(Atlantic) The Harlan Cyclones amassed more than 400 yards of offense, including 294 yards of rushing and 113 passing yards, and went home with a 41-16 victory over the Atlantic Trojans Friday night, in a Class 3A District #6 football game here in Atlantic.

Harlan’s Gabe Arkfeld went 6-10 passing for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Josef Reisz caught four passes for 78 yards and one touchdown. Lukas Francis carried the ball eleven times for 162 yards and three touchdowns.

Atlantic’s Tristan Hayes completed three of seven passes for 31 yards and one touchdown. Ethan McNeal carried the ball 23 times for 162 yards. Gavin McLaren had 15 carries for 151 yards.

Despite the loss, Atlantic played a strong ground game with 344 rushing yards and 31 passing yards. The Trojans struggled to penetrate Harlan’s formidable defensive front on multiple occasions, though.

Atlantic travels to Nevada next Friday night, while Harlan plays host to Knoxville.

IOWA CLASS 8-PLAYER 

Fremont-Mills -62 vs Sidney – 24

Audubon – 50 vs Baxter – 26

Exira-EHK – 60 vs Griswold – 30

CAM, Anita – 52 vs Stanton-Essex – 6

Fremont-Mills – 62 vs Sidney – 24

Colo-Nesco – 36 vs Coon Rapids-Bayard – 22

St. Edmond, Fort Dodge – 26 vs Glidden-Ralston – 12

Ar-We-Va – 35 vs Boyer Valley – 6

Woodbine – 76 vs East Mills – 6

Lenox – 60 vs Lamoni – 28

Bedford – 63 vs Southeast Warren – 8

Murray – 65 vs Mormon Trail – 14

St. Mary’s, Remsen – 67 vs West Harrison – 0

Newell-Fonda – 42 vs Siouxland Christian – 16 

Collins-Maxwell – 56 vs East Union – 26

IOWA CLASS A

Riverside – 44 vs Panorama – 6

ACGC – 40 vs Southwest Valley – 7

Tri-Center – 49 vs Kingsley-Pierson – 7

Earlham – 21 vs South Central Calhoun – 19

Logan-Magnolia – 42 vs IKM-Manning – 28

Madrid – 34 Wayne – 8

St. Albert – 28 vs Westwood – 27

Mount Ayr – 54 vs Martensdale-St. Marys – 14

Woodbury Central – 49 vs West Monona – 0

IOWA CLASS 1A 

AHSTW – 29 Shenandoah – 7

Underwood – 56 Red Oak -12

Treynor – 42 Missouri Valley – 0

Ogden – 44 Nodaway Valley – 14

South Hamilton – 56 Grand View Christian – 21

Woodward-Granger – 35 West Central Valley – 3

IOWA CLASS 2A  

Kuemper Catholic – 34 vs Southeast Valley – 12

Clarinda – 47 vs Centerville – 15

Van Meter – 49 vs Interstate 35 – 7

Roland-Story – 55 vs Saydel – 8

Greene County – 14 vs Des Moines Christian – 13

IOWA CLASS 3A DISTRICT 1 

Harlan – 41 vs Atlantic – 16

Nevada – 49 vs Creston – 28

Knoxville – 35 vs Perry – 6

Sergeant Bluff-Luton – 42 vs Bishop Heelan Catholic – 23

Carroll – 27 vs Sioux Center – 7

MOC-Floyd Valley – 37 vs Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley – 0

IOWA CLASS 4A 

LeMars – 49 vs Denison-Schleswig – 13 

Glenwood – 53 vs Thomas Jefferson – 21

Norwalk – 21 vs Lewis Central – 7

Dallas Center-Grimes – 18 vs Winterset – 16

The Exira-EHK Spartans Football team came into Friday’s game needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive and they got a resounding 60-30 win over the Griswold Tigers. It was a night where their big guns were nearly unstoppable as quarterback Bryce Brabham and Alex Hansen combine for 9 total touchdowns. Despite Griswold being able to slow down the Spartans’ offense, they struggled with turnovers and to complete scoring drives. Although quarterback Bode Wyman was able to put four total touchdowns on the board it wasn’t enough to keep pace with the Spartans’ efficiency.

