MANNING -- Jared Johnson’s 57-yard touchdown pass to Nick Halbur broke a fourth-quarter tie and proved to be the game-winning score Friday night as IKM-Manning opened the football season with a 20-14 non-district win over East Sac County. It was the second straight year that the Wolves and Raiders played a highly-competitive game in Week 1. Last season, IKM-M prevailed 7-6 in overtime.

 EXIRA -- A second-half rally came up one touchdown short for Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton Friday night as the Spartans lost to Audubon 38-32 in the season opener for both teams. The Wheelers, who were playing their first-ever 8-Man game, got an outstanding performance from quarterback Tyler Riebhoff, who completed 14-of-15 passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 55 yards and one score.

 EXIRA -- Going into Friday night’s season opener vs. Audubon, Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton head coach Tom Petersen said of his football team, “Just a long way to go ...

COUNCIL BLUFFS -- When Harlan Community kicks off the 2016 football season at Lewis Central Friday night, Curt Bladt will begin his 39th year as head coach of the Cyclones and his 49th year with the program. For Coach Bladt, there’s still something special about that first Friday of the fall. “It’s the excitement of (having) a new group of guys and you want to see how they blend together and how they play and support each other, and I think th

 HARLAN -- The Harlan Community volleyball team will look to defend its four-year run of titles when it hosts the Cyclone Tournament here Saturday, starting at 8:30 a.m. HCHS, which is listed sixth in the Class 4-A preseason rankings by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, finished 37-6 last season and was the 4-A state runner-up on the heels of back-to-back championships.

 GLENWOOD -- The Harlan Community cross country teams will open the season at the 42nd annual Glenwood Invitational on Saturday, set for a 9:00 a.m. start time at Glenwood Lake Park. The 10-team field of teams will include: Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln, Atlantic, East Mills, Glenwood, HCHS, Lewis Central, OA-BCIG, Red Oak, Shenandoah and Thomas Jefferson.

AVOCA -- When you lose a senior class like AHSTW had last year, there’s bound to be a lot of new names and faces on the depth chart. And while that is certainly the case for the 2016 Viking football team, fifth-year head coach Davis Pattee is optimistic about the potential in his current 58-player roster and 14 returning lettermen. Numerous starting jobs have been up for grabs during fall camp and the competition has been a productive thing fo

HARLAN -- Sherry Hansen, 73, Harlan, died September 1 at Methodist Hospital.    Services will be held Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 10:30 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Kimballton with burial in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Kimballton.  Visitation was held Monday, Sept. 5 from 2-8 p.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan, with family greeting friends from 6-8 p.m.

    DES MOINES -- Lowell L. Juhl, 70, Des Moines, formerly of Harlan, died Friday, Aug. 26 in Des Moines.    Services will be held Saturday, Sept. 10 at 10:30 a.m.