CARROLL (Sept. 11) -- The Harlan Community volleyball team got swept Tuesday night, but not without challenging top-ranked (3A) Kuemper Catholic in all three sets of a 20-25, 21-25, 18-25 Hawkeye Ten defeat. Just three days after losing to the Knights 11-21, 9-21 in the South Central Calhoun Tournament, HCHS showed a lot more fight in Kuemper’s home gym. Set one was tied 19-all before the Knights scored six of the last seven points.

 STORM LAKE (Sept. 11) -- The Harlan Community girls cross country team moved up eight spots to No. 4 in this week’s 3A state rankings, then went out and backed it up with authority at Tuesday’s Storm Lake Invite. Placing all seven varsity runners between sixth and 21st, the Cyclones posted a winning score of 55 to hold off eighth-ranked Spencer (60) and No. 2 Le Mars (76) in the final team standings.

 AVOCA (Sept. 11) -- Sophomore Chloe Falkena earned a 13th-place medal and four of her teammates finished in the top half of the field here Tuesday as the AHSTW girls cross country team claimed third place in their annual home meet at the Avoca Golf and Country Club. Atlantic won the girls’ team title with a score of 28, led by individual champion Taylor McCreedy and four other Trojans in the top 10.

 HARLAN (Sept. 14) -- The Harlan Community football team will close out its non-district schedule at Merrill Field on Friday, hosting Atlantic in a 7:00 p.m. matchup between 2-1 teams. HCHS is looking to build on its No.

 COUNCIL BLUFFS (Sept. 8) -- Harlan Community cross country coach Doug Renkly knew that his girls squad had the potential to be pretty darn special this year. But this good, this soon?

 ROCKWELL CITY (Sept. 8) -- The Harlan Community volleyball team placed fourth out of seven teams in Saturday’s round-robin South Central Calhoun “Master Blaster” Tournament, finishing 3-3. HCHS scored decisive wins over Kingsley-Pierson, River Valley and East Sac County while losing to South Central Calhoun, 8th-ranked (2A) Ridge View (in three sets, 2-1) and top-ranked (3A) Kuemper Catholic, which won the tournament with a 6-0 mark.

 MANNING (Sept. 6) -- The IKM-Manning volleyball team opened conference play with a 3-1 loss to 11th-ranked (2A) Treynor on Thursday night as the first set proved pivotal in the final outcome. The Wolves led 22-18 in set one but were outscored 8-2 down the stretch and lost 26-24. The momentum carried over into set two which the Cardinals also took 25-14.

 CARROLL (Sept.

 EXIRA (Sept. 7) -- Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton stayed unbeaten and won its district opener Friday night, making a goal line stand in the final moments to hold off Audubon 34-28. The Spartans are now 3-0 overall. Audubon (1-2) drove down the field and got to the 2-yard line late in the game before an incomplete pass on fourth-and-goal sealed the deal for Exira-EHK with 14 seconds on the clock.

 MANNING (Sept. 7) -- South Central Calhoun scored 19 first-quarter points and continued to pull away in the second half last Friday night, defeating the IKM-Manning football team 38-0 in non-district action.

 HARLAN (Sept.

 CARROLL (Sept. 7) -- The Harlan Community football team will look to bounce back quickly Friday night following last week’s frustrating 34-32 home loss to Sergeant Bluff-Luton. HCHS led 20-0 in the first half but was unable to establish a running game or slow down the Warriors’ speed-oriented attack late while allowing 426 yards all told (324 through the air).

 LAKE CITY (Sept.

 MISSOURI VALLEY (Sept. 1) -- The Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton volleyball team opened the season by going 0-5 at Saturday’s Missouri Valley Lady Red Tournament. The Spartans won just one set on the day, falling to Mo.

 SIDNEY (Aug. 31) -- Senior quarterback Josh Pettepier threw four touchdown passes and also ran one in from 33 yards out last Friday night as the Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton football team rolled past Sidney 43-8 in its second and final non-district game of the year. The Spartans have now outscored their first two opponents - who both won at least one playoff game last year - by a combined 88-35 in the first two weeks of the season.