Top-ranked Solon Edges No. 3 Monticello for Team Title at Bob Brown Classic
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
IOWA CITY – Members of Solon’s defending state championship cross country team understand the ultimate goal isn’t to win meets in September.
There is a bigger picture plan for the top-ranked Spartans.
“We don’t focus on winning meets we focus on what our team can do and in the end winning takes care of itself,” Solon junior Anna Quillin said.
That doesn’t mean the Spartans aren’t checking the team standings after each race.
Make no mistake Solon wants to win.
“We don’t focus on it but we definitely still want to win,” Quillin said. “No question about that.”
Solon added a second win in as many tries in 2022 on Thursday edging 2A third-ranked Monticello via tie-breaker for the title at the Bob Brown Cross Country Classic at Kicker Soccer Complex in Iowa City.
3A top-ranked Solon and Monticello each finished with 64 points with the Spartans earning the team title on the tiebreaker of better sixth finisher.
“Every meet we aren’t necessarily focused on winning but we are looking at competing and who are you competing against and can you go out and compete,” Solon coach Emy Williams said. “Monticello really competed today, they ran really well and they are a really great team and the first half we maybe weren’t competing the way that I hoped we would but the girls came back that second half of that race.”
Solon senior Kayla Young won the individual title to highlight a group of four Spartans in the top 20.
Senior Mary Fiala was eighth, Quillin was 16th and Gracie Federspiel was 18th for the Spartans which won the Anamosa Invite on Saturday in its first meet of the season.
The difference on Thursday for Solon was its depth.
Sydney Dee was the sixth Solon finisher placing 28th the sixth finisher for Monticello finished in 52nd place.
“Our depth is our strength. Fighting for varsity spots is just as tough as it was last year or the year before,” Quillin said. “Everyone wants up there and in practice we are all pushing each other and trying to get better.”
Young was in a virtual deadlock with Clear Creek Amana senior Haidyn Barker for the first two miles before slowing pulling away.
Young claimed the individual crown in 20:15.86 while Barker was runner-up in 20:47.41.
“I could hear her behind me and at every turn I would see her shadow and I knew I wanted it and I had to keep going until I couldn’t hear her anymore,” Young said. “I kept going and stayed strong and the second half of the race I just kept going.”
The runner-up finish continued a strong start to the season for Barker who finished fifth overall at the season-opening Cedar Rapids Prairie Invite last Saturday.
“The last two years she has been incredible consistent,” Clear Creek Amana coach Ben Robison said. “She just keeps pushing forward and we like consistent.”
Kira Barker finished sixth for Class 3A No. 11 Clear Creek Amana in 21:17.55 and Sara Kinzenbaw was 20th in 22:17.75 as the Clippers placed fourth with 107 points.
“I think the girls ran really well,” Robison said. “We had a little stumble about halfway through and they responded really well and kind of came together.”
Class 4A No. 20 Liberty High had three runners in the top 13 and four in the top 21 on its way to a third-place team finish with 83 points.
Cori Mac led the Lightning placing 10th in 21:46.99 while Hannah Ramsey was 12th in 21:53.38 and Malia Taylor finished 13th in 21:55.53.
Host Regina got a 39th place finish from senior Mya Whitaker in a time of 23:05.73 and finished ninth in the team standings with 251 points.
Bob Brown Cross Country Classic
Team scores – 1. Solon 64; 2. Monticello 64; 3. Liberty High 83; 4. Clear Creek Amana 107; 5. Tipton 119; 6. Washington 137; 7. Marion 159; 8. Cascade 230; 9. Regina 251; 10. Anamosa 287
Individual leaders – 1. Kayla Young (SOL) 20:15.86; 2. Haidyn Barker (CCA) 20:47.41; 3. Emma Althoff (MON) 20:48.29; 4. Hallie Kelchen (CAS) 20:56.63; 5. Iris Dahl (WAS) 21:11.16; 6. Kira Barker (CCA) 21:17.55; 7. Alyssa Klein (WD) 21:18.11; 8. Mary Fiala (SOL) 21:26.8; 9. Leah Koehler (MON) 21:35.2; 10. Cori Mac (ICL) 21:46.99; 11. Ava Capron (MON) 21:52.59; 12. Hannah Ramsey (ICL) 21:53.38; 13. Malia Taylor (ICL) 21:55.53; 14. Alivia Edens (TIP) 21:59.12; 15. Sydney Andresen (MAR) 21:59.74
Solon (64) – 1. Kayla Young 20:15.86; 8. Mary Fiala 21:26.8; 16. Anna Quillin 21:59.98; 18. Gracie Federspiel 22:13.8; 26. Lydia Hogan 22:30.32; 28. Sydney Dee 22:44.22; 29. Mara Duster 22:45.54
Liberty High (83) – 10. Cori Mac 21:46.99; 12. Hannah Ramsey 21:53.38; 13. Malia Taylor 21:55.53; 21. Madelyn Johnson 22:18.2; 33. Bridget Canton 22:53.81; 36. Mimi Marquardt 22:57.79; 43. Clara Welch 23:42.13
Clear Creek Amana (107) – 2. Haidyn Barker 20:47.41; 6. Kira Barker 21:17.55; 20. Sara Kinzenbaw 22:17.75; 35. Kiera Rogers 22:56.14; 55. Harper Tecklenburg 24:25.32; Avery Allan 24:47.9; 63. Eva Leighton-Dick 25:07.4
Regina (251) – 39. Mya Whitaker 23:05.73; 47. Ruby Eastman 24:01.92; 66. Grace Gaarde 25:15.7; 69. Kate Klitgaard 25:32.13; 71. Faith Boileau 25:42.42; 72. Keira Sickels 25:45.12; 80. Ellie Johnson 28:12.82
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