Yeomans, Kabela Lead No. 12 Solon to Third-place Finish at Home Invitational
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
SOLON – The challenge Solon coach Emy Williams issued to junior Mike Yeomans prior to the Spartan’s home meet was simple – get out to a strong start.
Yeomans met that challenge head on Monday.
A solid start turned into a fourth-place overall finish for Yeomans on Monday helping Class 3A 12th ranked Solon to a third-place finish behind a pair of top-10 opponents on a warm afternoon at the Solon Recreation and Nature Area on Monday.
“He had a great start today,” Williams said of Yeomans. “He was up there and really competed and ran one of his best races at the season.”
The fourth-place finish from Yeomans along with a third-place effort from classmate Brick Kabela helped Solon finish with 62 points.
Class 3A ninth-ranked Mount Vernon-Lisbon got an individual title from Grady Olberding and won the team title with 46 points, two in front of 2A top-ranked Tipton.
“I like where we are at tight now, we are improving,” Yeomans said. “When the weather permits it I think we are all making good time drops.”
A varsity runner each of the past two seasons Yeomans has emerged as a front of the pack runner along with Kabela this season.
The key for Yeomans has been getting out in front early, something he had on his mind on Monday.
“My first two miles were good, on pace,” Yeomans said. “My third one I slowed down a little bit but I was able to kick it up at the end.”
Yeomans settled into a spot at the front of the pack and finished just behind Kabela who was third in 17:20.9.
Yeomans was fourth in a time of 17:24.4.
“He is somebody that we are working with on getting out faster and then believing that it is still going to be there at the end,” Williams said. “I think today proved that it is there.”
A state medalist last season, Kabela has been a leader for the Spartans over the past two seasons.
The continued emergence of Yeomans gives the Spartans another runner capable of pushing toward the front of the pack as the postseason approaches.
“I think Brick has been really good in getting him to come up and run with him,” Williams said. “They aren’t really competing against each other they are working together and I think that is really helping our team too.”
Solon had five runners in the top 20 on Monday as Grant Bumsted finished 16th in 18:49.2, Lawsin Sinwell was 19th in 18:54.5 and Evan Burg was 20th in 18:57.2.
“I think we are improving we just need to get our pack a little closer,” Yeomans said. “We all need to keep dropping our times.”
Solon Invitational
At Solon Recreation and Nature Area
Team scores – 1. Mount Vernon-Lisbon 46; 2. Tipton 48; 3. Solon 62; 4. Central DeWitt 78; 5. Williamsburg 136; 6. Benton Community 158; 7. Davenport North 193; 8. Cedar Rapids Xavier 222
Individual leaders – 1. Grady Olberding (MV-L) 16:44.3; 2. Clay Bohlmann (TIP) 17:08.5; 3. Brick Kabela (SOL) 17:20.9; 4. Michael Yeomans (SOL) 17:24.4; 5. Ty Nichols (TIP) 17:26; 6. Junior Krob (MV-L) 17:49.3; 7. Caleb Olson (CD) 17:53.8; 8. Ben Zimmer (CD) 17:55.1; 9. Maxson Fogg (TIP) 18:00.8; 10. Caleb Bohlmann (TIP) 18:03.5; 11. Wes Hulseberg (WIL) 18:10; 12. Wesley Sadler (MV-L) 18:19.3; 13. Dawson Scheil (MV-L) 18:20.7; 14. Klayten Perreault (MV-L) 18:26.4; 15. Zach Fall (MV-L) 18:26.6
Solon (62) – 3. Brick Kabela 17:20.9; 4. Michael Yeomans 17:24.4; 16. Grant Bumsted 18:49.2; 19. Lawsin Sinwell 18:54.5; 20. Evan Burg 18:57.2; 27. Collin Bumsted 19:23.6; 44. Ben Duckett 20:04.7
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