Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Solon

Head coach: Lucas Stanton (7^th season, 55-13)

Assistant coaches: Mark Sovers; Noah Sigwarth; Bryce Pierce; Matt Haddy; Travis Meade; Pat Swancutt; Rory Siddel; Marcus Schnoor; Will Cavanaugh; Parker Eichenberger; Jerrod Hilton; Jonathan Williams; Dan Coons; Tory Hackert

Last season: 11-1 (Class 3A semifinals)

Returning starters: Maddox Kelley, Sr., ATH; Lucas Feuerbach, Sr., DL/OL; Bradyn Schnoor, Sr., OL/DL; Cody Milliman, Sr., WR/OLB; Kade Hoeper, Sr., WR/DB; Simon Einwalter, Sr., DL/OL; James Thomsen, Sr., TE/DE; Collin McKie, Sr., K/P; AJ Haege, Jr., LS; Owen Bock, Jr., WR/DB; Sawyer Hansel, Sr., OLB/WR

Other returning letterwinners: Grant Gordon, Sr., WR/DB; Jackson Burk, Sr., RB/DB; Luis Buck, Sr., LB/RB; Parker Beck, Sr., OL/DL; Cohen Leichtman, Sr., OL/DL; Jonathan Thomson, Sr., WR/DB; Drew O’Neill, Sr., H/LB; Luke Merrick, Jr., ATH/LB; Ryder Laing, Jr., QB/DB; Jacob Donnenwerth, Sr., WR/DB; Tanner Kerkove, Sr., OL/DL; Jackson Bell, Sr., OL/DL; Caden Kilburg, Sr., H/LB; Ben McFadden, Sr., WR/DB

Newcomers to watch: Paxton Holtkamp, Jr., WR/DB; Michael Bigelow, Jr., WR/DB; Beckett Burden, Jr., OL/DL; Ian Cronk, Jr., H/LB; Colin Dunn, Jr., H/LB; Foster Owens, Jr., RB/LB; Wyatt Young, Jr., WR/DB; John Rasmussen, Jr., OL/DL; Sawyer Hancox, Jr., RB/DB; Logan Ross, Jr., TE/DE; Rowan Ashbacker, Jr., TE/DE; Luke Devery, Soph., OL/DL

Playoff history: 36 appearances (1984-1988, 1990-1995; 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005-2025). Solon won 2A state titles in 1988, 2007, 2008 and 2009 and won a 3A title in 2010.

District: Class 3A, District 4 (Fairfield, Fort Madison, Keokuk, Mount Pleasant, Washington)

District favorite: Solon is a heavy favorite to repeat as the District 4 champion after winning its five district games by a combined score of 263-8 last season.

Circle the date: September 11 at Mount Vernon. Solon heads north for its annual Highway 1 showdown with Mount Vernon seeking a fourth consecutive win in the series after defeating the Mustangs 35-20 last season in Solon.

Headliner: Senior two-way lineman Lucas Feuerbach (6-2, 260) is one of the best linemen in the state and is coming off a junior season in which he earned first team Class 3A all-state honors. The South Dakota commit ranked third on the team with 53 tackles last season including 12 tackles for loss and four sacks.

Ready for a breakthrough: Despite sharing time and targets in an impressively deep wide receiver group junior Owen Bock (6-1, 190) flashed his impressive potential last season when he had 13 receptions for 265 yards and two touchdowns while leading Solon in yards per catch at 20.4.

Unsung hero: Special teams can be an overlooked part of the prep game but the Spartans have a major weapon in senior all-state specialist Collin McKie (6-0, 185). Last season McKie earned all-state honors after ranking fourth in the state in punt average at 43.4 yards per punt while converting 9-of-11 PAT attempts and posting four touchbacks in 15 kickoffs.

Keep an eye on: Senior wide receiver/outside linebacker Cody Milliman (6-2, 200) has the skillset to be among the most productive two-way players in Class 3A this season. Milliman caught 35 passes for 516 yards and four touchdowns last season and made 23.5 tackles with two for loss, had three interceptions, recovered two fumbles and forced a fumble last season.

Remember the name: Senior lineman Simon Einwalter (6-3, 220) came on strong toward the end of last season and should be a major force for the Spartans this season on either side of the ball. Einwalter was at his best last fall as a high-motor defensive lineman where he made 25.5 tackles including 12 for loss with two sacks.

Biggest strength: The Spartans are loaded with weapons at the offensive skill positions. Solon returns its top five pass catchers from last season as seniors Maddox Kelley (5-10, 185) Kaden Hoeper (6-2, 190), Cody Milliman and Grant Gordon (6-2, 155) and junior Owen Bock combined for 144 receptions, 2,212 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns. In the offensive back field Kelley and Luis Buck (5-9, 185) combined to rush for 519 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Biggest question: How do the Spartans replace the lost production at quarterback and middle linebacker? Solon doesn’t have many holes to fill but they do have two at key spots on both sides of the ball. Solon must replace departed senior quarterback Eli Kampman who passed for 2,230 yards and 29 touchdowns and led the Spartans in rushing and its top two tacklers last season in senior linebackers Kyler Jensen and Tripp Johnson who accounted for 124.5 tackles.

Quotable: “It’s just focusing on ourselves every day and all the coach speak, cliché stuff that everyone says,” Solon coach Lucas Stanton said. “I think with this group that’s really what it is, they have to realize that we are really competing against ourselves right now and there is a standard that we have to practice at. With the level of talent and the returning guys that we have we are making sure that things are a little harder for them in the preseason so they can sharpen up.”

2026 Schedule

Date/Opponent/Record in 2025

August 28: at Davenport Assumption (5-4)

September 4: Williamsburg (5-4)

September 11: at Mount Vernon (6-4)

September 18: Benton Community (5-5)

September 25: Fairfield (3-6)

October 2: at Keokuk (3-6)

October 9: at Washington (5-4)

October 16: Mount Pleasant (7-3)

October 23: Fort Madison (0-9)

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