By Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

SOLON – Like most of his teammates Zach Wegmann doesn’t rember much about Solon’s 2015 season.  

Wegmann was a sophomore two seasons ago when the Spartans scuffled to an uncharacteristic 6-5 record.  

What Wegmann does recall from the first season with more than three losses at Solon in more than a decade two years ago is enough for the senior lineman to make sure it doesn’t happen again during his time.

“We do have some guys that we were part of that, we know what that’s like and we talked about the past and how we don’t want to be there,” Zach Wegmann said. “Once you taste that, even a little, and once you know what losing feels like you never want to be there and that’s what drives a lot of us.”

Solon didn’t let the memory of the 6-5 record in 2015 linger, getting back to the Spartans’ traditional success last season with a much more Solon-like 9-2 record.  

With seven returning senior starters leading the way the Spartans are focused on taking it a step further this season after falling to eventual champion Pella in the Class 3A quarterfinals.

“We hated losing and we came out with a different mindset last season and just got better every day and I think we showed that on the field,” Solon senior Tyler Linderbaum said. “We have all worked our butts off in the weight room and now it’s just putting the pieces together, coming out every day with the intention to get better and we will see how the season goes.”

Linderbaum headlines a talented group of returning senior starters that has its sights set on returning to the UNI-Dome for the first time since 2013.

An Iowa recruit and returning all-state pick, Linderbaum joins Spencer and Zach Wegmann, Kendrick Harris, Joe Kral, Payton Bandy and Jack Stahle as Solon seniors back with starting experience.

That core group of seniors was critical in helping the Spartans get back on track last season as juniors and has picked up where they left off this fall.

“They are very similar to last year, they have worked exceptionally hard this offseason, they have done the things we’ve asked,” Solon head coach Kevin Miller said. “I have seen great leadership from the senior class. This is a group from Tyler Linderbaum to Zach Wegmann to Spencer (Wegmann) and Kendrick (Harris) who are leaders by example guys but I have been real pleased with that senior group as far as overall leadership.”

The 6-foot-2, 270-pound Linderbaum leads what Miller expects to be a strong group of linemen for the Spartans.

A first-team all-state pick as a junior, Linderbaum finished second on the team with 42.5 tackles including seven for loss last season.

Kral (6-1, 255) and Zach Wegmann (6-2, 225) return with starting experience on the offensive line and Wegmann was an all-district defensive end after making 38 tackles with two sacks last season.

“I think our offensive and defensive line is as deep as it’s been in a long time,” Miller said. “I think we have overall better depth than we have in the past.”

Expect senior Kendrick Harris (6-0, 195) to be the primary beneficiary of the strong play up front after rushing for a team-high 883 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.

Solon’s top five pass catchers from last season are gone but Miller likes the upcoming group of receivers led by Stahle (5-10, 160).

Miller is still figuring out who will be delivering passes this season as a three-way battle between Flansburg, Spencer Wegmann and sophomore Cam Miller is underway for the quarterback spot.

A starter will be designated early but Miller said he won’t have a problem finding a way to use all three of those athletes in different situations.

“I think we will have some packages for all of them, I really do,” Miller said. ““They all bring something different to the table. Obviously, Spencer runs the football well as does Coal and Cam can do a little bit of everything from throwing it to running it. We are just looking for a guy that can manage the game, distribute the football and just manage our offense.

Whoever emerges at quarterback will have the luxury of playing opposite another strong Solon defense.

The Spartans posted three shutouts, allowed just 12.4 points and 242 yards per game last season and despite a few holes to fill should be strong again.

Rangy outside linebacker Spencer Wegmann (6-1, 195) returns and the junior tandem of Coal Flansburg and Adam Bock have turned heads during camp at inside linebacker.

“We bring back a lot of guys in the box and the two linebackers coming up are just forces,” Spencer Wegmann said. “The number one thing is we have just great team chemistry with that group.”

Bandy (6-2, 195) is back at safety to lead the Solon secondary where several players are expected to share roles.

“I think this team is capable of a lot this year,” Spencer Wegmann said. “The big thing is we have a lot of guys that can play different positions so we are interchangeable and these guys all love each other.”