SOLON — The varsity Spartans moved to 2-1 on the season after defeating Vinton-Shellsburg 62-26 and falling 52-48 to Center Point-Urbana last week.
The Vikings visited Tuesday, Dec. 6, and quickly fell into a hole as Solon won the first period 23-7. Oaken Foster opened with a three-point basket, which was answered in-kind by the Vikings. Gehrig Turner, Jake Benzing, and Foster built a 9-3 lead before Vince Steinbrech put in back-to-back baskets making it 13-5. Will Cusick, Turner, Foster, and Steinbrech built the lead to 23-5 before Vinton-Shellsburg put up a pair of free throws with 1.8 seconds left in the quarter.
The Vikings rallied back in the second period, draining a pair of three-pointers and cutting their deficit to nine points as they trailed 28-19. A pair of back-to-back three pointers by Sean Stahle made it 34-21 and a rebound and basket by Foster gave the Spartans a 39-23 halftime lead.
Solon defense and cold shooting by Vinton-Shellsburg resulted in only one basket, a three-pointer, for the visitors in the third period while Stahle, Austin Knight, and Benzing struck for a 48-26 advantage going into the final eight minutes. The Vikings were held scoreless in the fourth as Rylen Stiegelmeyer and Benzing made it 60-26 with a pair of three-pointers from Stiegelmeyer. Cusick, Brayden Miller, Isaiah Zoske, Jace Janssen, and Cole Buffington entered the game with roughly three minutes left to play, and Nolan Seagren also saw playing time.
Stahle led all with 13 points, Benzing produced ten, Foster and Steinbrech had nine points each, Stiegelmeyer contributed eight, Turner had seven, Knight had four points, and Cusick added two. Benzing led on the boards with a dozen rebounds, Foster made four steals, and Stahle and Foster had three assists apiece.
Friday, Dec. 9, the Spartans visited the Stormin’ Pointers and narrowly won the first period 10-8 before trailing 24-20 at halftime and 39-32 after three quarters of play.
CPU’s Easton Tupa led all with 23 points including four from three-point range. Benzing led Solon with 13 points, Turner and Stiegelmeyer had an eight-point night each, Stahle, Foster, and Steinbrech produced five points apiece, and Knight and Cusick contributed two points each. Foster pulled down 11 rebounds, Foster made four steals and four assists.
The Marion Wolves visit for a girl-boy doubleheader Friday, Dec. 16 with the freshmen boys starting at 4:30 p.m., sophomores at 6:00 p.m., and varsity at 7:15 p.m. Solon travels to Mid-Prairie (Wellman) Monday, Dec. 19 for a non-conference girl-boy doubleheader with sophomores playing at 4:30 p.m., freshmen at 5:45 p.m., and the varsity boys tipping off at 7:30 p.m. to close out 2022.
Williamsburg opens 2023 with a girl-boy doubleheader Tuesday, Jan. 3.
WaMaC East standings (12-12-22)
Conference Overall
Mount Vernon 2-0 4-1
W. Delaware 2-0 4-1
Marion 1-0 2-2
Maquoketa 2-1 3-1
Solon 1-1 2-1
Beckman 1-1 2-2
Gehrig Turner gets fouled while shooting Tuesday, Dec. 6 against Vinton-Shellsburg. Turner, a junior, had seven points in a 62-26 win.