HARLAN (Feb. 26) -- The Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton girls fought from behind nearly all 32 minutes Wednesday night but couldn’t put together the big run necessary to rattle St. Albert. Trailing once the entire game at 4-2, the Saintes used their overall speed and athleticism to build a 12-point lead and held off the eighth-ranked Spartans 65-54 in a Class 1A regional final in Harlan. St.

 COUNCIL BLUFFS (Feb. 25) -- The IKM-Manning boys basketball team entered last Tuesday’s halftime break tied 22-22 with St. Albert and feeling good about its first-half game plan. Offensively, the Wolves scored from inside and outside and had six players knock down at least one shot.

 WATERLOO (Feb.

 GLENWOOD (Feb. 24) -- Beating a rival three times in three weeks isn’t supposed to be easy.

 GLENWOOD (Feb.

 AVOCA (Feb.

 ANITA (Feb. 20) -- After leading for much of the first half, Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton was forced to play catch-up during the final two quarters last Thursday night and ultimately lost to Stanton 52-43 in a Class 1A, District 14 quarterfinal boys basketball game at Anita. Stanton (19-3) trailed 24-22 at halftime, then opened the third period with a three-pointer and led the rest of the way, building the margin as high as 12 points.

 DES MOINES (Feb.

 DES MOINES (Feb.

 REGIONAL (Feb. 21) -- The AHSTW and Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton girls basketball teams both moved within one win of the state tournament on Friday night with regional semifinal wins. The Lady Vikes defeated Nodaway Valley 63-58 in a Class 2A, Region 8 semifinal at Atlantic.

 PANORA (Feb.

MANNING (Feb. 20) – IKM-Manning jumped out to an early 17-9 lead and never looked back en route to a convincing 61-34 victory over West Harrison in Class 1A district boys basketball action Thursday.
Kyler Rasmussen led the scoring for the Wolves with 14 points while Colten Brandt chipped in 12 and Parker Behrens had 10. Colby Keller tallied a game high six rebounds, five assists and two steals while also adding seven points.

 HARLAN (Feb. 20) -- Carroll forced overtime on Colby Vincent’s last-second three-pointer and opened the extra session with a 9-1 run before holding off Harlan Community 68-66 in the regular season finale for both boys basketball teams Thursday night. HCHS, which squandered a 48-39 fourth-quarter lead, dropped to 15-6 going into Monday’s Class 3A substate quarterfinal vs. Atlantic (8-13) at Glenwood.

 LE MARS (Feb. 18) -- For the second straight year and the fourth time in the last seven, Harlan Community will finish the girls bowling season at the Class 1A State Tournament. The Cyclone girls punched their state ticket by winning Tuesday’s 1A State Qualifying Tournament at Sweet 16 Lanes in Le Mars.

 ATLANTIC (Feb. 17) -- The Harlan Community boys basketball team wrapped up second place in the Hawkeye Ten Conference Monday night with a 57-40 win at Atlantic. HCHS improved to 15-5 overall and finished 9-1 in league play. Atlantic fell to 8-12 and 4-6, respectively. The game marked the second in a series of three straight Mondays that the Cyclones and Trojans will do battle. HCHS won the first meeting 71-41 on Feb. 10 in Harlan.