Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – Solon opened the season number two in the Class 3A rankings.

The Spartans closed the year on top in Class 3A.

Callie Levin poured in 27 points and Hailey Miller had 14 as Solon (24-3) claimed its first state title since 1998 with a 54-47 win over top-ranked Estherville Lincoln Central in the Class 3A title game on Friday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

“Our goals were the same all year long,” Solon senior Anna Quillin said. “Being number one, starting number one you want to end number one and we were able to do that which is amazing.”

Solon lost twice in a seven-day span in January to 3A semifinalist Mount Vernon and Marion and never lost again.

The Spartans won their final 12 games, capped by Friday’s title game victory that secured the fourth title in program history.

“You win a title and everybody thinks everything is great and it wasn’t always perfect,” Solon coach Jamie Smith said. “There was some doubt a few times this year but my love for them didn’t change.”

Like it’s season as a whole, there was some doubt on Friday.

Estherville Lincoln Central (24-3) took a 40-39 lead on a bucket by dynamic junior Haylee Stokes with 5:59 to play.

Just as it did all season Solon punched back.

The Spartans responded with a 7-0 run fueled by a conventional 3-point play by Levin and never let the Midgets get closer than four the rest of the way.

“Basketball is a game of runs,” Levin said. “We always know if they are up by two or four we aren’t going to let that defeat us. We are just going to come back harder.”

Levin was brilliant in her final prep game.

The Iowa recruit had 27 points, seven rebounds and five assists and was 4-of-8 from 3-point range including a triple from the left wing with 2:02 remaining that gave Solon in insurmountable 51-42 lead.

“I just came out with a clear mind,” Levin said. “I just wanted to win. I had that competitive mindset and I think that’s what helped me play better.

In what turned out to be the theme of its state title run Solon got contributions from everyone on Friday.

Senior Mia Stahle had nine points and two assists before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

“Mia is an amazing defender and she really gets up into you,” Miller said. “Mia really steps up when we need her. She’s a great player.”

Miller scored 10 of her 14 points in the second half, including six in the fourth quarter as Solon put the game away.

“Being in those experiences we know what it’s like and we know what it’s like to be on the losing end of it,” Miller said. “We knew what we had to do and what it would take to win the game.”

Quillin didn’t score but had a game-high 16 rebounds, matching her 16-rebound effort from a quarterfinal win over Dubuque Wahlert on Tuesday.

The 5-foot-8 Quillin set a new Class 3A state tournament record with 40 rebounds.

“That’s a kid, I’ve got a daughter of my own, but that’s a kid you want as your daughter,” Smith said of Quillin. “Doesn’t complain, just does whatever you ask of her.”

It took a total team effort for Solon to hold off Estherville Lincoln Central and Stokes who was named captain of the Class 3A all-tournament team.

Stokes scored a game-high 30 points, including 18 in the second half, and grabbed nine rebounds.

Every time stokes and the Midgets made a run Solon had the answer.

“I’m excited for these kids, I’m excited for the community, excited for my family, everybody who has invested especially these kids, these seniors,” Smith said. “I’ve been through a lot with these kids and I love them like my own.”

Estherville Lincoln Central             11  11  13  12 –   47

Solon                                                       14  14   9   17  –  54                                                    

Estherville Lincoln Central (47) – Tatum Dunlavy 0-0 0- 0, Rylee Yager 1-8 0-0 2, Jasey Anderson 3-8 0-0 6, Haylee Stokes 9-24 10-10 30, Hilary Ruschy 2-13 2-2 7, Cara Schiltz 1-2 0-0 2, Totals 16-55 12-12 47.

Solon (54) – Kobi Lietz 2-4 0-6 4, Hailey Miller 6-18 2-2 14, Mia Stahle 4-6 0-0 9, Anna Quillin 0-1 0-0 0, Callie Levin 8-16 7-9 27, Delainey Durr 0-2 0-0 0, Totals 20-47 9-17 54.

3-point field goals – ELC 3-15 (Anderson 0-3, Stokes 2-7, Ruschy 1-5), SOL 5-14 (Miller 0-4, Stahle 1-1, Levin 4-8, Durr 0-1). Rebounds – ELC 31 (Stokes 9), SOL 37 (Quillin 16). Assists – ELC 5 (Yager 2), SOL 8 (Levin 5). Turnovers – ELC 6, SOL 10. Total fouls – ELC 11, SOL 16. Fouled out – SOL (Stahle). Technical fouls – None.

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