Solon took control early and often in the March 26 University of Dubuque sponsored Indoor Track Championship. Several teams had backed out of the meet early with travel and weather concerns. Eventually though, clear roads and 35 degree temperatures provided smooth sailing for the six full teams who did arrive at UD’s 200 meter indoor track complex for the 12-event invitational.
The Lady Spartans ran away with five ‘firsts’ and four ‘seconds,’ and stacked up 112 team points outrunning Iowa City West (97), Dubuque Hempstead (88), Dubuque Senior (72), Mason City (37) and Tipton (27). Each year, UD meet officials vote for three ‘MVP’ performers. For 2022 Solon had two of them: Kaia Holtkamp and Emma Bock.
“It was a great opportunity to get a lot of our people to run…not just the regulars but to put together a lineup that could go heavy on the relays, to help scoring. We need to find out where we sit with shuttle hurdle relays, 400 hurdles and other ‘outdoor’ season events”, outlined Solon coach Brent Sands. For example, at the UD meet, four shot putters made the finals finishing in the top eight, though only two per event are scored.
Points came right away with the 4×800 meter relay. Kaia Holtkamp led off with a 2:25 leg. Teammates Anna Quillin, Gracie Federspiel and Emma Bock’s splits were within a half-second to four seconds of her opener resulting in a meet record 9:46.72. “I felt pretty good. First race of the day,” recalls Federspiel. “I just try to do it for the team, to get the baton to the next person…to do my best.” The sophomore had the baton in her hand again during the final event, the 4×400 relay. “I got the baton in front and kept it in the front. As long as I can maintain it…that’s what I try to do.”
More wins, each worth ten more points on the scoreboard, came in the 4×200 (1:50.68, Megan O’Neill, Mia Duckett, Mia Stahle, Sophia Stahle), the 4×400 (4:06.45, Holtkamp, Sophia Stahle, Federspiel, Bock) as well as in the individual 800 (2:22.53, Bock), and 400 (1:01.81, Holtkamp). Second place finishes from Kayla Young in the 3000 (11:07.53) and O’Neill (backing Holtkamp’s 400 win with her 1:02.06) helped stretch the Lady Spartans’ lead.
Help also came from Sophia Stahle (2nd, 9:17) and Mia Stahle (3rd, 9:43) in the 55 hurdles. “My goal this year is to keep getting stronger,” says Sophia Stahle. “Last year, I learned to three step the (100 meter) hurdles, just not all the way through. This year, I will work on bringing my arms through to go faster over each hurdle. I can three step more and get my trail leg over faster too. Today, I three stepped all five (55 meter) hurdles.” Calla Foster’s 10.00 would have been good for a place in the 55 meter hurdles, except for the ‘two scores per school, per event’ ruling.
In the 55 dash, Mia Duckett (2nd, 7.77) was the winner. Addie McQuinn (8.05) was sixth. Ashlynn Williams (12:23) was good for sixth place in the 3000. Chipping in from the field events were Tatum Holtkamp (5th, 4’8) with Sophia Miles (6th, 4’6) in the high jump. Aisley Foster went 14’5 for fifth in the long jump. Throwers Abby Felton (30-10), Leah Kollar (30’7), Kate Shafer (29’10) and Hillary Wilson (29’2) staked out the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth places in the shot put (again, with the two scores per school, per event, quashing a few more points).
In the 1500, Anna Quillin (4th, 5:16.39) and Annika Kruse (8th, 5:41.31) each reached the scoreboard. Kobi Lietz grabbed an 800 point with her 2.48 (8th), to back Holtkamp’s win.
The early season meets are a great chance to move girls around, see where they might shore up what the team needs. Sands says that strategy seems to be paying off. “Meghan O’Neill is really making an impression on us this early season. She (a four-year cross country letter winner) asked if we could explore sprints a little more, even with plenty of middle distance opportunities in track. Meghan is definitely battling for a spot in the sprints,” including the winning 4×200 foursome.
Weather permitting…. always a ‘maybe’ this time of year, Solon was expected to be at the early bird Tipton outdoor meet this week. Then on Saturday, at Cedar Rapids Kingston Stadium as the big Jefferson Invitational convenes.
Mia Duckett reaches for Mia Stahle for the baton pass in the 4x200 meter relay. The Solon team of Meghan O’Neill, Ducket, Stahle, and Sophi Stahle took first in a time of 1:50.68.