney 5-0 in the afternoon. Sidney beat F-M 13-1. The Lady Vikes’ five and six hitters - Kailey Jones and Ally Meyers - both finished 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and one RBI vs.

 AVOCA (May 31) -- Capped by Blake Holst’s two-run walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth, AHSTW rallied twice last Friday night and outlasted Missouri Valley 7-6 in an extra-innings Western Iowa Conference baseball game. The Vikings trailed 5-2 before tying the score with three runs in the fifth.

 DES MOINES -- Gracie Assmann of the Harlan Community Schools Delegation has been selected by Special Olympics Iowa as one of three finalists for the Special Olympics Girl Athlete of the Year at the Des Moines Register Sports Awards, set for Friday, June 21, at Wells Fargo Arena. The event honors the state’s best athletes, coaches and teams for their achievements throughout the year and will be headlined by Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warn

 AMES -- The Harlan Community School District Special Olympics team competed at the 2019 Summer Games (state meet) held May 24 at the Lied Recreation Center and Hilton Coliseum in Ames. HCSD qualified 25 athletes in 34 events based on their efforts at the Southwest Iowa Area Spring Games in April. Athletes were allowed to participate in one throwing event and one jumping event at state.

 AMES -- Scott Erlbacher of Dow City Erlbacher and Samantha Thorne of Harlan Twizzlers were local gold medalists in the 22-29-year-old divisions at the Special Olympics of Iowa Summer Games May 24 at Iowa State University. Erlbacher placed first in the softball throw and sixth in the 50-meter dash. Thorne placed first in both the 25-meter walk and the tennis ball throw.

    HARLAN -- Dorothy M. Gaul, 94, Harlan, died June 15 at Elm Crest Retirement Community.    Services will be held Wednesday, June 19 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling with burial in the St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Earling.  A wake service will be held Tuesday, June 18 at 7 p.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan.  Visitation is Tuesday from 4-8 p.m.

    HARLAN -- Thomas Lee Ludwig, 72, Harlan, died June 12 at Cass County Memorial Hospital.    Services will be held Saturday, June 22 at 11 a.m. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Harlan.  A wake service will be held Friday, June 21 at 7 p.m. at the church.  Family will greet friends from 5-8 p.m.