Deeper, More Balanced Solon Wins Team Title at Bob Brown Cross Country Classic
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
IOWA CITY – The strength for Solon during a 2020 season that ended with a top-five finish at the Class 3A state meet was a deep and balanced lineup that led to strong pack running for the Spartans.
A year later the Spartans appear to be even deeper and more balanced and the lead pack for the Spartans is tighter than ever.
“We have seven girls that run varsity but it’s really double that,” senior Kaia Holtkamp said. “We have 14 or more girls that can run at that high level.”
Class 3A fifth-ranked Solon showed its depth, balance and overall talent on Thursday while claiming the team title at the 11-team Bob Brown Cross Country Classic at Kicker Soccer Complex in Iowa City.
Solon had five runners finish in the top 16 led by senior Emma Bock who was sixth overall on its way to winning the team title with 54 points.
Junior Kayla Young was eighth and freshman Lydia Hogan and sophomores Gracie Federspiel and Anna Quillin finished 14th, 15th and 16th respectively as Solon finished 21 points clear of No. 15 Western Dubuque.
“Every practice is so competitive,” Bock said. “At meets it really helps because we start as a pack and we can really help push each other and have that competitive drive within the meet too.”
Class 2A fourth-ranked Tipton finished third with 98 points and 5A No. 16 Liberty High was fourth with 98 but no team could match the Spartans on Thursday.
Solon had all seven of its top runners in the top 33 of all runners and had three more runners finish in the top 38.
“The fun thing is that work really well with each other and we have really talked about how pushing each other is going to make our team better,” Solon coach Emy Williams said. “We’ve got probably 14 that could run on most varsity teams and it’s hard sometimes because you don’t get that varsity spot but I think they are excited to see what they can do and they are pushing each other and supporting each other.”
The balance and depth that has become a staple within the Solon program was on full display on Thursday.
Less than 35 seconds separated Bock, who finished in 20:53.36 and Quillin, who was 17th in a time of 21:27.8.
Holtkamp was 22nd in 21:52 and Mary Fiala was 33rd in 22:31.47.
“I think it has carried over from last year and we have more drive this year,” Holtkamp said. “There is so much competition but we are still really focused on being one team.
Bock was the fourth finisher for Solon in its season-opening meet last Saturday at Anamosa.
On Thursday the senior took her turn in what has become a rotating spot at the front of the Spartan pack while placing sixth overall in the Bob Brown field that was run in two separate races.
“I kind of switched up my strategy from last race to this race,” Bock said. “I like passing a lot more than being passed so I tried that this meet and it worked well.”
Young continued her strong start to the season placing eighth in a time of 20:56.42.
The junior was the top Solon finisher in the season opener when she placed third overall.
“She has put a lot of work in during the offseason,” Williams said of Young. “She has been in the weight room, she has been working hard, she is healthy and she is ready to run and it’s exciting to see somebody that worked really hard have those successes.”
Bob Brown Cross Country Classic
At Kicker Soccer Complex
Team scores – 1. Solon 54; 2. Western Dubuque 75; 3. Tipton 98; 4. Liberty High 98; 5. Monticello 117; 6. Marion 131; 7. Clear Creek Amana 169; 8. Clinton 200; 9. Regina 209; 10. Wilton 315; 11. Anamosa 346
Individual leaders – 1. Noelle Steines (Calamus-Wheatland) 19:20.31; 2. Ashlyn Keeney (ICL) 19:45.57; 3. Camryn Sattler (CLI) 20:22.69; 4. Alyssa Klein (WD) 20:24.98; 5. Cori Mac (ICL) 20:34.86; 6. Emma Bock (SOL) 20:53.36; 7. Peyton Steffen (MAR) 20:54.64; 8. Kayla Young (SOL) 20:56.42; 9. Madison Prier (MAR) 21:03.38; 10. Alivia Edens (TIP) 21:03.94; 11. Lilly Boge (WD) 21:07.55; 12. Haidyn Barker (CCA) 21:07.66; 13. Audrey Biermann (WD) 21:15.27; 14. Lydia Hogan (SOL) 21:16.36; 15. Gracie Federspiel (SOL) 21:22.22
Solon – 5. Emma Bock 20:53.36; 7. Kayla Young 20:56.42; 13. Lydia Hogan 21:16.36; 14. Gracie Federspiel 21:22.22; 15. Anna Quillin 21:27.8; 21. Kaia Holtkamp 21:52; 31. Mary Fiala 22:31.47
Liberty High – 1. Ashlyn Keeney 19:45.57; 4. Cori Mac 20:34.86; 26. Hannah Ramsey 22:13.86; 30. Malia Taylor 22:27.92; 37. Grace Ceynar 23:00.61; 48. Madelyn Johnson 23:34.42; 52. Brie Klein 24:08.31
Clear Creek Amana – 11. Haidyn Barker 21:07.66; 20. Kira Barker 21:49.88; 35. Sara Kinzenbaw 22:54.75; 46. Allie Kounkel 23:27.26; 57. Avery Allan 24:41.65; 63. Olivia Stopko 25:26.35; 64. Raegan Wyant 25:37.74
Regina – 28. Mya Whitaker 22:17.02; 34. Natalie Franklin 22:49.94; 43. Gwyneth Charlton 23:15.61; 49. Cate Klitgaard 23:39.79; 55. Josie Pursley 24:26.38; 56. Keira Sickels 24:33.92; 58. Alex Spies 24:44.57
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