WILLIAMSBURG — With the cross country calendar flipping quickly toward the post-season, Solon is matching up with potential foes it will face at conference, district, and hopefully state meet competition yet this month.
Ahead of that late season roll getting underway, Solon ran ‘top five’ against 13 schools at Williamsburg, September 27. The fourth rated Class 3A Lady Spartans finished fourth. The boys, ranked 15th last week, notched fifth place.
True to the girls’ ratings, top-ranked Pella won the meet, tallying 53 points with its first five runners. Mt. Vernon matched its No.2 team ranking (with 65), just edging No.4 Solon (67) in the 13-team meet. A half dozen partial (fewer than five runner) teams were on the course too.
For the girls, it was 3A’s first and fifth ranked individual runners also on the run. Lourdes Mason of Mt. Vernon-Lisbon won the meet in 18:41with Solon’s Kayla Young third, at 19:35. Pella freshman Marissa Ferrebe squeezed between them for second, at 19:31.
For the Lady Spartans, Mary Fiala was tenth followed by teammates Gracie Federspiel (13th, 20:39), Sydney Dee (16th, 20:55), Ashlyn Williams (25th, 21:33) and Ella Sheeley (32nd, 22:00) with 92 varsity runners on the course. In the JV race, Mara Düster posted the win (21:40) over 88 runners. Kerrigan Lyons was sixth in 22:25 and Grace Fiala finished 15th in 23:14.
With the state qualifier in mind, again, Solon’s 15th ranked boys have run already against (and gotten a look at) eight of those rated above them. They finished fifth in the team rundown at the Williamsburg meet. Pella won the meet (42 points) with Mount Vernon-Lisbon second (91) among 14 full teams. Chase Lauman of Pella took the top individual honors with a 16:26 run. Michael Yeomans’ 16:59 paced the Spartans in ninth place. Yeomans was followed by Brick Kabela (12th, 17:03), Grant Bumsted (33rd, 17:59), Lawson Sinnwell (37th, 18:14), and Evan Burg (43rd, 18:28).
In the JV race, Pella claimed 11 of the first 12 spots. Solon’s Wyatt Applegarth (13th, 18:44), Nathan Schadler (14th, 18:47) and Mason Pauley (15th, 18:58) were first across for the Spartans.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Joe Petz • Contributed Photo

Grace Fiala keeps pace with a Williamsburg runner Tuesday, Sept. 27 in Williamsburg.