Top-ranked Solon Claims Second Consecutive WAMAC Conference Crown
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
SOLON – Coming off a top-five finish at the state meet last season and currently sitting atop the Class 3A rankings Solon has more on its mind than winning a conference championship this fall.
However, claiming a conference crown was the first goal on the Spartan’s season list.
One goal down, two more big ones to go for Solon.
Top-ranked Solon flexed its muscle on Thursday putting three runners in the top seven on its way to winning the WAMAC Conference title at a soggy Solon Nature and Recreation Area.
“Since this is the first postseason meet it was the first step on our goal sheet,” Solon sophomore Gracie Federspiel said. “We have to get through this to get everywhere else.”
If the first step was any indication Solon is poised to check a few more goals off its sheet in the coming weeks.
Led by a third-place individual finish from junior Kayla Young the Spartans put five runners in the top 18 on Thursday while outdistancing 3A No. 12 Mount Vernon-Lisbon by 39 points.
Class 3A No. 17 Clear Creek Amana got a runner-up finish from junior Haidyn Barker and finished third with 96 points, the best finish for the Clippers since joining the WAMAC.
No one could keep up with Solon as Federspiel finished sixth and fellow sophomore Anna Quillin was seventh as the Spartans finished with 48 points.
“Beginning of the season we did a bunch of team goals and this was right up there,” Quillin said. “Winning conference, winning districts and then state. We have big goals and we want to go get them.”
It was the second consecutive conference title for Solon which claimed its first WAMAC team title since 2011 a year ago.
The Spartans lost the individual WAMAC champion from a year ago in graduated senior Kiersten Conway but haven’t skipped a beat this season, emerging as a legit title contender in 3A.
“We had this as a goal, we wanted to be WAMAC champions,” Young said. “We won last year and we thought we could make it a tradition.”
Young has been a big part of the impressive season for the Spartans and continued her string of success with a third-place finish in a time of 19:45.4.
Center Point-Urbana senior Kora Katcher pulled away from the field to win the individual title in 19:27 while Barker was second in 19:44.4.
“I was a little nervous because I knew the grass was kind of long and all the mud that they had to cover with straw but with people going over it the ground was kind of flattened,” Young said. “It was a lot better than I was expecting it to be.”
Once again it was the depth of talent within the Solon lineup that carried the Spartans on Thursday.
Federspiel was sixth in 20:17.4 and Quillin was right behind in seventh in 20:21.3.
Seniors Emma Bock and Kaia Holtkamp finished 14th and 18th respectively for Solon.
“Every meet you never know what is going to happen with our order and that’s what is so cool about this team,” Quillin said. “We all give it our all and in the end we always do great because we all work together and push each other.”
Solon now turns its attention to the Class 3A state qualifier next Wednesday where it will seek to secure a return trip to the 3A state meet set for October 29th at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge.
Solon will have the luxury of competing on its home course again next week as it hosts the 3A qualifier.
“This shows that we know this course and we own this course,” Young said. “We are going to run it again next week and we are going to do this again.”
WAMAC Conference Meet
At Solon Nature and Recreation Area
Team scores – 1. Solon 48; 2. Mount Vernon-Lisbon 87; 3. Clear Creek Amana 96; 4. Center Point-Urbana 109; 5. Marion 115; 6. Williamsburg 120; 7. Dyersville Beckman 136; 8. Benton Community 187; 9. West Delaware 248; 10. South Tama 285; 11. Independence 328; 12. Maquoketa 355; 13. Vinton-Shellsburg 382
Individual leaders – 1. Kora Katcher (CP-U) 19:27; 2. Haidyn Barker (CCA) 19:44.4; 3. Kayla Young (SOL) 19:45.4; 4. Laura Swart (MV-L) 19:52.4; 5. Anna Hoffman (MV-L) 20:09; 6. Gracie Federspiel (SOL) 20:17.4; 7. Anna Quillin (SOL) 20:21.3; 8. Madison Prier (MAR) 20:25.8; 9. Peyton Steffen (MAR) 20:27.5; 10. Maria Kruse (DB) 20:29.1; 11. Emrie Johnson (MV-L) 20:29.3; 12. Kalin Rotzoll (CCA) 20:34.8; 13. Zada Buchholtz (WIL) 20:37.3; 14. Emma Bock (SOL) 20:40; 15. Ruth Jennings (WIL) 20:40.3
Solon (48) – 3. Kayla Young 19:45.4; 6. Gracie Federspiel 20:17.4; 7. Anna Quillin 20:21.3; 14. Emma Bock 20:40; 18. Kaia Holtkamp 20:46.9; 27. Mary Fiala 21:12.5; 29. Mara Duster 21:18.2
Clear Creek Amana (96) – 2. Haidyn Barker 19:44.4; 12. Kalin Rotzoll 20:34.8; 19. Kira Barker 20:53.2; 20. Sara Kinzenbaw 20:55.5; 43. Avery Allan 22:37.6; 49. Raegan Wyant 23:02.3; 59. Allie Kounkel 23:28.3
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