AREA -- Play ball! There will be a high school baseball and softball season, after all, for eager athletes, coaches and fans across the state. On Wednesday morning, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced that summer athletic seasons could be held at the high school level following a two-month suspension of activities due to COVID-19, including the cancellation of all spring sports. By Wednesday afternoon, the Iowa High School Athletic Associati

 HARLAN (May 18) -- It is still an unknown when the Shelby County Speedway might hold its first racing night of the 2020 season, or if fans will be able to watch from the grandstand. The SCS racing season was originally set to begin on April 17-18, but opening night was pushed back at least two weeks based on COVID-19 health concerns.

 AREA -- The Iowa Western Baseball League is forging full speed ahead with its 74th season starting May 31. IWL Commissioner Jim Bruck released the amateur league’s 2020 schedule on Friday with five teams set to compete: Portsmouth, Persia, Walnut, Council Bluffs and Massena. Bruck said there will be no restrictions on the number of fans who can attend. Two games have been scheduled for each Sunday between May 31 and August 9 with the exceptio

 REGIONAL -- The Hawkeye Ten Conference has recognized 211 seniors, including 24 from Harlan Community, on its 2020 H-10 Spring Sports All-Academic Team. Award recipients include all senior letter winners who have attained a cumulative 3.5 GPA during their high school career.

 REGIONAL -- Five area student-athletes competed for college track and field teams in 2020, including two at the NCAA Division I level and another in Division II. Unfortunately, all outdoor track seasons were cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Indoor seasons were nearly completed, but all NCAA Indoor Championship meets were cancelled.

 AVOCA -- Steve Sauvain has stepped down as the high school principal and girls head basketball coach at AHSTW. Sauvain has accepted the position of Field Director with the Green Hills Area Education Agency in southwest Iowa, calling it a professional opportunity that was too good to pass up. He will continue his duties as AHSTW principal until early June. “I have the opportunity to impact schools on a bigger scale,” Sauvain said of his AEA jo

 WATERLOO -- A Denison-Schleswig bowler with area ties finished his sophomore bowling season at the Class 2A state tournament this past winter after posting the top individual qualifying score in the entire state. Denison’s Trey Brotherton bowled a two-game series of 565 (269-296) at the 2A State Qualifying Tournament in Le Mars on February 18.

 SIOUX CITY -- Former Harlan Community bowlers Bailey Portwood, Jessica Phipps and Joshua Grote were members of the Morningside College bowling teams during the 2019-20 season. Portwood was a senior majoring in General Business, Phipps was a junior majoring in Elementary Education and Grote was a senior majoring in American and World History. The Morningside women’s and men’s bowling teams both advanced to the semifinal round of bracket play i

 COUNCIL BLUFFS -- Former Harlan Community High School bowlers Devin Wilson, Bailey Schmitz, Lucas Schmitz and Tara Hansen were sophomore members of the highly successful Iowa Western Community College bowling teams during the 2019-20 season. The Schmitz brothers are from Westphalia, Wilson is an Earling native and Hansen is from Harlan.

 AREA (May 7) -- Perhaps even more than usual, golf has become a recreational escape for many during the COVID-19 pandemic. Local golf courses have seen a strong turnout of both members and guest golfers during the early weeks of the season. Some clubhouses have opened up for dining again - with social distancing - while others are taking to-go orders for “patio side” pick up. As the spring weather continues to improve, the course traffic is o

Harlan Community Boys Tennis -- 2019 RecapOverall Dual Meet Record: 0-10. Hawkeye Ten Dual Meet Record: 0-9.Hawkeye Ten Conference Tournament: at Shenandoah -- Team placed 8th (9 points)- Brock Bruns & Jonathan Cheek placed 2nd in No. 1 doubles (2-1)- Carter Wagner placed 8th in No. 2 singles (1-3)- Mitchell Rueschenberg & Braden Fink placed 8th in No.

Harlan Community Girls Tennis - 2019 RecapOverall Dual Meet Record: 0-10. Hawkeye Ten Dual Meet Record: 0-9.Hawkeye Ten Conference Tournament: at Denison/Red Oak -- Team placed 11th (0 points)- Elise Juhl & Bobbie Schechinger in No.

2019 RecapDual/Triangular Record: 4-7. Hawkeye Ten Record: 4-7.Hawkeye Ten Conf. Tournament: at Fox Run GC (Council Bluffs) -- 7th place, 344 (Jay Swanson placed 6th with a 77 - first-team All-Conf.).Class 3A Sectional Tournament: at Majestic Hills GG (Denison) -- 6th place, 352 (Blake Goshorn 86, Jay Swanson 87, Mason Peters 89).

2019 RecapDual/Triangular Record: 2-6. Hawkeye Ten Record: 2-6.Hawkeye Ten Conf. Tournament: at Clarinda Country Club -- 7th place, 424 (Jocelyn Cheek placed 12th with a 98 - 2nd-team All-Conf.).Class 3A Regional Tournament: at BVU Golf Course (Storm Lake) -- 8th place, 451 (Jocelyn Cheek 103, Haley Manz 108).

2019 RecapDual/Triangular Record: 10-1. WIC Record: 8-0.Western Iowa Conf. Tournament: at Nishna Hills GC (Atlantic) -- 1st place, 306 (Kyler Rasmussen placed 1st with a 72; Jarod Henkelman 3rd, 76; Tyler Brandt 4th, 77).Class 1A Sectional Tournament: at The Meadows CC (Moville) -- 2nd place, 352 (Jarod Henkelman placed 1st with an 80; K. Rasmussen 84).Class 1A District Tournament: at Lakeside Municipal GC (Ft. Dodge) -- 3rd place, 348 (K.