COUNCIL BLUFFS -- The Harlan Community baseball team wrapped up a highly-successful regular season Wednesday night with a 15-3, five-inning win at Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson. Now the real season begins as the top-ranked Cyclones get set to defend their Class 3-A state championship. Winners of 10 straight and 31 of 33 overall, HCHS will open 3-A district play Friday night (July 14) when it hosts Carroll (1-25) at Jim Goeser Field.

 HARLAN -- Ryan Doran went 3-for-3 at the plate and Kyle Schmitz pitched five scoreless innings of relief for his eighth win Tuesday night as Harlan Community downed Des Moines Roosevelt 6-1 in non-conference baseball action. Putting together quality at-bats during the late innings, HCHS scored one run in the fifth and three in the sixth to pull away from the Class 4-A Roughriders (18-20). Connor Bruck opened the three-run sixth with a double

 AUDUBON -- With a potential gauntlet of tough games looming, Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton’s district baseball opener vs.

 NEOLA -- Tri-Center broke open a close game with four runs in the fifth inning and added two in the sixth here Tuesday night, ending IKM-Manning’s season, 8-0, in a Class 2-A, District 15 semifinal baseball game. The Trojans’ fourth win of the year over the Wolves improved their record to 20-4 and set up a district final vs. West Central Valley (15-9) at the T-C diamond Saturday night.

 HARLAN -- Harlan Community swept Le Mars in a baseball doubleheader last Friday (July 7), winning game one 9-0 and holding off the Bulldogs 4-3 in the night cap. HCHS committed just one error in the two games, outhit Le Mars 19-9 overall and got solid starting pitching from Brett Sears (6-0) and Nick Foss (3-1). Game one was all Cyclones as they scored two runs each in the first four innings and totaled 12 hits.

 HARLAN (July 6) -- The Harlan Community baseball team put the finishing touches on its first Hawkeye Ten title since 2014 last Thursday, beating Glenwood 13-0 in five innings to finish with a sparkling 19-1 conference record. The Cyclones and Rams were finishing game two of a June 15 doubleheader that was suspended by rain in the bottom of the first inning.

 AVOCA (July 8) -- It was a frustrating end to a frustrating game for the AHSTW baseball team. Held scoreless for 11 innings in Saturday night’s Class 2-A district quarterfinal vs.

 MANILLA (July 8) -- IKM-Manning senior Sam Gross escaped bases-loaded jams in both the sixth and seventh innings Saturday night, helping the Wolves preserve an 8-6 win over Panorama in the opening round of the Class 2-A, District 15 baseball tournament. IKM-Manning led 7-0 after two innings but struggled to put the finishing touches on a Panther team that closed out the season 4-18 overall. Gross, the Wolves’ third pitcher of the night, enter

    COUNTY -- Most memories of the fair are fixated around your favorite, whether that be the food or the fun that was had.    The Shelby County Fair is attempting to make new memories with its latest performers, Balloon Artist Poppin’ Penelope and Papa Bear, a woodcarver.    “[Poppin’ Penelope is] a balloon artist, but it’s also whole family fun,” said Shelby County Fair Board President Justin Ahrenholtz.