DES MOINES — Qualifying for State in all seven relay events is a good indication of the depth packed by the Lady Spartans as they took charge at the 2022 Iowa High School State Track and Field Meet.
Solon won the Class 3A title, with first place in three of those relays, and no lower than fourth in the other four and with points in four individual events. With siren blaring, and lights flashing from a Solon Fire Department escort into town Saturday evening, the sidewalk crowd knew it had been a good weekend on the Drake University track in Des Moines!
Qualifying in 16 events; Solon’s girls scored in 11 with double places in the 400 and 800 meter events. “This is the second year in a row we have scored in every relay. That’s what I’m most proud of, a testament to our depth,” observed Coach Brent Sands. “The 4×100, 4×800, the hurdles that entire range, add Kayla (Young) in the 3000 and from 100 meters on up, you need to have depth to put together relays that strong.”
How it began? Kayla Young struck first, with fourth place in the 3000 meters (11:08.56) on Thursday. O’Neill, Federspiel, Anna Quillin and Holtkamp notched the first event victory in the 4×800 (9:34.41). Solon’s shuttle hurdle team—Mia Stahle, Calla Foster, Sophia Stahle and Aly Stahle made it through the Thursday prelims for a finals finish (1:06.27) Saturday, good for fourth place, with a new school record. “I love our shuttle hurdle team–the team environment. We are always so supportive and push each other,” said Sophia Stahle.
She was in the blocks Friday in the 400 meter hurdles. “I tried getting out as hard as I possibly could. I wanted to run a fast 200; 28-29 seconds,” she detailed. “Then, I tried to ‘kick it’ over the last 150…move my arms faster, legs faster…and get over the hurdles smoothly.” Her plan of attack netted 1:04.86, and third place points.
Bock (57.09) and Federspiel (58.08) went third and fourth in the open 400 on Thursday. They picked up more hardware in the 800; Bock (2:18.22) in third place and Holtkamp (2:20.84) just a couple strides back in fifth.
On Friday, in the distance (1600 meter) medley, MaK Levin came out of the blocks for her 200 leg, then held her breath as teammates O’Neill, Holtkamp and Bock advanced the baton not sure of a safe split with state meet caliber teams on the track. “I was screaming at Emma when she came around on time (and finishing first). I was running to the finish line from the far side. I was just, ‘yes thank you.’ It was really exciting,” admitted Levin.
By then, the (800 meter) sprint medley was also in the books. Make it fourth place for Mia Stahle, Duckett, Sophia Stahle and Federspiel, in 1:49.88.
In the 4×100 preliminaries, Aly Stahle, MaK Levin, Mia Duckett and Emma Wolff did the legwork for a new school record, going 49.11. On Saturday, they captured third in the finals (49.28) though the Friday mark stands as a school record. Third place points came too in the 4×200 relay. MaK Levin, Sophia Stahle, Duckett and Aly Stahle fueled a 1:43.04 two lap trip around the track.
Besides the state title, Sands noted the Lady Spartans broke four school records: the 4×100, 4×200, shuttle hurdle relay and for Emma Bock? Her own 400. “Also, Sophia Stahle’s 400 hurdles performance was just two-tenths of a second off the (1979) record. She made a big jump from where she was earlier,” said Sands. “The 4×200 team would have won Class 4A with their time. 3A had some pretty tough times, this year.”
The season is over. It will be tough to replace the seniors leaving this year. “You develop a good relationship with kids for four years. Any time they walk out the door, it’s hard,” admits Sands. “Track means so much for this group. It’s their ‘first’ sport, not a second passion. That becomes contagious to other people. From that aspect, it is hard to watch them leave. We have to develop leaders to keep it going.”
After winning all their 2022 meets, defending a state title in 2023 will be a great next step.
Who Is Watching You Now?
After Day One on Thursday, May 19 with four ‘finals’ events, Solon held a 15-14-13 point lead over ADM (Adel), Ballard of Huxley and the rest of Iowa’s 3A field. The gap stretched to 48-36 as Day Two closed–though ADM still active in the hunt. Final events were held Saturday, rotating through all four girls’ and boys’ enrollment classes. By mid-afternoon, the rumbling began. With live scoring available online, it was apparent. A Solon win in the 4×100 would be more than enough for the championship. The rumbling began. Would it rattle the front-runner?
Solon had looked at the ‘what if’ factor early in the day. “Something would really have to go wrong, NOT to be in position (to win),” outlined Sands. “We made sure the 4×100 team knew not to press it.” Aly Stahle, MaK Levin, Duckett and Wolff put together a solid ‘good handoff’ 49.28 third place finish to avoid any problems, and the championship was Solon’s.
And, heading into the meet’s final event, Solon senior Kaia Holtkamp just shut out the noise. “Personally, I didn’t think about it. I knew that if I got my goal (the team title) early, I would be less concerned. That went for all of us. I really wanted to finish out on a win. (When we did), we were all overjoyed!” She and 4×400 teammates Meghan O’Neill, Gracie Federspiel and anchor Emma Bock were each timed in ‘sub 60’ second splits…3:55.14 for the win. And a team championship did mean more than one late-in-the-meet race.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Joe Wilkinson

Calla Foster leans into the next hurdle, during the Class 3A shuttle hurdle relay finals, May 21 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. Foster, Sophia Stahle, Aly Stahle and Mia Stahle finished fifth, in 1:06.27, breaking a school record on the way.