Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

SOLON – The past two seasons for Solon have produced results that many programs would envy.

Solon is 18-5 over the past two seasons with losses in the 3A semifinals in 2023 and the quarterfinals last season.

Solid seasons indeed for any team.

For Solon while the success has been there it’s the way those two seasons ended that has left a sour taste.

First it was 45-14 loss to Williamsburg in the 2023 semifinals and last season a 35-3 setback at Humboldt that ended an 8-3 season.

The focus for the Spartans this season has been a more fitting finish.

“What we’ve seen a lot this preseason is the hunger in taking that next step,” Solon coach Lucas Stanton said. “Win or lose when we walk off the field the last time we want to feel really good about ourselves and we haven’t done that the last two years.”

For the returning players on the Solon roster last year’s season-ending loss at Humboldt stung for most of the offseason.

Solon led 3-0 early before the Wildcats rattled off 35 unanswered points.

“Last season that was heartbreaking,” Solon senior linebacker Tripp Johnson said. “I feel like we’ve done a really good job in the offseason of working to be able to go further.”

There is plenty of reason to believe the Spartans are capable of making good on their intentions to improve on last year’s postseason run.

Seven starters return highlighted by all-staters Lucas Feuerbach, Maddox Kelley and Kyler Jensen.

That core group of returners along with a talented group of rising juniors gives Solon confidence it can build on the past two seasons.

“Obviously our goal is to make it to the Dome every year but our biggest goal is just to get better every day and be our best at the end of the year,” Jensen said. “We just have to keep building every day.”

Feuerbach, Jensen, Johnson and Kelley return as anchors on all three levels of what should be a stellar Spartan defense.

Jensen (6-0, 225) led the Spartans with 63.5 tackles and 10 tackles for loss from his linebacker spot last season on his way to earning all-state honors.

Johnson joins him at linebacker after ranking third on the team with 42 tackles including 4.5 for loss.

“We do a really good job of doing what we are good at,” Jensen said. “We are good at stopping the run, getting to the ball and playing smart defense.”

Feuerbach (6-2, 260) will be a menace on the defensive line after sixth on the team with 28.5 tackles including five for loss as a sophomore and Kelley (5-10, 180) returns in the secondary after ranking second on the team with 50 tackles and leading the Spartans with four interceptions.

“I feel like we communicate well and we have a lot of guys returning on defense and that helps,” Johnson said. “The knowledge that we have with guys coming back is a big advantage.”

Senior Eli Kampman (6-0, 185) will take over at quarterback after starting at wide receiver a year ago.

Solon must replace all-state running back Eddie Johnson who rushed for 1,257 yards and 18 touchdowns last season but brings back a talented group of receivers led by Kelley who had a team-high 54 receptions for 675 yards and seven touchdowns a year ago.

Juniors Kade Koeper (6-2, 180) and Cody Milliman (6-1, 205) will look to take big steps forward as pass catchers after combing for 13 receptions last season.

“We always want to run the football but I think the strength of our offense is our wide receiving group,” Stanton said. “We need to get the ball to those guys in space and allow our athletes to go and do what they do well.”

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating