AVOCA -- A thriving AHSTW girls basketball program has experienced change since last season, but there’s still many familiar faces throughout the gym. Following the resignation of Steve Sauvain as principal and head girls basketball coach last spring, the school hired from within and named Jill Vanderhoof the Lady Vikes’ new head coach in early June.

 AVOCA -- AHSTW cross country coach Jenny Hamilton was selected as a Class 1A At-Large Girls Coach of the Year in November after guiding the Lady Vike harriers to their third state meet in four years. The IATC (Iowa Association of Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches) named Hudson’s Holly Peterson as its Class 1A Girls Coach of the Year while honoring Hamilton and five others as at-large coaches of the year. Hamilton guided the Lady Vik

 AVOCA (Nov.

 DES MOINES (Nov.

    CEDAR FALLS -- It was a season of thrilling big plays on both sides of the ball, impressive comeback wins and approximately 60 young men playing every down of every game for each other. It came to an end on Thursday night at the UNI-Dome, where the Harlan Community football team - playing in the program’s 21st state championship game - lost 30-6 to a talented team from North Scott.

 CEDAR FALLS (Nov. 19) -- It was an ugly ending to an otherwise unblemished season of Harlan Community football. But for at least a half, the 2nd-ranked Cyclones hung right with No.

 MARSHALLTOWN (Nov. 14) -- Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln’s 400-yard freestyle relay team of Aubri Smith, Claire Crilly, Aurora Miller and Elaina Vrchoticky rebroke their school record and placed above their seed at the 2020 Girls State Swimming and Diving Meet held November 13-14 at the Marshalltown YMCA/YWCA. Smith, a senior, and sophomores Miller and Vrchoticky are all Harlan Community High School students while Crilly attends Underwood.

 CEDAR FALLS (Nov. 19) -- The Iowa High School Athletic Association’s six football championship games, including Thursday night’s Harlan Community vs.

 STATE (Nov. 16) -- As part of Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ new Public Health Disaster proclamation on Monday night, all organized youth and adult sports activities of any size have been suspended until at least 11:59 p.m. on December 10.

 AREA (Nov. 23) -- Some games and scrimmages have already been postponed due to COVID-19. Others are set to go on.

 CEDAR FALLS (Nov. 19) -- One team is seeking a 13th state championship and playing in its 21st title game all-time. The other is making its first-ever appearance in the state football finals. Don’t read too much into history and tradition, however. Thursday night’s Class 3A state championship game between 2nd-ranked Harlan Community (11-0) and No.

 CEDAR FALLS (Nov.

 HARLAN (Nov. 12) -- Win or lose in Thursday’s 3A semifinal vs. Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley, the 2020 football season has been an extremely fun ride for Harlan Community. One of the only things missing from it all has been the presence of Hall of Fame coach Curt Bladt on the sidelines. The Cyclone legend continues to fight a winning battle against cancer that started nearly two years ago.

 JOHNSTON (Nov. 7) -- Three swimmers from Harlan Community were part of a history-making day for the Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln girls swim team last Saturday at the regional meet in Johnston. HCHS senior Aubri Smith (leadoff leg) and sophomores Aurora Miller (third leg) and Elaina Vrchoticky (anchor), joined forces with Claire Crilly of Underwood to place fourth in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

 HARLAN -- Harlan Community seniors Emily Brouse and Julia Schechinger made their college decisions official on Monday, November 2, signing national letters of intent to play softball at the juco level starting next fall. Brouse signed with Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs while Schechinger will take her talents to Southwestern Community College in Creston.