MANNING -- The IKM-Manning football team came within five yards of a possible win over Logan-Magnolia here Friday night, falling just short, 14-8, when a fourth down pass was incomplete with 2:24 to go. The Wolves dropped to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in Class 1-A, District 7, while the Panthers improved to 3-1 and 2-0. Trailing 14-0 at the half, IKM-Manning pulled within a touchdown following Cody Chapman’s five-yard TD run and Stephen Grimm’s two-

 WESTPHALIA -- After a five-year absence, the Harvest Baseball Tournament returned to Westphalia with a game on August 27 and two games over the Labor Day weekend. The Council Bluffs Diablos won the 2016 incarnation of the tournament after defeating the Omaha Yankees 9-6 in the championship game on September 4. The Diablos beat the Massena Red Sox 11-6 in the first round and defeated Blair 19-10 in the semifinals. 

Exira-EHK swept Woodbine in three games Monday, Sept. 12.  The host Spartans won 25-9, 25-3 and 25-17 to push their record to 3-4 on the year.

 CARROLL -- Kuemper Catholic demonstrated early and often why it should be considered a serious state title contender in 3-A volleyball Tuesday night, starting fast and showing late grit in a 25-9, 25-22, 25-19 sweep of Harlan Community. The 2nd-ranked Knights dominated the opening set with authority, scoring eight of the first nine points and racing to a 19-3 lead, but the 10th-ranked (4-A) Cyclones were much more competitive the rest of the

HARLAN -- Time will tell how key Friday night’s game at Merrill Field is in determining this year’s two automatic playoff qualifiers from Class 3-A, District 7. It’s only Week 4, and this is just the second of seven district games on the schedule, but Glenwood (2-1, 0-1) and Harlan Community (1-2, 0-1) both know what’s at stake as they prepare for tonight’s 7:30 kickoff. The winner basically still controls its own destiny in pursuit of a top-t

 RED OAK -- While many of her teammates have battled illness or injury during the first few weeks of the cross country season, Greichaly Kaster remains a solid mark of consistency for Harlan Community. Kaster placed second to fellow sophomore Ashley Wendt of Atlantic at Monday’s Red Oak Tiger Invite, giving her four straight top-five finishes to start the year, including back-to-back second-place medals. Kaster’s teammates all placed in the to

 CRESTON -- At some point in time Friday night, football’s inventor of the form tackle stopped rolling over in his grave, curled up in the fetal position and covered his eyes. It was that much of a full-fledged offensive showcase at Panther Field as 10th-ranked Creston/Orient-Macksburg outscored Harlan Community 70-49 in the District 7 (Class 3-A) opener for both teams. Creston/O-M senior standout Chase Shiltz amassed 507 all-purpose yards on

 COUNCIL BLUFFS -- Harlan Community sophomore Greichaly Kaster stepped up her game at Iowa Western Community College on Saturday, posting a season-best second-place performance to pace a group of four Cyclone medalists at the Lewis Central Cross Country Invitational. Both HCHS squads placed sixth out of 12 teams, with the girls scoring a 125 and the boys scoring 179.

 MANNING -- The IKM-Manning volleyball team took a good first step toward contending for the top of the Western Iowa Conference here Thursday night, sweeping Audubon 25-17, 25-18, 25-23 in the WIC opener for both squads. Five days after losing to the Wheelers (20-22, 17-21) as part of a fourth-place showing at the South Central Calhoun Tournament, the Wolves played consistently sharp and aggressive on their home floor and trailed only once - o

 EXIRA -- Drew Buckholdt returned to Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton’s lineup with a vengeance Friday night, scoring five touchdowns as the Spartans routed Sidney 53-18 for their first win of the football season. Buckholdt, one of three Spartan starters to miss last week’s 40-6 non-district loss at Bedford, caught touchdown passes of 8, 9 and 19 yards from Kyle Petersen and also scored on runs of five and two yards.

 CRESTON -- If you like offense, and lots of it, then Friday night’s game between Harlan Community and Creston/O-M was the place to be.

 HARLAN -- After facing five of the state’s best volleyball teams last Saturday, opening Hawkeye Ten Conference play must have seemed like a breeze for Harlan Community on Tuesday night. Playing their first “center court” match of the season, the Cyclones trailed for just one point the whole way in a methodical 25-13, 25-17, 25-14 sweep of Shenandoah. HCHS, which lost to five state-ranked, Class 5-A foes at West Des Moines Valley’s Marj White

 CRESTON -- The football schedule-makers wasted no time setting up early-season drama among the presumed playoff contenders from Class 3-A, District 7. With all due respect to the other four teams, most prognosticators would list Carroll, Glenwood, Creston/Orient-Macksburg and Harlan Community as this year’s “favorites” to compete for the district’s two guaranteed playoffs spots later this fall. The postseason hunt begins in earnest Friday nig

 AMES -- More than 45 bowlers participated in the Iowa Games “Bowl for the Gold” qualifying tournament held earlier this year at Cyclone Lanes.

 LAKE CITY -- The IKM-Manning volleyball team opened the season by placing fourth out of six teams at last Saturday’s South Central Calhoun Tournament. The Wolves finished 2-3 on the day, defeating Greene County and Glidden-Ralston in two sets each while losing competitive matches against South Hamilton (2-1), Audubon (2-0) and South Central Calhoun (2-1).