The ball game started with a 32-yard return from Brabham to put the Spartans in position early. Three plays later Hansen was in the back of the endzone on a 9-yard touchdown run to give Exira-EHK an 8-0 lead.  However, the Tigers came right with a short drive of their own. After a 31-yard completion to Connor Bowers, it took just a run from Zane Johnson before Wyman would find on the run from 9 yards out. Griswold struggled with two-point conversions throughout the night making the score 8-6.

With a 2-point lead and the ball back it was the Brabham show. He returned the kickoff for 33-yards before cashing in on his only rushing touchdown to bring the lead to 10. After forcing Griswold to punt Alex Hansen would pick up his second of 4 rushing and 5 total TDs to push the score to 24-6. Although Wyman would respond with an explosive 55-yard touchdown run, Brabham came back with the first of two passing touchdowns to Josten Kilworth for the 30-yard score. This would cap a 32-point first quarter for Exira-EHK making the lead 20.

The second quarter is where the Griswold defense had most of their success. They would give up just one touchdown while forcing the Spartans to punt twice and even turning the ball over on downs. The problem was that they only scored once on a 26-yard reverse handoff to Peyton Cook. They were able to move the ball in large part to Connor Bowers but struggled to make the right plays at the right times. They turned the ball over twice (once on a fumble and once on an Owen Juhl interception), while punting and turning it over on downs. Ultimately Griswold would trail 40-18 at the half.

Due to receive the second-half kickoff, Griswold had a lot of work to do. Up until this point the Tigers had not had many solid returns. This changed when Johnson opened up the half with a huge 57-yard return to set up Griswold at the 11-yard line.  However, the Exira-EHK defense would come up with a couple negative plays to help turn the ball over on downs. Taking over at the 10-yard line the Spartans would go driving again capping it off with a 10-yard Hansen reception. As if Hansen hadn’t done enough, he would also recover the ensuing onside kick. Griswold force a turnover on downs and drive down the field. They capped off the drive with Wyman’s first passing touchdown. It was a five-yard score to Auden Wilson who was the Tigers biggest receiving in the second half. The deficit now 46-24 it became the clock was not on Griswold’s side. They would try an onside kick but were unsuccessful. The Spartans would go on to add two more Alex Hansen touchdown runs. Despite the score being 60-24 the Tigers refused to give up. Although Hansen would add an interception to his total late in the game, the tigers were determined to put more points on the board. They would get their wish by getting a 20-yard Cook reception on the last play of the game to make the final 60-30.

On a night with potential playoff implications on the line and the last home game for many, Head Coach Drew Buckholdt was very proud of the effort his team put forth.

Although there is always room for improvement, Buckholdt was pleased with the on-field performance.

When speaking of Hansen’s success, Buckholdt appreciates his attitude and mindset.

Exira-EHK will await a potential playoff appearance and opponent.

Iowa State tries to move to 7-0 for the first time since 1938 when the ninth ranked Cyclones host Central Florida, Saturday evening, in Ames. Something has to give in this one. UCF is averaging 268 yards rushing per game and goes up against a Cyclone defense that ranks fifth nationally in points allowed.

That’s ISU coach Matt Campbell who says the Cyclones must tackle well.

Campbell says they are hoping for a better start than in recent weeks.

Kick-off from Jack Trice Stadium is at 6:30-p.m.

Iowa takes a 4-2 record to Michigan State, Saturday night. The Hawkeyes are in search of their first win in East Lansing since 2012. Hawkeye coach Kirk Ferentz says balanced offense was a key in that game and it starts with an effective run game.

Ferentz says the offensive line is doing a better job in pass protection but that will be a challenge against the Spartans.

Ferentz credits experience for improved offensive line play.

Pre-game coverage on KJAN, Saturday, starts at 4:30-p.m. The kick-off from Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan, is at 6:30 Central Time.