After an 11-1 season and a semifinal game appearance, the Solon football team affirmed once again it produces proven athletes and fine young men.
Four Spartans were named to the 2021 Iowa Print Sports Writers Association All-State Football teams.
Senior lineman Gage Marty, 6-foot, 245-pounds, was selected as a first-team defensive lineman (tackle).
Head coach Lucas Stanton commented on Marty’s performance following the district championship victory, “Gage Marty has just been a consistent guy for us, but last night he was on a different level. Gage is such a consistent player that just does his job every play that you sometimes forget just how dominant he is and can be. He is a returning all-district/all-state caliber player, captain and senior. He is playing exactly how he should and they are seeing the fruits of his labor pay off a bit.”
Marty anchored both sides of the ball on the line for the Spartans earning his second all-state honor in a consecutive season, while receiving his first, first-team selection as a defensive tackle accruing 31 total tackles, ranking sixth on the team, including 25 solos, 3.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss, ranking second on the team. He was a second-team selection last season on the offensive line.
Spartan junior, 5-foot-10, 162-pound, running back/full back Sean Stahle and sophomore inside linebacker Brett White, 6-foot-2, 210-pounds, received second-team offensive recognition.
First-year starter Stahle rushed for a team-high 1,138 yards and 17 touchdowns and was ranked second in 3A with 2,026 all-purpose yards.
Stahle recorded 180 carries, leading the Spartan rushing offense, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. He rushed for touchdowns in nine of 12 games and scored in all but two.
White snatched one interception in and aided the Spartan offense in protection as it amassed 1,799 total yards passing and 2,723 total yards rushing. White led the Spartan defense in tackles with a team-high 94, including 14.5 for loss, leading the team, and 4.5 sacks, also leading the team in his first varsity season. He ranked third in Class 3A in total tackles, while his 91 solo tackles led the class.
Coach Stanton added, when commenting about the district championship win, “Another mention is the continued play of Carson Miller, Brett White and Jacob Timmons at linebacker on defense. Those three guys just seem to get better every week.”
Solon junior, quarterback Blake Timmons, 5-foot-10, 175-pounds, was named to the third team. Timmons was 83-of-172 passing on the season, a 48.3% completion rating, for 1,553 yards and 19 passing touchdowns while committing just five interceptions. He also rushed 119 times for the Spartans amassing 888 yards and 10 touchdowns while spearheading the Spartans’ 11-1 campaign.
Stanton foreshadowed the team’s success speaking of his players earlier in the season.
“Our leadership council this year, on the varsity level, is Cayden Knipper, Gage Marty, Jake Quillin, Carson Miller, Lucas Kampman and Blake Timmons. These guys have been great throughout the off-season and during camp. These guys do a great job of leading on and off the field.”
Spartans put four on Class 3A All-State teams
December 2, 2021
Jeff Hess
Solon quarterback Blake Timmons falls in behind lineman Gage Marty while rushing for yardage. Marty was a first-team all-state selection, while Timmons earned third-team honors.
