Bieker, Gross lead HCHS harriers’ team sweep at Shenandoah Invite

 SHENANDOAH (Sept. 1) -- The Harlan Community cross country teams both placed first and also claimed the two individual champions at Tuesday’s Shenandoah Early Bird Invite.
 The Cyclone girls dominated a five-team field, placing seven runners in the top nine and posting a winning score of 18. Kaia Bieker won the girls five-kilometer race in 20:43, closely followed by Abi Albertsen in second place (20:45) and Brecken Van Baale in third (20:48).
 The Cyclone boys scored a 36 to top six other teams, led by Trey Gross in first place. Gross finished the 5K race in 16:49, besting Treynor’s Cole Dooley by 28 seconds. HCHS senior Mitchell Rueschenberg placed fifth in 18:19.
 The HCHS girls’ margin of victory was 43 points Tuesday as Shenandoah placed second with a score of 61. The Clarinda boys placed second with a 60.
 In addition to the Cyclone girls’ 1-2-3 finish, Liv Freund placed fifth, Ellie Gross was seventh, Kennedy Kjergaard was eighth and Olivia Anderson finished ninth.
 Additional Cyclone boys in the top 10 were freshman Ian Shelton (seventh) and Reed Boardman (ninth).