COUNCIL BLUFFS (Sept.

 SERGEANT BLUFF (Sept.

 EXIRA (Sept. 6) -- The Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton football team evened its non-district record at 1-1 Friday night with an exciting 46-44 home win over Sidney. Spartan senior Creighton Nelson set the tone for a monster evening on the very first play as he took back the opening kickoff for a 70-yard touchdown.

 DENISON (Sept.

 SERGEANT BLUFF (Sept. 6) -- The Harlan Community football team finished 8-3 last year with two decisive losses at Lewis Central.

 AVOCA -- The AHSTW volleyball team finished 2-2 in its home tournament on Saturday (Aug. 31), bowing out in the semifinals of the championship bracket to Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson. Seniors Kinsey Scheffler and Paige Osweiler were both named to the All-Tournament Team for the Lady Vikes, who placed second in Pool A to Denison-Schleswig. AHSTW won decisively in 2-0 pool play matches vs.

 EXIRA (Sept.

 DENISON (Aug.

 HARLAN (Aug. 31) -- Losing to five state-ranked opponents in its first competition of the season, Harlan Community struggled for consistency and finished with a 1-5 record in Saturday’s Cyclone Volleyball Tournament. HCHS went 1-4 in Pool A and won a three-way tiebreaker for fourth place, then lost to 12th-ranked (4A) Glenwood 13-21, 15-21 in the final round of the day.

 GLENWOOD (Aug.

 MANNING (Aug.

 AVOCA (Aug. 30) -- Nick Ravlin passed for 218 yards and two touchdowns and Scott Pearson broke loose for a 64-yard touchdown run as Underwood hammered AHSTW 55-6 in non-district football action Friday night. The Eagles also forced six Viking turnovers and took total control in the first half.

 DENISON (Aug. 30) -- When Todd Bladt gives his first pre-game speech as a head football coach tonight, there’s a good chance it will incorporate several elements he’s heard many times in his life. “Let’s hope so,” he said with a laugh.

 GLENWOOD (Aug. 31) -- The Harlan Community cross country team will open the season Saturday morning by competing in the Glenwood Ram Invitational. Schools scheduled to compete at Glenwood Lake Park include: Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln, Clarinda Academy, Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson, East Mills, Atlantic, Clarinda, Glenwood, Harlan Community, Lewis Central, Red Oak, Shenandoah, Southwest Valley, St.

 HARLAN (Aug. 31) -- Seven state-ranked teams will be in the field this Saturday when Harlan Community opens the season by hosting the annual Cyclone Volleyball Tournament. The tournament field has increased to 11 teams this year and the format has changed. Pool A will feature six teams playing five best-of-three matches in pool play while Pool B will feature five teams playing four pool matches.