HARLAN -- With each shot that found the bottom of the net Friday night, the Harlan Community girls basketball team gained confidence and started to have some fun. Opening the season with back-to-back lopsided defeats at the hands of state-ranked Treynor and Shenandoah had been rough on the Cyclones, so Friday’s 60-55 win over 15th-rated (4-A) Denison-Schleswig was just what the doctor ordered for a young squad trying to find its way. HCHS sho

 HARLAN -- Though it is still a work in progress to be sure, the Harlan Community boys basketball team is showcasing an early-season ability to come through in the clutch. Three days after winning an overtime game at Blair, the Cyclones erased a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit in Friday’s home opener and improved to 3-0 with a dramatic 76-72 victory over Denison-Schleswig. Junior Logan Klaassen, who made just two of his first 12 shots from the

 BOYS TOWN, NEB. -- Nick Foss won an individual championship at 182 pounds and three Cyclone teammates were runners-up as Harlan Community placed fifth out of 15 teams at the two-day Boys Town Wrestling Invitational Friday and Saturday. Foss pinned his first two opponents before winning a close 6-5 decision over Sam Kolterman of Wahoo in the semifinals.

 TRI-CENTER -- Taking control of the game with a 24-9 second-quarter surge, the IKM-Manning girls basketball team evened its record at 2-2 Friday night with a 70-34 win at Tri-Center. The Wolves led just 13-10 after one quarter before outscoring the Trojans 57-24 the rest of the way and improving to 2-1 in Western Iowa Conference play.

 TRI-CENTER -- The IKM-Manning boys basketball team fell to 0-3 in Western Iowa Conference play (1-3 overall) following Friday’s 48-43 loss at unbeaten Tri-Center. The Wolves led 35-34 after three quarters but were outscored 14-8 in the fourth. Free throw shooting continues to be a problem for IKM-Manning, which made only 3-of-9 attempts.

    REGIONAL – The fifth adoption list of the Christmas season has been released this week, and the number of needy families this holiday season continues to grow.    The deadline has passed for those families wishing to be adopted, but there still are many on the list who need assistance this year.    For those donating, they can deliver gifts to WCCA’s Outreach Office on Wednesday, December 21 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

    AVOCA -- Gordon Nelson, 84, Avoca, formerly of Harlan, died December 14 at the Avoca Nursing and Rehab Center.    Services will be held Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 11 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Harlan with burial in the Harlan Cemetery.  A prayer service was held Monday, Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan.  Visitation was Monday from 5-7 p.m.

    ELK HORN -- Janet Freeman, 83, Elk Horn, died December 17 at the Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn.    Services will be held at a later date.    Freeman is survived by her husband, Larry Freeman, of Avoca; daughter Mary Jo (Peter) Hall of Avoca; sons Michael (Jean) Junis of Iowa City, Martin (Deborah) Junis of McLean, IL and Mitchell (Margie) Junis of Bloomington, IL; brother John (Bonnie) Engel of Bettendorf; sister Jane Egert of Warrenvill

    HARLAN -- The annual Blue Out Event to raise funds for Cancer research was a huge success last Friday evening, raising more than $5,000 for the cause.