Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Solon already had an impressive resume to open the season with lopsided wins over Davenport Assumption and Williamsburg.

The Spartans added yet another credential to their early-season resume with a dominant win in what was billed as the toughest test of the season for Solon.

Solon built a 41-0 lead and rolled to a 41-7 victory over previously unbeaten Mount Vernon on Friday in the annual meeting between the Highway 1 rivals.

The 34-point win for Solon was the most lopsided game in the Highway 1 series since a 42-6 Solon win in 2011.

Solon has now outscored its three opponents by a combined total of 131-21 during its 3-0 start to the season.

“We just focused on regardless of who it is we are playing, we have to start fast and establish our standard and our physicality and our athleticism to get on them right away,” Solon coach Luas Stanton. “I was proud of the way we did that.”

Solon held a 413-222 edge in total yardage on Friday while stretching its winning streak to four in a row over Mount Vernon.

The Spartans have won 23 of the last 25 meetings with the Mustangs.

Solon senior quarterback Maddox Kelley passed for 240 yard and three touchdowns and ran for 86 yards and a score.

Junior wide receiver Owen Bock had seven receptions for 185 yards and two touchdowns.

“Coming in we knew what we are looking for and tonight I knew I could look for Owen a lot,” Kelley said. “I knew he’d be open.”

Solon was impressive offensively but was perhaps even better on defense allowing only a fourth-quarter touchdown.

The Spartans had six tackles for loss and a sack from senior Simon Einwalter while holding Mount Vernon to 124 rushing yards on 36 carries.

Solon limited Mount Vernon to a season-low 4.6 yards per play.

“We were playing as one unit and running to the ball,” Einwalter said. “That really benefitted us today.”

News and Notes

Bolts Bounce Back: Liberty High didn’t waste any time bouncing back from a week-two loss to Southeast Polk. The Lightning got back in the win column with a 27-14 road win at Linn-Mar.

Liberty High hasn’t lost back-to-back games since September of 2023.

Senior quarterback Emerson Berner threw for 252 yards and four touchdowns and Liberty High had three sacks and forced three turnovers while limiting Linn-Mar to 171 total yards.

Undefeated Update: Regina (3-0) and Solon (3-0) are among 58 remaining unbeaten teams across the state. Solon is one of six remaining unbeaten teams in Class 3A while Regina is one of nine undefeated teams in 1A.

Class 5A has five remaining unbeaten teams, 4A has six, 2A has eight, there are 14 unbeaten teams in Class A and 10 in 8-player.

Players of the Week

Offensive player of the week: Regina junior running back Gabe Hegelheimer helped the Regals pick up their biggest win of the season on Thursday, a 28-12 win at previously undefeated Alburnett. Hegelheimer ran for 214 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries as Regina rolled up 407 yards of total offense.

Defensive player of the week: Liberty High senior defensive lineman Hank Thompson was part of another stellar defensive performance from the Lightning on Friday in a 27-14 win at Linn-Mar. Thompson had six tackles, including four for loss and a sack and forced a fumble as Liberty High limited the Lions to 171 total yards and forced three turnovers.

Special teams player of the week: Solon senior Collin McKie made all five of his PAT attempts and kicked field goals of 35 and 24 yards in a 41-7 win over Mount Vernon.

Helmet stickers

Offense: City High senior quarterback Jackson Grabinski completed 21-of-25 passes for 269 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 33 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-21 loss at Waukee Northwest.

Offense: Liberty High senior quarterback Emerson Berner completed 24-of-28 passes for 252 yards and four touchdowns in a 27-14 win over Linn-Mar.

Offense: West Branch senior Keaton Gates rushed for 189 yards and three touchdowns and also had 4.5 tackles including two tackles for loss in a 41-6 win at Camanche.

Offense: City High junior wide receiver Braden Bickford caught seven passes for 109 yards and a touchdown in a 35-21 loss to Waukee Northwest.

Offense: Solon senior quarterback Maddox Kelley completed 11-of-15 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns, rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown and also had 1.5 tackles and recovered a fumble in a 41-7 win over Mount Vernon.

Defense: Liberty High sophomore linebacker Carter Lester had 4.5 tackles, including three solo stops, forced two fumbles and had an interception in a 27-14 win at Linn-Mar.

Defense: Solon senior defensive lineman Simon Einwalter had 5.5 tackles, including four solo stops, two tackles for loss and a sack in a 41-7 win over Mount Vernon.

Defense: West Branch junior Gabe Depoorter had six tackles with five solo stops, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack in a 41-6 win at Camanche.

Defense: Clear Creek Amana senior defensive lineman Avery Sorensen had seven tackles with four solo stops and a sack in a 28-17 loss to Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Defense: Regina senior defensive end Will Litton had four tackles for loss, a sack and two forced fumbles in a 28-12 win at Alburnett.

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