The first week of competition in the New Year equated to two wins — 69-40, over the West Delaware Hawks, Jan. 4, and a 46-36 victory over Beckman Catholic, Jan. 7, both games in front of Spartan Nation.
Solon defeated WaMaC East Division opponent West Delaware, 69-40, after springing out to a dominant first-quarter lead, 21-9. West Delaware rallied in the second quarter scoring 19 to Solon’s 13 to close the gap, 34-28, entering the locker rooms. Solon stepped up the defense and matched scoring production with 13 more points holding the Hawks to just eight for a 47-36 advantage to start the final quarter.
“We got out early, I think 13-2,” elaborated head coach Jamie Smith. “We did a good job on defense which let us get the ball up the court, and we scored in transition. We are always trying to do this. I think Callie had another real good game on both ends. Mia (Stahle) came off the bench and hit three big threes when West Delaware was trying to make a run.”
Sophomore Callie Levin poured in 28 points to lead all while the stingy Lady Spartan defense held the Hawks’ leading scorer Brooke Krogmann to just 14 points. Stahle scored nine points and MaKinley Levin eight. Holubar grabbed five rebounds and recorded one steal. Ava Stebral amassed five assists and Callie Levin three.
At the end of the third quarter, the veteran voice of the Lady Spartans, Don Ellis, acknowledged senior Elly Holubar quietly surpassed the 500-career rebound threshold.
Smith praised Holubar’s success surpassing a career benchmark under the hoops. “Anytime you can get 500 rebounds in a career, it should be celebrated,” hailed Smith. “A big accomplishment for Elly and the program. Not for sure we use them as motivation tools, but they are noticed.”
Smith also was proud of the Lady Spartans extending the win streak. “I thought offensively we were pretty good. Hit some shots, got some movement, and scored in transition. Defensively, we were pretty good for 24 minutes of the game. Outstanding in the second half.”
The win improves Solon’s record to 6-5 for the season, 4-3 in WaMaC play, the Hawks dropped to 3-7, 1-3.
The Lady Spartans continued their winning way Jan. 7, at home, outperforming the Beckman Catholic Blazers, 46-36. The Lady Spartans, anchored by 24 total points by Callie Levin, established a tentative lead 11-7 to end the first quarter and matched the performance in the second quarter for a 22-14 lead as the teams stepped into the locker rooms. Outscored 10-8 by the Blazers in the third quarter, the Lady Spartans entered the final quarter of play with just a 10-point lead.
“Callie had another good night, all the way around, and hit some big buckets down the stretch, including 5-of-5 from the line,” Smith summarized. “Ava (Stebral) and Kaia (Holtkamp) each hit a three in the third quarter, what we needed when Beckman was making a run. Beckman’s zone is the best zone we will see this year. They made it tough for us to do anything at times. I think we are at the state where we think we are going to win every game we play. So the morale was good at the half. I like where we are at on both ends of the court. We have been playing a pressure zone more and it has got better recently.”
Callie Levin added five rebounds and three assists. MaKinley Levin scored eight points and Holtkamp recorded six, while grabbing the lion’s share of rebounds, seven, and collecting an assist. Holubar battled for five rebounds.
The win extended the win streak to four in a row moving Solon’s record to 7-5 and the Blazers fell to 5-6 on the season.
The Lady Spartans host the Mount Vernon Mustangs Friday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 p.m. The Marion Wolves visit Solon on Tuesday, Jan. 18, at 6 p.m. and the Lady Spartans trek to West Delaware for a 6 p.m. rematch Friday, Jan. 21.
“Mount Vernon will be a fun game,” Smith said. “Marion is always a fun game and one we have marked on the calendar, but we have games before, so we need to worry about those first.”
Leading Solon against West Delaware were: scoring — Callie Levin 28, Mia Stahle nine, MaK Levin eight, Hailey Miller six, Kaia Holtkamp and Claire LaDage five, Ava Stebral four, Holubar and Hillary Wilson two; 3-pointers — Stahle three, MaK Levin two, Callie Levin and LaDage, Miller one; rebounds — Holubar five, Holtkamp and Callie Levin four, Stebral and MaK Levin three, Stahle, LaDage and Wilson two; assists — Stebral four, Callie Levin three, MaK Levin, Stahle, Miller and Wilson two, Holtkamp, Holubar and LaDage one; steals — Miller four, MaK Levin, Callie Levin and LaDage two, Stebral, Holtkamp, Holubar and Anna Quillin one; blocks — MaK Levin one.
Solon’s leaders against Beckman were: scoring — Callie Levin 24, MaKinley Levin eight, Holtkamp six, Stebral three, Ladage and Wilson two, Holubar 1; 3-pointers — Callie Levin three, Holtkamp and Stebral one; rebounds — Holtkamp seven, Callie Levin and Holubar five, MaK Levin and LaDage three, Stebral two, Stahle, Miller and Wilson one; assists — Callie Levin three, Stebral two, Holtkamp, MaK Levin and Holubar one; steals — Callie Levin and Stebral three, Wilson two, Holtkamp, MaK Levin, Holubar and Miller one..

Gallery • 6 Photos

Jeff Hess

Solon sophomore Hailey Miller drives into a West Delaware Hawk cutting toward the basket in the Lady Spartans’ 69-40 victory over the Hawks, at home, Jan. 4.