Conway Closes Career By Leading Solon to Fifth-place Finish at 3A State Meet
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
FORT DODGE – In her first state meet appearance Kiersten Conway placed 22nd while running alone as an individual qualifier.
The final trip to state for Conway on Friday was a much more fitting finale for the Spartans’ senior leader.
Conway placed 21st overall to lift Solon to its best state meet finish in nearly a decade on Friday at the Class 3A state meet at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge.
“She has a positive attitude, she wants people to be better she’s not just worried about herself,” Solon coach Emy Williams said of Conway. “She is an amazing runner but she is an even more amazing leader. There is nothing bad you can say about her. She is always trying to make the team better and we are going to really miss her next year.”
A four-year qualifier, Conway helped lead Solon to state as a team the last three seasons after running as an individual qualifier as a freshman.
Conway saved her best state meet showing for her final race.
She finished 21st in 19:58.8 as Solon finished fifth with 187 points. The previous best finish for Conway was a 22nd place showing as a freshman.
“I am happy with it,” Conway said. “At the end of the day I am going to be proud of myself no matter what but I am so proud of our team and all these girls and I’m proud to run for Solon.”
Led by Conway the Spartans have become at state meet regular over the past several seasons.
Solon has made a steady climb up the 3A standings during Conway’s time in the lineup going from 11th in 2018 to seventh last season.
Solon climbed two more spots on Friday, placing fifth in a loaded field.
“I’m not going to give myself a ton of credit because we have so many great coaches and my teammates are amazing,” Conway said. “I feel like I was a great senior and I’m excited about what we’ve been able to do.”
Ballard had the top two individual finishers in sophomores Shewaye Johnson and Paityn Noe and rolled to its second consecutive 3A team title with 66 points.
Dallas Center-Grimes was runner-up for the second year in a row with 88 points while Dubuque Wahlert was third with 89 and Sioux City Heelan was fourth with 151.
“We came into the day saying that we would be excited to be in the top five, the top three teams in 3A are the real deal this year, they are outstanding and Heelan too,” Williams said. “I’m super excited with the way that we ran today and how we competed.”
Sophomore Mary Fiala was 45th overall in 20:29 while freshman Anna Quillin was 52th in 20:33.5.
Another Solon freshman Gracie Federspiel was 74th in 20:58.6.
“When you can keep qualifying and getting those younger kids experience it becomes a routine and something that they are used to and not something scary that we’ve never been to before,” Williams said. “You could tell a difference today in the kids that have run before but our freshman really stepped up and did amazing today.”
Class 3A State Meet
At Lakeside Golf Course
Team scores – 1. Ballard 66; 2. Dallas Center-Grimes 88; 3. Dubuque Wahlert 89; 4. Sioux City Heelan 151; 5. Solon 187; 6. Glenwood 192; 7. Harlan 210; 8. Pella 214; 9. Davenport Assumption 234; 10. Center Point-Urbana 237; 11. Waverly-Shell Rock 244; 12. Winterset 262; 13. Carlisle 272; 14. Decorah 300; 15. Spencer 369
Individual medalists – 1. Shewaye Johnson (Ballard) 17:55.3; 2. Paityn Noe (Ballard) 18:01.1; 3. Ainsley Erzen (Carlisle) 18:46.7; 4. Kiki Connell (Charles City) 18:54.1; 5. Emma Hoins (Waverly-Shell Rock) 19:01.3; 6. Rebecca Anderson (Decorah) 19:05.5; 7. Geneva Timmerman (ADM) 19:09.7; 8. Lydia Maas (Hampton-Dumont-Cal) 19:14.1; 9. Gabby Moran (Dubuque Wahlert) 19:16.8; 10. Ellie Meyer (Iowa Falls) 19:24.7; 11. Kami Smith (Dallas Center-Grimes) 19:26.5; 12. Megan Sterbenz (Dallas Center-Grimes) 19:26.5; 13. Alix Oliver (Dubuque Wahlert) 19:31.3; 14. Braelyn Baker (Creston) 19:32.9; 15. Brooklyn Stanley (Sioux City Heelan) 19:44.2
Solon (187) – 13. Kiersten Conway 19:58.8; 31. Mary Fiala 20:29; 34. Anna Quillin 20:33.5; 49. Gracie Federspiel 20:58.6; 60. Meghan O’Neill 21:05.4; 66. Ashlyn Williams 21:26.7; 76. Emma Bock 21:44.9
Clear Creek Amana – 33. Haidyn Barker 20:11.9
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