HARLAN -- Sometimes it’s hard to see the forest through the trees, but the Harlan Community softball team made definite strides overall during 2018. While the Cyclones are still in search of their first postseason victory during Brooke Schaben’s three-year head coaching tenure, the roster is still young as a whole and the numbers are trending in the right direction. With five of its top eight hitters still freshmen or eighth-graders, HCHS imp

 AMES -- Highlighted by Big 12 Conference Player of the Week honors in late April, Iowa State University sophomore Logan Schaben batted .203 and hit six home runs this past spring in helping the Cyclone softball team finish 23-33 overall and 4-14 in the Big 12 for sixth place. An infielder and designated hitter for ISU, Schaben is the daughter of Gary and Jackie Schaben, rural Portsmouth, and a 2016 graduate of Harlan Community High School.

 MACOMB, ILL. -- Dillon Sears started 41 games and batted .217 in his first season of NCAA Division I baseball this past spring, helping the Western Illinois Fighting Leathernecks finish 17-31 overall and notch their most conference wins since 2006 with a 14-12 record in the Summit League. The freshman infielder is the son of Chad and Janelle Sears, Westphalia, and a 2017 Harlan Community High School graduate.

 EL DORADO, KS -- Iowa Western Community College sophomore Marcus Klein earned All-American status for the second straight year by placing second in the decathlon at the 2018 NJCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships held May 17-19. Klein, a 2016 graduate of Harlan Community High School, is the son of Rose Stitz, Harlan, and Tracy Klein.

 HARLAN -- The Harlan Community football team will hold its annual preseason “soap” scrimmage, hosted by the Harlan Lions Club, on Thursday, August 16, at Merrill Field. The freshmen team will scrimmage at 6:00 p.m., followed by the varsity scrimmage at approximately 7:30. The area’s other three prep football teams will also hold public scrimmages later this week.

 PORTSMOUTH (Aug. 8) -- The National League squad blew open a close game with 10 runs in the final two innings to defeat the American League 13-3 in Wednesday night’s Iowa Western Baseball League All-Star Game at Portsmouth. The NL team consisted of players from Portsmouth, Panama and Persia while the AL selected players from Council Bluffs, Walnut and Massena.

 SIOUX FALLS, SD -- Chad Swanson, a longtime Harlan Community teacher and coach, was honored at the National High School Athletic Coaches Association’s national convention June 26 as a finalist for the National (Girls) Assistant Coach of the Year. Swanson was one of just eight finalists chosen from throughout the country for this award.

    REGIONAL – A review of contracts for superintendent of schools among Hawkeye 10 Conference Schools shows not only base salaries, but a wide range of differing benefits that makes it difficult to do apples-to-apples comparisons.    While some may offer everything from cell phone and mileage reimbursement to annuities or 403B contributions, others may not.  Some include insurance numbers (i.e.

    DEFIANCE -- Daniel Fuhs’ experiences in the Army taught him about hard work and dedication while traveling the world.    For 23 years, Fuhs traveled around the world with the Army. He enlisted when he was just a few years into college.