VAN HORNE — “Bring your sunscreen. We’re going to be there all day, for three days.”
With congratulations to his team at midfield, May 12, Solon head coach Brent Sands’ words were a weather-related caution as their state qualifying track and field meet in Van Horne ended. Yet, it was mostly applause for a job well done. In heat that topped 95 degrees, and wind gusts of 40 mph, The Lady Spartans ran away with the regional qualifier. State Class 3A runners-up in 2021, Solon now set their sights on the 2022 Iowa Girls High School State Track and Field Meet, at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, May 19-21.
In the eight statewide regionals, most teams work hard to get their few best runners, throwers or jumpers to the starting marks of their three-day Class 1A, 2A, 3A or 4A meet. This year, Solon’s immediate problem, was booking enough hotel rooms!
In 3A regionals, a school’s entries must finish first or second in any of the 19 events, to gain automatic berths at the State Meet. Beyond that? Cross your fingers for an at-large slot, to fill out the few lanes remaining.
This year? The Lady Spartans qualified for State in 17 of the 19 events! That includes all seven relays, seven individual running events–three of which bring two Solon runners along–and two field events. The regional meets are more about advancing to state, not just points scored. At large qualifiers were not confirmed until late Friday. One of the eight 3A meets—in LeMars, rocked by 80 mile an hour winds—was pushed back from Thursday.
“We ran in the worst wind conditions in the state, (but) I like to think, yes, there were a couple events we felt good about winning, with our team strength,” reviewed head coach Brent Sands. “Then, also, double scoring in the 400, the 800, scoring in the 100 and 200 sprints.”
Team scores, overall, at the regional meets are not as vital as getting events through to State. Still, the scoring produced a vivid picture of the night. Solon’s 228 points dwarfed the 101 put up by runner-up Marion. Following were Mount Vernon 100.50, Cedar Rapids Xavier 80, Vinton-Shellsburg 66, Benton Community 63.50, Maquoketa 55.50 and DeWitt Central 47.
From the first running event—the 800 meter sprint medley relay—Solon set the bar high. Mia Stahle, Mia Duckett, Sophia Stahle and Emma Bock ran away with a 1:52.10 first place. The 3000 meter run was next, testing Kayla Young and the rest of the field. “I just felt super good today. The 3000 was a little rough because it was super-hot and windy”, she said. She led throughout the 7½ laps of Iowa high schools’ longest event, crossing in 11:38.06; a slower pace, but indicative of the toll the heat would take through the meet.
Young came back later, to post a double win, in the 1500. “I don’t know, I got out there from the start and managed to lead the race the whole way,” said Young. She posted a 5:16.35. “Everyone did really well tonight, I’m super proud of everyone on the team!”
Minutes later, the 4×800 relay was another early test of the sun and wind. Just 10:10.64 later—after baton passes from Kaia Holtkamp, Grace Hoeper and Anna Quillin to her, Gracie Federspiel hit the finish line; the next Solon first. With the hurdles set, Aly, Mia and Sophia Stahle—with Calla Foster—crossed first in the shuttle hurdle relay (1:07.28). Mia Duckett followed with first in the 100 meters (13.49).
MaKinley to Callie Levin to Kaia Holtkamp to Meghan O’Neill brought home a 4:25.90 win in the distance (1600 m) medley. Continuing the string of firsts, Emma Bock (58.10) led teammate Gracie Federspiel (59.47) to a 1-2 finish in 400 meters. MaK Levin, Sophia Stahle, Duckett and Aly Stahle sailed to victory in the 4×200 relay (1:47.28) to extend Solon’s string of ‘firsts’. MaK Levin’s 16’4½ final long jump attempt was good for first at Regionals. Lilly Towne was third—4’10–in the high jump.
In the open 800, Bock (2:25.49) and Kaia Holtkamp (2:25.59) tucked away another 1-2 invite to the State starting line. Aly Stahle (26.46) and Callie Levin (28.48) did likewise; 1-2 in the 200 meter dash. Sophia Stahle’s 1:08.54 got the nod for second place, in the 400 hurdles. Throw in wins in the 4×100 (Aly Stahle to MaK Levin to Duckett to Emma Wolff, (49.97) and the 4×400 (O’Neill, Holtkamp, Federspiel and Bock) and their 4:00.93 sealed a dominating performance in a meet, where the priority was not just to make it to State…but to survive near-gale force winds.
With regionals over, Sands and the rest of the Spartans look ahead at who they have NOT seen this season. “ADM (in Adel) had 90 points winning their qualifier and could look better (in some results). It depends on where you ran (in that regional. the pre-State) seeds don’t have us scoring in several relays. ADM, and usually Pella, Dubuque Wahlert and Davenport Assumption are among the top teams in the state.”
Aly Stahle leans into the fifth hurdle in her leg of the shuttle hurdle relay, at the May 12 state qualifying meet in Van Horne. Solon won there and is one of the top relay foursomes running at State late this week.