Class 3A Fifth-ranked Solon Rolls to Team Title at Bob Brown Classic
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
IOWA CITY – Cross country is by nature an individual sport.
Each runner on the course is running on their own during the five-kilometer competition.
The strength for Class 3A fifth-ranked Solon lies in being a team.
“I just think we all push each other to do our best,” Solon sophomore Addison Seamans said. “It helps having someone you know by your side, someone you train with to be there during a race, you know you can do it because you do it all the time in practice.”
Class 3A fifth-ranked Solon has depth.
The Spartans have balance.
Most importantly the Spartans train, run and compete as a team.
Solon put all of that on display on Thursday.
Four Solon runners finished in the top 11 as the Spartans rolled to the team title at the Bob Brown Cross Country Classic at Kickers Soccer Complex in Iowa City.
“I really do think the team dynamic is helping everyone,” Solon junior Falyn Svalstad said. “As a whole I think we are doing a lot better and we are a lot faster.”
Seamans led Solon on Thursday placing fifth in a time of 20:43.59 and was followed closely by Svalstad who was seventh in 20:48.76 and sophomore Liv Nelson who finished seventh in 21:12.46.
Freshman Mailee Schmidt placed 11th in 21:29.77.
“The biggest advantage I think is being able to talk to each other and cheer each other on and when someone is falling behind we take turns leading the pack,” Svalstad “There is always someone to push you if you want to go faster or when you want to slow down you can stay with your team.”
The team title for Solon was the second in two meets this season after the Spartans opened the season by winning the Anamosa Invite title on Saturday.
At Anamosa on Saturday Svalstad was the top Solon finisher, Schmidt was second, Nelson third and Seamans fourth.
Veteran coach Emy Williams knows the order of Spartan finishers will change as it did on Thursday.
“We talk about that we don’t have to have one person take the lead all the time,” Williams said. “When you know your teammates are right there it makes it a lot easier having someone to run with.”
Seamans stepped to the front of the Solon pack on Thursday with a top-five finish.
Monticello freshman Mary Grace Lyons won the individual title in a time of 19:48.37 followed by Washington senior Iris Dahl, Clear Creek Amana freshman Alison Seidl and Cascade senior Hallie Kelchen.
The time of 20:43.59 for Seamans was nearly a minute faster than the 21:42.1 she ran on Saturday at Anamosa.
“I felt much better today than I did on Saturday,” Seamans said. “I think it just helped getting the first race out of the way. Getting comfortable, getting into the groove with all the people and getting back into it.”
Seidl impressed for Clear Creek Amana placing third in a time of 20:05.58 in the second race of her career.
The third-place finish by Seidl helped Clear Creek Amana to a sixth-place finish as a team with 125 points.
“I feel like I competed really well,” Seidl said. “I knew there were going to be a lot of good girls here and I am really grateful that I got the chance to come out and compete today.”
Clear Creek Amana junior Holley Schulte finished eighth in 21:21.74 while junior Kadence Whitmer was 32nd in 22:55.54.
Western Dubuque was runner-up with 92 points followed by Class 2A No. 18 Monticello with 112 points and 3A No. 18 Washington with 116 points.
Host Regina was ninth with 222 points.
Harper Erwin led Regina placing 24th in 22:37.42 while Etta Winders was 37th in 23:18.77.
Bob Brown Cross Country Classic
At Kickers Soccer Complex in Iowa City
Team scores – 1. Solon 54; 2. Western Dubuque 92; 3. Monticello 112; 4. Washington 116; 5. Tipton 118; 6. Clear Creek Amana 125; 7. Cascade 181; 8. Wilton 205; 9. Regina 222; 10. Anamosa 255; 11. West Liberty 271
Individual leaders – 1. Mary Grace Lyons (MON) 19:48.37; 2. Iris Dahl (WAS) 20:02.24; 3. Alison Seidl (CCA) 20:05.58; 4. Hallie Kelchen (CAS) 20:42.24; 5. Addison Seamans (SOL) 20:43.59; 6. Falyn Svalstad (SOL) 20:48.76; 7. Liv Nelson (SOL) 21:12.46; 8. Holley Schulte (CCA) 21:21.74; 9. Peyton Ries (MON) 21:25.79; 10. Mya Bodecker (TIP) 21:26.11; 11. Mailee Schmidt (SOL) 21:29.77; 13. Hannah Da Silva (WD) 21:34.34; 14. Mason Lloyd (ANA) 21:41.45; 15. Kora Miller (WAS) 21:44.75
Solon (54) – 5. Addison Seamans 20:43.59; 6. Falyn Svalstad 20:48.76; 7. Liv Nelson 21:12.46; 11. Mailee Schmidt 21:29.77; 25. Quinn Armentrout 22:42.43; 33. Stella Beck 22:55.93; 34. Jillian Janssen 23:00.31
Clear Creek Amana (125) – 3. Alison Seidl 20:05.58; 8. Holley Schulte 21:21.74; 31. Kadence Whitmer 22:55.54; 39. Keira Rosenberg 23:22.65; 44. Kennedi Cartier 23:36.82; 45. Alyssa Shounick 23:42.4; 47. Sydney Bernardy 24:17.94
Regina (222) – 24. Harper Erwin 22:37.42; 37. Etta Winders 23:18.77; 42. Ruby Eastman 23:33.57; 53. Ellie Johnson 25:24.64; 66. Caroline O’Rourke 27:47.77; 67. Sofia Contreras 28:15.29; 69. Adeline Smith 29:25.03
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