Three meets on the home course set well with Solon’s cross country teams. The Lady Spartans rang up another wide victory at the state meet qualifier on Wednesday, Oct. 20, at the Solon Recreation and Nature Area. Minutes later, the boys made their mark with a strong runner-up finish. Each team advances to the state title meet on Friday, Oct. 29, in Fort Dodge. The girls run at 2:30 p.m. and the boys follow at 3:15 p.m.
Girls post big winJunior Kayla Young led the top ranked Class 3A girls with her first individual meet title, running in 19:34. Young did not run as a freshman and was injured last year.
“It’s incredible; like nothing I’ve ever experienced,” Young said of leading the pack. “I made it out to the front from the first corner and I just stayed there.”
She had plenty of help. In cross country, a team’s score is derived by adding up its first five places. Low score wins. Solon crowded six runners into the top 10 taking home the girls title with 26 points and an insurance runner. Senior Emma Bock took second place (19:49) among 77 girls on the course. Sophomores Anna Quillin was sixth (20:01) with Gracie Federspiel (20:04) eighth. Senior Meghan O’Neill was ninth (20:07) with junior Mara Düster cracking the top 10 in 20:12. Close by was senior Kaia Holtkamp, 21st in 21:08.
“That was one of the best races we have put together as a whole team this season”, coach Emy Williams said. “Kayla took it out from the beginning for her first meet win. That was a great thing to see. And six girls in the top 15? Pretty amazing.”
Mount Vernon-Lisbon was nearly 50 points back in second with 74. Marion had 89 for third place. Following were Davenport Assumption (95), Washington (126), Benton (142), Mount Pleasant (191), Fort Madison (210), Central DeWitt (255) and Maquoketa (275). South Tama, Keokuk and Burlington/Notre Dame. Each lacked five finishers to provide a team score.
It’s on to state for the girls. They finished fifth in 2020.
“We all want to perform well at state. One meet left,” noted Bock. “We are starting to peak at the right time.”
Does it help running at home a few times during the season?
“The last couple times here, we all got out kind of slow. Coach Emy told us today to get out in front. That really helped, to see each other out there and really stick together,” Bock said.
Any trouble spots?
“I’d say the first gravel part — Snake Corner. It’s pretty tight”, said Bock. “Once I’m through that, it’s pretty nice. Really fun!”
Boys eye top finishFor the boys, Gabe Hinman agrees, “I feel like (other runners) don’t know how to run the gravel. When I dropped into it, I passed about six people at a time. It’s the one place where we really have the advantage, (running on it) so many times.”
Hinman, a senior, was eighth overall (16:56) in the boys’ qualifier, backing sophomore teammate Brick Kabela (fourth, 16:36), as the fifth ranked Class 3A Spartans (70 points) trailed only second ranked Marion (26). Marion’s 1-2 punch of Shane Erb and Jedidiah Osgood topped the 84 boy’s field shoulder to shoulder, at 15:56.5and 15:56.8.
“I didn’t feel like I was running as fast as last week (on the same course in the WAMAC meet). Same course, though, and I ended up running three seconds faster,” said Hinman.
After Marion’s 26 points for the win, Solon’s 70 was good for runner-up. Mount Vernon-Lisbon’s 100 points edged Washington by a point for third place as the third team to go to State. From there, it went South Tama (142), Mount Pleasant 184, Benton 196, Assumption 199, Fort Madison 236, Central DeWitt 247, Maquoketa 351, Keokuk 369 and Burlington Notre Dame did not score a full team.
The finish sends Solon back to state where the Spartans were Class 3A runner-up in 2020.
Does it feel good, heading to Fort Dodge with this group?
“Absolutely,” said Hinman. “We shaped up at the end of the year, a lot of fierce competition. I knew at the start of the season that we were a solid team, like last year.”
Boosting the Solon finish were sophomore Michael Yeomans (13th, 17:16), senior Ty Becicka (17th, 17:26) and senior Nate Ferguson, back on varsity (28th, 17:59). Sophomore Ethan McLaughlin was two seconds back in 30th with sophomore Grant Bumsted on his heels (32nd, 18:04).
“With the boys, we saw some of the best runners at our meet from Marion and Washington. Michael Yeomans had a great race, going out with Gabe,” said Williams. “If we run like we did (at the state qualifier), we will be sitting very well at state. The biggest thing is to find each other; our pack, to make sure we stay together. That’s our strength.”
The Spartans had a few days of work leading into the final meet.
“We work on keeping legs fast; quicken the steps, the speed. I think back again, too, at our depth; the boys and girls this season,” iterated Williams. “It just helped raise both varsity squads to new levels; the depth, the work ethic they all brought to this season. This has been a special group of athletes.”

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Solon’s Anna Qullin reaches the finish line.