Cyclones ‘Osborn Era’ Ends with Heartbreaking Loss to Glenwood, 57-56

Cyclones ‘Osborn Era’ Ends with Heartbreaking Loss to Glenwood, 57-56 –

(2-24-25) – It’s the end of an era… but the legend will live on.

The Mitch Osborn era ended abruptly Monday night as a furious comeback by Harlan Community boys’ basketball fell just short in a loss to Glenwood, 57-56, in the Class 3A – Substate 1 Quarterfinals.

Coach Osborn announced his retirement officially at the end of January. Since he told his team, they’d been playing scrappy for their coach in his final games, winning three of their last four to end the regular season. They used that same scrappiness to battle back from a 13-pt 1st half deficit against Glenwood.

After going to the halftime break down by 11, Harlan Community got going with a pair of 3-ptrs by Weston Reisz and a Kobe Klaassen layup to tie the game at 44 late in the 3rd. The Cyclones would take a 50-48 lead early in the 4th on a Jozef Reisz putback on a missed shot.

“We can't get it all back at once, but third quarter was a great quarter for us.” Osborn told KNOD Sports. “We got the lead once a couple different times and you know we battled.”

Unfortunately, a 7-2 run by the Rams would clinch the game.

Despite the loss, Osborn was grateful of how hard his team played.

“(You) can’t fault our guys. Did a terrific job and I thought, playing on the road, to play that hard and do everything we did, everyone stepped up.”

The loss makes it the final game of Osborn’s legendary career, where he’s coached 3 schools to 19 state tournament appearances, tied for most all-time, and won 3 state championships, including two with the Cyclones in 2004 & 2006.

It’s still all very new to Osborn.

“It really hasn't sunk in and hit right now and but you know, you look back. Just the relationships with all the guys throughout the years and just appreciate a lot of the alumni (that) have been reaching out. Guys that I’ve coached, whether it's at Pomeroy-Palmer, Exira-Elkhorn-Kimballton and obviously now Harlan, the last 28 years with Harlan. It’s just been a great ride and a great run and it goes fast.

You know, a snap of your fingers, it seems like it’s done and over.”

Osborn was diagnosed 10 years ago with manifested non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and then multiple myeloma 3 years ago and has been receiving treatments while still coaching and running his business, Osborn Auction.

“When I was diagnosed… heck, I didn’t know if I was going to be, you know, be alive at this point and to be able to do what I love to do, to be able to coach and auctioneer and just keep doing the things and battling.”

Osborn’s grateful for help his assistant coaches have provided over the years: Chad Swanson, Dean Moser, Thomas Fink, Nic Christiansen, and, his son, Kevin Osborn.

Although he had other offers, Osborn always knew Harlan was the place he was meant to be.

“This is the place for me, and it's been great for our family, to raise a family and (a) hard-working community and (I) just appreciate everything.”

Osborn end with an overall record of 770-219, third most wins in state history.

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