Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – Following a state semifinal appearance last February Solon entered this season atop the Class 3A rankings largely due to the return of the two stars from last year’s team in senior guards Callie Levin and Hailey Miller.

The Spartans top two scorers from last season, Levin and Miller each earned all-state honors a year ago after helping the Spartans to 23-3 record and their first state tournament appearance in 2006.

Levin and Miller have been at the forefront of the success for third-ranked Solon (23-3) this season but it has been the supporting cast for the Spartans have been critical this week in Des Moines.

Seniors Mia Stahle and Anna Quillin and junior Kobi Lietz have all taken turns stealing the show on the state’s biggest stage this week helping Solon earn back-to-back wins at the 3A state tournament.

Solon will face top-ranked Estherville Lincoln Central (24-2) in the 3A title game on Friday at 8 p.m. in Wells Fargo Arena.

“When people look at our team they obviously see Hailey and I as our top scorers but they don’t really look at the defensive stuff, they don’t really look at the boards, they don’t really look at the assists,” Levin said. “Kobi, Mia and Anna are crucial to our team. They are irreplaceable.”

Anyone that follows high school basketball in the state is familiar with Levin.

A soon to be four-time first-team all-state pick the Iowa commit is one of the best players in the state and one of the most productive to ever where a Solon uniform.

Miller emerged last season averaging 11.5 points per game and flourished at the state tournament and was named to the 3A all-tournament team.

Both Levin and Miller have been at their best this season.

Levin ranks third in 3A in points (22.3) and steals (5), averages a team-high 4.5 assists and a career-high 7.5 rebounds.

Miller is averaging a career-best 13.6 points, 3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2 steals per game.

Yet, this week it has been the rest of the Spartans that have come up big in wins over seventh-ranked Dubuque Wahlert and second-ranked Des Moines Christian.

“All of the girls on our team can defend, they can all shoot, they can all score, anyone can be the star of the game,” Miller said. “We have trust in every player on our team.”

In a 58-47 win over Dubuque Wahlert it was Quillin and Lietz that came up big.

The 5-foot-8 Quillin had eight points and 16 rebounds in the win over the Wahlert while Lietz had 11 points, six steals and three rebounds in the quarterfinal win.

“Anna has definitely stepped it up, she knows her role and gets all those rebounds for us and she just battles and tries as hard as she can,” Miller said. “Kobi has really stepped it up on defense this year. We are starting to put Kobi on the other team’s best player.”

In a 49-25 semifinal win over Des Moines Christian on Thursday it was Stahle’s turn to star.

The senior guard had a team-high 14 points and five rebounds and hit a pair of second-half 3-pointers.

“She always a monster out there, sometime the stat line doesn’t show it but she works hard out there, she’s our best defender,” Levin said of Stahle. “She does just what our team needs.”

In two games at the state tournament this week Quillin is averaging 7 points and 12 rebounds.

Stahle is averaging 7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals.

Lietz is averaging 9 points, 6.5 steals and 4.5 rebounds.

“They have played a lot of basketball, they’ve been in big spots,” Solon coach Jamie Smith said. “They’ve all been awesome this week.”

Solon will likely need another big game from it’s supporting cast on Friday against Estherville Lincoln Central.

More production from Quillin, Stahle and Lietz and continued strong state-tournament play from Levin (14.5 points per game at state) and Miller (13 points per game) could have Solon celebrating a state title for the first time since 1998.

“To be a senior and go out there for one more game with all your friends and the most amazing coaches in the world it’s just super exciting,” Levin said. “I just want to go out there and represent Solon well and hopefully come out with a win. I am just so proud of our team and where we are at.”

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