Last season, the Cyclones had just five athletes go out for swimming, including Elaina Vrchoticky, Aurora Miller, Ari Daniels, Emeri Smith and Emily Lee.
Vrchoticky and Miller have both graduated. Daniels is going out for volleyball and Smith is on the marching band, so Lee will be the lone Cyclone hoping to make a big splash this season.

The HCHS Cyclones are working hard preparing for a new season of cross country to begin in a few weeks.

After an 11-22 finish to their 2022 campaign, the Exira-EHK volleyball team is working hard and preparing for a new season. Their first match will be a scrimmage Aug. 19 in Atlantic, where they will be one of 15 schools competing.

The AHSTW Vikings are gearing up for another season of cross country set to begin in a few weeks. The Vikings will have nine athletes on the course this year, including returners Rylie Knop, Caleb Hatch and Caden Geraghty.

After finishing its 2022 season with an 11-19 record, the HCHS volleyball team is ready for the new season to begin, starting with a scrimmage at home against the Carroll Tigers Aug. 22.

After a tough 2-23 finish to their 2022 campaign, the IKM-Manning Wolves volleyball team is ready to get back on the court and start fresh with a new season.
“It’s always great to get back in the gym,” said Wolves Head Coach McKaylie Croghan. “I love watching the girls grow year to year not just with their volleyball skills, but also their leadership.”

After finishing 4-4 during their 2022 campaign, the Exira-EHK Spartans are ready to get back on the field behind a new quarterback.
“I think we’re super excited,” said Spartans Head Coach Drew Buckholdt. “The kids have put in a ton of work since May in the summertime with the weight room, so the kids are pretty excited with the work they’ve put in.”

In three weeks, the HCHS Cyclones will prepare to defend back-to-back state championships starting with a battle against the Lewis Central Titans Aug. 25.

Halfway done with high school, incoming Exira-EHK Junior Harlee Fahn hopes to build off an already stellar career.
Fahn plays softball, basketball, volleyball and runs track and field. Most recently, softball ended with her taking home honorable mention in the Rolling Valley All Conference list.
“It was great,” Fahn said. “That was my first time ever being an honorable mention, so it was just great to accomplish that.”

IKM-Manning’s Anna Stangl and Alikxa McGinn were recently awarded for their efforts in softball. Stangl made 2nd Team in All Conference and McGinn received honorable mention.
“When I saw that I did, I was in shock and I was like, oh my gosh, that’s amazing,” McGinn said. “I know that I had a pretty good year, maybe not as a team, but we all came together and definitely couldn’t have done it without them.”

Juniors Graycen Partlow and Rylie Knop and Freshman Halle Goodman recently made the Western Iowa All Conference list for their efforts in softball. Partlow made 1st Team, while Knop and Goodman made 2nd Team.
“It was really great,” Partlow said. “It came out and it was just good to see that my hard work had paid off and that I was able to get the job done. It’s really good to see and it made me feel good.”

Incoming AHSTW Senior and multi-sport athlete Saydi Paulsen is excited for her senior season when she’ll be playing volleyball, basketball and soccer.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” Paulsen said. “We have a lot of girls working really hard this summer, and it’s great to see everyone willing to step out of their comfort zone, so I’m really excited to leave everything I have on the court and give it all for my team.”

After a successful 2023 campaign when the Exira-EHK Spartans won 22 games, including a 4-2 first round tournament win against the Audubon Wheelers and a 3-2 second round tournament victory over the Woodbine Tigers, six Spartans were presented all conference awards.

After a state tournament berth, it’s no surprise the Cyclone had eight players recognized. Cade Sears and Stephen Leinen made 1st Team, Hayden Soma, Quinn Koesters, Jozef Reisz and Matthew Sorfonden made 2nd Team in all district and Braydon Ernst and Brock Lemrick took home honorable mention in all conference.

IKM-Manning student and multi-sport athlete Karlee Arp just finished her freshman season, when she played volleyball, basketball, track & field and softball.