Solon Secures Seventh Straight State Cross Country Appearance With Title at State Qualifying Meet
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
SOLON – Nerves are supposed to be reserved mainly for freshmen and inexperienced athletes not seniors like Ella Sheeley.
No athlete is immune to some pre-competition jitters but that wasn’t what had Sheeley on edge as her final cross country season approached.
It was the nerves of racing but rather leading that had Sheeley a little tense.
“It’s kind of scary to step into those shoes senior year in a program like this,” Sheeley said. “I was definitely nervous because I wanted to keep the tradition going.”
It turns out Sheeley had nothing to worry about.
Behind senior leaders Sheeley and Sydney Dee and a crop of underclassmen that includes a talented freshman trio Solon is headed back to the state meet for the seventh straight season.
Dee finished third and three Solon freshmen posted top-20 finishes as the third-ranked Spartans cruised to the team title at the Class 3A state qualifying meet at the Solon Nature and Recreation Area.
Solon will be seeking a third top-three finish in the past four seasons at the 3A state meet at Lakeside Golf Course in Fort Dodge on November 1.
“I think it says a lot about the coaching and our team atmosphere,” Dee said. “We always want to run with somebody and I think that has really helped our team to continue to improve all season long.”
Solon graduated a pair of senior stalwarts from last year’s team that finished eighth at the state meet.
Seniors like Sheeley and Dee returned after running on last year’s state meet squad but had to take over the leadership reins of a Solon program that is used to reloading rather than rebuilding.
Behind its two senior leaders the Spartans continued to sparkle on Wednesday.
“We are all happy for each other and there is none of that drama,” Sheeley said. “We are genuinely happy for the success of others in our program.”
Dee led the charge placing third in a time of 19:05.2 and will attempt to improve on her 18th place finish at the state meet last season next week in Fort Dodge.
“I’m excited to go back to state with a really strong team,” Dee said. “We have big goals and I am excited to see what we can do.”
Running at home for the final time in her career Sheeley finished 21st for the Spartans on Wednesday in a time of 20:33.9.
“I think it took a lot of pressure off of me because I have run this course so many times,” Sheeley said. “I have ran the last 800 of this course 53 times before so just knowing the course, knowing what it’s like out there helps. I know where I am every single second of the course.”
Finishing between two of the senior leaders on the Solon team was the freshmen trio that has bolstered the Spartan lineup.
Freshman Kinley Mai was eighth in 19:42.2 while Addison Seamans was 17th in 20:23 and Liv Nelson finished 18th in 20:23.3.
“I think our mindset is next person in, when someone graduates it’s next person in,” Solon coach Emy Williams said. “Our middle school program with coach (Stephanie) Hoeper and coach (Jessica) Hotek they do such a great job of preparing kids to come in and be ready to step up. I think that is a huge thing. That’s our mindset what can I do best to help the team.”
Sophomores Falyn Svalstad and Ava Rolwes finished 24th and 34th respectively for Solon which won the team title with 67 points.
Marion was runner-up with 83 and Des Moines Christian was third with 97.
“That was our goal today was just to pack up,” Sheeley said. “We all wanted to find the next Solon girl and that’s what I think about is keeping my eyes up on the next girl and finding a teammate.”
Third-ranked Des Moines Christian won the boys team title with 29 points followed by Central DeWitt with 79 and Davenport Assumption with 105.
Solon finished sixth with 168 points.
Solon freshman Anders Holmes earn a spot at the 3A state meet as an individual qualifier finishing 15th in a time of 17:05.6.
“We lost what would probably have been our top two runners this season and not only that but a senior and a junior that were leaders and our guys didn’t just say we are going to quit,” Williams said. “They kept fighting all season and they said we are going to make ourselves the best we can be and I think that says a lot.”
Girls Results
Class 3A State Qualifying Meet
At Solon Nature and Recreation Area
Team scores – 1. Solon 67; 2. Marion 83; 3. Des Moines Christian 97; 4. Center Point-Urbana 100; 5. Cedar Rapids Xavier 156; 6. Clinton 160; 7. Western Dubuque 208; 8. Maquoketa 210; 9. Davenport Assumption 228; 10. Central DeWitt 232; 11. West Delaware 241; 12. Benton Community 288
Individual leaders – 1. Grace Estling (CP-U) 18:47.1; 2. Izzy Hardin (MAQ) 18:55.6; 3. Sydney Dee (SOL) 19:05.2; 4. Mia Deegan (CRX) 19:10.7; 5. Stella Pothoven (DMC) 19:19.6; 6. Addison Dabroski (MAR) 19:37.4; 7. Kyra Cordes (MAR) 19:38.8; 8. Kinley Mai (SOL) 19:42.2; 9. Ashlyn Appleby (CD) 19:44.6; 10. Carryn Sattler (CLI) 19:45.4; 11. Brynn Kartman (WD) 19:54.7; 12. Alli Haskell (CLI) 19:57.2; 13. Elise Moore (MAR) 19:57.5; 14. Sydney McCormick (CP-U) 19:58.3; 15. Sienna Stec (DMC) 20:09.7
Solon (67) – 3. Sydney Dee 19:05.2; 8. Kinley Mai 19:42.2; 17. Addison Seamans 20:23; 18. Liv Nelson 20:23.3; 21. Ella Sheeley 20:33.9; 24. Falyn Svalstad 20:53.7; 34. Ava Rolwes 21:35.9
Boys Results
Class 3A State Qualifying Meet
At Solon Nature and Recreation Area
Team scores – 1. Des Moines Christian 29; 2. Central DeWitt 79; 3. Davenport Assumption 105; 4. Western Dubuque 131; 5. Cedar Rapids Xavier 137; 6. Solon 168; 7. Center Point-Urbana 177; 8. Marion 207; 9. West Delaware 222; 10. Benton Community 259; 11. Clinton 282; 12. Independence 357; 13. Maquoketa 368
Individual leaders – 1. Quentin Nauman (WD) 15:29; 2. Caleb Ten Pas (DMC) 15:47; 3. Josh Hagenberg (DMC) 16:16.7; 4. Luke Hagenberg (DMC) 16:24.9; 5. Caleb Olson (CD) 16:34.9; 6. Andrew Allen (CRX) 16:38.1; 7. John Murphy (DA) 16:42.4; 8. Carter Easton (CP-U) 16:45.5; 9. Josiah Sisler (DMC) 16:46.3; 10. Kyle Olson (CD) 16:49.9; 11. Jaden Sisler (DMC) 16:57.5; 12. Kaleb Wilgenbusch (CRX) 17:02.5; 13. Drew Caldwell (DA) 17:03.1; 14. Adam Wilke (CD) 17:04.6; 15. Anders Holmes (SOL) 17:05.6
Solon (168) – 15. Anders Holmes 17:05.6; 21. Rene Meza 17:30.9; 41. Deacon Waddell 18:05.9; 44. Preston Raasch 18:16.5; 47. Camden Lyons 18:22.4; 52. Charlie Petit 18:37.1; 59. Owen Young 18:59.1
Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.
