COUNCIL BLUFFS -- Down one starter and facing the Hawkeye Ten front runner, Harlan Community hung around for a half Friday night before St. Albert’s three-point shooting and pressure defense proved to be too much. Trailing 32-24 at the break, the Cyclone girls were outscored 31-5 during the first 11 minutes of the second half and suffered a 67-37 loss at the hands of the surging Saintes. St.

 DENISON -- The Harlan Community wrestlers finished with a 1-2 record in Thursday’s quad at Denison, losing decisively to a pair of highly-ranked foes before soundly defeating Denison-Schleswig in the final dual of the night. Atlantic, listed third in the Class 2-A dual rankings by The Predicament, stormed out to a 57-3 lead and beat HCHS 63-12 in the opening round.

 AVOCA -- The AHSTW girls basketball team notched its second victory of the season here Thursday night, easily defeating Earlham 54-32 in non-conference action. The Lady Vikes also beat Tri-Center 53-43 on Friday, improving to 3-8 on the year. AHSTW gradually pulled away from Earlham, holding leads of 10-4 after one quarter, 22-11 at halftime and 37-19 after three quarters.

 AVOCA -- The AHSTW boys basketball team improved its record to 9-1 overall Thursday night with a 69-64 non-conference win over Earlham. Trailing 34-30 at halftime, the Vikings used a 22-13 third quarter to take the lead and were able to hold off the Cardinals (6-3) the rest of the way.

 HARLAN – Mike Nichols described his month of June as phenomenal. The same adjective can be applied to his entire season. Nichols won all 15 of his June starts and 54 times in all en route to his career sixth IMCA Sunoco Stock Car national championship. He joined 2016 Hobby Stock king Shannon Anderson as the first drivers to win six national titles in the same division during the modern era of IMCA.

 CHURDAN -- Sophomore Cole Burmeister finished with 22 points and seven assists on Friday night, leading Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton to a 63-49 boys basketball victory at Paton-Churdan. Drew Buckholdt added 17 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and three assists for the Spartans, who improved their Rolling Valley Conference record to 7-2. Dakota Rold also tallied a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds while blocking six shots.

 HARLAN -- When it comes to defensive strategy, a long-held mantra by Harlan Community boys basketball coach Mitch Osborn is that three-pointers will not beat you. So even though Atlantic finished 15-of-33 from the three-point arch against a combination of zone and junk defenses Tuesday night, it was no surprise that a man with 656 career wins was once again proven correct. Countering Atlantic’s long-range attack with 10 treys of their own, fo

 ATLANTIC -- Nicole Lange led four Harlan Community players in double figures with 20 points while adding seven rebounds and four assists as the Cyclone girls topped Atlantic 67-49 in their first game of the new year Tuesday night. Allison Bruck also had a big game with 18 points and nine steals, Lexi Larsen totaled 11 points, six rebounds and six assists and Bailey Hansen scored 11 points as well. The Cyclones knocked down 9-of-21 three-point

 AVOCA -- The AHSTW wrestling team finished 1-1 in a home double dual Tuesday night, losing to Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 37-28 and beating Riverside 63-13. A.L. won the meet by defeating Riverside 42-33. Five Vikings wrestlers finished 2-0 on the night, led by 106-pounder Joel Sampson recording a pair of first period wins by fall.