HARLAN -- Only three other baseball programs in the state have accomplished what Harlan Community just did Wednesday night. Bolstered by a six-run, first-inning outburst and the sturdy right arm of senior pitcher Brett Croghan, the Cyclones held off Winterset, 9-5, in a Class 3-A substate final at Jim Goeser Field, securing the team’s sixth consecutive state tournament berth. In the 71-year history of Iowa’s summer state baseball championship

 CEDAR FALLS -- Three area football players, one cheerleader, one coach and a manager are taking part in this week’s Iowa Shrine Bowl All-Star Football Classic, culminating with Saturday’s 44th annual Shrine Bowl game at the UNI-Dome. The game will start at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, July 23, and will be televised on a tape-delay basis by Mediacom Connections Channel 22 starting at 5:00 p.m. The game will be re-aired at 8:00 p.m.

 HARLAN -- It was shades of early June at Jim Goeser Field Monday night - a welcome sight for the Harlan Community baseball team and its fans. Playing one of their best all-around games since a dominant 10-1 stretch to open the season, the 2nd-ranked Cyclones crushed Denison-Schleswig for the third time this summer with an 11-1, five-inning win in the District 16 (Class 3-A) final. HCHS junior Josh Cheek pitched three-hit ball with seven strik

 HARLAN -- Senior Brett Croghan pitched six scoreless innings and sophomore Jared Moser provided an offensive spark from the bottom of the lineup Friday night as Harlan Community opened the postseason with a 7-0 win over Carroll in a Class 3-A district baseball semifinal. The 2nd-ranked Cyclones took care of business against the winless Tigers, but by no means dominated as the score was only 4-0 going into the bottom of the sixth.

 COON RAPIDS -- When it was all said and done Thursday night - after seven innings of pressure-packed baseball, his final postgame huddle and media interviews - Tony Petersen received just the right medicine when he was mobbed by hugs from his young grandchildren. Perhaps this retirement gig won’t be so bad after all. Following 32 seasons and 513 coaching victories - all at Elk Horn-Kimballton and Exira-EHK - Petersen’s final game was a gut-wr

 AUDUBON -- Early errors proved costly for the IKM-Manning baseball team last Tuesday as CAM grabbed an early four-run lead and beat the Wolves, 4-1, in a Class 1-A district quarterfinal game held at Audubon. The Cougars (23-5) scored two runs in the first and two in the third (all unearned) and won despite managing just three singles offensively. Thomas Hensley (6-2) pitched a four-hitter for the win, striking out nine and walking three.

 CHARTER OAK -- After scoring a combined 18 runs and splitting its two-game regular-season series with Charter Oak-Ute, the Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton softball team liked its chances going into last Monday’s Class 1-A regional final. But the rubber match was simply not meant to be for the Spartans. Doomed by seven fielding errors and just five hits at the plate, Exira-EHK kept the score close for three innings but was eventually outscored 15-2

    HARLAN -- Jan Davitt, 74, Harlan, died Friday, July 22 in Omaha, NE.    Services will be held Tuesday, July 26 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Harlan with burial in the Harlan Cemetery.  A wake service was held Monday, July 25 at 7 p.m. at the church.  Friends were asked to call Monday from 3-8 p.m. with family greeting friends from 5-7 p.m.

    AVOCA -- Lotus Jeanette Paulsen, 85, Avoca, died July 22 at Myrtue Medical Center.    Services will be held Friday, July 29 at 2 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca with burial in the Graceland Cemetery at Avoca.  Family will greet friends Thursday, July 28 from 5-8 p.m.