Doug Lindner

SOLON– It was good to get a win.
After dropping the previous two games by a combined four points, Solon’s varsity boys’ basketball team blew out the Maquoketa Cardinals for a 68-39 home victory Jan. 16.
Despite playing in the Solon Middle School, the Spartans tore the game open in the third quarter, turning a 10-point halftime margin into a 22-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
“I loved how our guys responded to getting challenged,” noted Head Coach Matt Lesan.
This time, Solon took a 19-11 first-quarter lead and didn’t look back.

MOUNT VERNON– It was another pretty close game.
After building an eight-point lead in the first half, Mount Vernon moved to 8-0 on the season by holding off Solon, 76-64, Jan. 7 in Mount Vernon.
The loss dropped Solon to 2-6.
The Spartans trailed by only a point, 18-17, at the end of the first period, but the Mustangs padded the margin in the second period and held a 37-29 advantage at the half.
Solon could keep pace in the third quarter, but couldn’t trim the lead.
Mount Vernon junior Keaton Kutcher carried the load for Mount Vernon, scoring 32 points and grabbing five steals.

OXFORD– Seventy percent of family farms will change hands in one form or another over the next 15 years.
Those landowners are closing in on retirement age, but the majority don’t have a farm succession plan.
That’s a problem for rural Iowa, according to accredited land consultant Mike Downey.
Downey was the featured speaker at a farm transfer workshop, hosted by Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI), at the Johnson County Conservation Education Center at F.W. Kent Park near Oxford.

MARION– The Spartans built a lead, but the Indians whittled away.
It took an extra period, but Marion pulled away from Solon with an 83-76 win in Marion Jan. 3.
“It was a great game, both teams left it all on the floor,” noted Solon Head Coach Matt Lesan. “Got to give Marion a ton of credit for making the plays down the stretch. I was proud of our effort, though, we had our chances to win the game.”
The Spartans built a 12-point lead at the end of the first quarter, but the Indians chipped away.
Solon led 34-30 at the half and the margin was down to 53-52 heading into the fourth quarter.

SOLON– This is exactly what he wants to do.
“I’m really excited to be here,” said new Solon Recreation Director Tom Harder. “This is a job that I’ve been picturing myself in for a long time.”
Harder, 26, started his position Dec. 16, replacing Ben Flaherty, who served in the job from September of 2018 to Nov. 7.
A native of Iowa City, Harder attended West High, and stayed in town to attend the University of Iowa (UI), obtaining both his undergraduate and master’s degrees in sports and recreation management.