Football Capsules: Taking a Quick Look at Solon
Solon
Head coach: Lucas Stanton (5th season)
Assistant coaches: JT Timmons; Bryce Pierce; Pat Swancutt; Noah Sigwarth; Matt Vandeberg; Marcus Schnoor; Mark Sovers; Tory Hackert; Rory Siddell; Aaron Kampman; Frank Haege; Dan Coons; Parker Eichenberger
Last season: 10-2 (Class 3A semifinals)
Returning starters: Tyler Bell, Sr., QB/DB; Eddie Johnson, Sr., RB/DE; Cole Carney, Sr., OLB/RB; Grant Wilson, Sr., OL/DL; Oliver Owens, Sr., ILB/TE
Other returning letterwinners: Kyler Jensen, Jr., ILB/OL; Lucas Feuerbach, Soph., OL/DL; Eli Kampman, Jr., QB/DB; Owen Grimm, Sr., OL/DL
Newcomers to watch: Maddox Kelley, Soph., DB/WR; Teague Williams, Jr., LB/WR
Playoff history: 34 appearances (1984-1988, 1990-1995, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005-2023). Solon won 2A state titles in 1988, 2007, 2008 and 2009 and won a 3A title in 2010.
District: Class 3A, District 5 (Benton Community, Fairfield, Grinnell, South Tama, Williamsburg)
District favorite: Williamsburg. It has to be Williamsburg after the Raiders rattled off six straight wins to claim the 3A state title with a 20-0 win over Sioux City Heelan.
Circle the date: October 11 at Williamsburg. Both 3A semifinalist a season ago, Williamsburg and Solon meet for the third time in two seasons after splitting a pair of matchups last season with Solon win the regular season meeting 21-14 and the Raiders winning 45-14 in the 3A semifinals.
Headliner: Senior quarterback Tyler Bell returns to run the Solon offense after playing his best football down the stretch last season while leading the Spartans to the Class 3A semifinals. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Bell completed 56 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,434 yards and 14 touchdowns last season and also rushed for a touchdown.
Ready for a breakthrough: Senior linebacker Oliver Owens. Owens (5-11, 200) battled an injury as a junior but still managed to make 18 tackles including 3.5 for loss. With leading tackler Brett White lost to graduation Owens should be in for a big season as he steps into a larger role on the Spartan defense.
Unsung hero: Offensive linemen are easily overlooked and that has certainly been the case at times for senior center Grant Wilson. The 5-foot-10, 250-pound Wilson is a three-year starter at center and the leader of a Solon line that will be breaking in several starters.
Keep an eye on: Senior Eddie Johnson (6-2, 210) is an impressive athlete and should be in for a huge season after playing the role of offensive Swiss army knife last season. Johnson caught 16 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 378 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per carry last season.
Remember the name: Sophomore Maddox Kelley will make an immediate impact on both sides of the ball as he provides big-play potential at both receiver and in the secondary as well as on special teams.
Biggest strength: The offensive skill positions. A returning starting quarterback is big and the Spartans have that in Bell who is back to lead the offense. Johnson is a bull in the backfield and should have a big season the Spartans feature back and Kelley will bring big play potential to the pass catchers.
Biggest question: How quickly can the Spartans get up to speed on defense? Solon lost 10 starters on defense from last year’s semifinal squad including all-state linebacker Brett White. The Spartans have capable bodies ready to step in including several players like Johnson and Owens that got snaps last season and are ready for larger roles. Solon will be solid defensively but how quickly can they come together as a four-week stretch that starts in week four with rival Mount Vernon and ends with a trip to defending champion Williamsburg looms in the middle of the season.
Quotable: “I think they are motivated but what we are battling right now is the ups and downs of a young football team,” Solon coach Lucas Stanton said. “There are some ups and downs. They are motivated and the faster that we can get those guys to grow up the better. Some of that is just game experience and that’s what we can’t control and we have to focus on what we can control which is how we practice and prepare.”
2024 Schedule
Date/Opponent/Record in 2023
August 30: Davenport Assumption (7-3)
September 6: at Clear Creek Amana (3-6)
September 13: at Central DeWitt (4-5)
September 20: Mount Vernon (9-2)
September 27: Grinnell (6-3)
October 4: at Benton Community (5-4)
October 11: at Williamsburg (12-1)
October 18: Fairfield (3-6)
October 25: at South Tama (0-9)
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