Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – An increase in depth that brought improved depth played a key role in what turned into a resurgent season for the Solon track and field program.

A bigger reason for the Spartans abrupt about face was a change in culture.

That change in culture was on display at the state track and field meet on Saturday and not just in times, places or team points.

“After the district meet Blake (Timmons) talked to me and he wanted me to run the 400 and that just shows how much of a team player everyone is on our team to sacrifice like that,” Solon senior Brayden Rickertsen said. “You know in the sprint med the 400 is the biggest part and for him to give that up to me is super cool.”

The sprint medley lineup switch paid dividends for the Spartans on the track on Saturday as Solon improved its season best time by nearly a full second while placing sixth at the 3A state meet on Saturday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.

Timmons ran the 400-meter anchor leg while helping Solon post its top time of the season in the event at 1:35.71.

Before the state meet he swapped spots with the Spartans’ senior leader Rickertsen.

“I’ve always been a 400 and 800 guy and going down to run the 200 it has been a good transition,” Timmons said.” every single day in practice we have a ton of guys that are willing to push each other and do whatever they need to get each other better.”

The foursome of Trin Eidahl, Colton Hoffman, Timmons and Rickertsen clocked a season-best 1:34.77 with Rickertsen on the anchor leg for the first time this season.

“I think it gave us the best chance to have success,” Timmons said. “We talked about it a little bit and I think we all thought it would give us a better shot.”

Switching up relay teams from district meets to the state meet is nothing new however it’s the best teams that have athletes willing to make those changes.

Rickertsen says Solon is becoming that type of team.

“It’s a great group of guys,” Rickertsen said. “We have guys willing to run events at districts and not run at state and that just shows what team players everyone on our team is.”

The sixth-place finish from the Spartans and a fourth-place finish from senior Colton Hoffman capped a solid showing for the Spartans on Saturday.

Hoffman was fourth in the 100 in a time of 11.31, his second medal of the meet, as Solon finished with 10 team points.

Class 3A Boys State Track and Field Meet

At Drake Stadium in Des Moines

Team scores – 1. Pella 80.5; 2. ADM 75; 3. Dallas Center-Grimes 44; 4. North Polk 43; 5. Marion 33; 6. Clear Creek Amana 32; 7. Carlisle 30; 8. Western Dubuque 27; 9. Dubuque Wahlert 26; 9. Humboldt 26; 24. Solon 10.

Individual results (event winners; area competitors)

100 – 1. Ryan Brosius (Dubuque Wahlert) 11.22; 4. Colton Hoffman (Solon) 11.31

200 – 1. Brevin Doll (ADM) 22.27

800 – 1. Nate Mueller (ADM) 1:54.83; 17. Ben DeValk (Solon) 2:02.35

1,600 – 1. Nate Mueller (ADM) 4:16.7; 14. Brandon Barker (Clear Creek Amana) 4:36.47; 16. Ben DeValk 4:38.27

110 hurdles – 1. Hunter Manock (North Polk) 15.07; 3. Harrison Rosenberg (Clear Creek Amana) 15.17

Shuttle hurdle relay – 1. Western Dubuque 59.47

Sprint medley relay – 1. ADM 1:34.05; 3. Clear Creek Amana (Harrison Rosenberg, Alex Figueroa, Gage Freeman, Tom Johnson) 1:34.19; 6. Solon (Trin Eidahl, Colton Hoffman, Blake Timmons, Brayden Rickertsen) 1:34.77

4×100 relay – 1. Dallas Center-Grimes 42.48

4×400 relay – 1. Pella 3:22.29; 6. Clear Creek Amana (Gavin Zillyette, Cash Jensen, Keyan Gisleson, Tom Johnson) 3:27.39

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