MOUNT PLEASANT — The varsity boys pulled off a mild upset as they knocked off No.3-seeded Mount Pleasant 49-36 in a Class 3A Substate No. 6 semifinal Thursday, Feb. 23 in the Panthers’ den. The win advanced Solon, the No.4-seed, to the State Qualifier game Tuesday, Feb. 28 against No.1-seed Newton at Oskaloosa (neutral site).
The Panthers won a very low-scoring first period 4-3. Gehrig Turner drained a three-pointer halfway through the period to light up the scoreboard first. Mount Pleasant put up a free throw with 3:21 left in the quarter and followed with a basket and free throw in the final minute. Solon led 19-12 at the half with back-to-back field goals from Jake Benzine, a layup from Oaken Foster, and back-to-back buckets by Rylen Stiegelmeyer.
Benzing nailed a three pointer in the third for a 23-17 advantage on the way to a 30-23 lead at the end of the quarter. Benzing sank his second (of two) three-point shots in the fourth making it 39-31. Vince Steinbrech nailed six free throws and had two baskets in the quarter as well.
Mount Pleasant’s Aaiden Ashton, a senior, led all with 18 points while Steinbrech led the Spartans with 13 points and seven rebounds. Benzing had a 12-point night, Sean Stahle, Turner, and Stiegelmeyer produced six points each with four by Foster and two from Will Cusick.
The win kept the Spartans’ postseason campaign alive and improved their record to 18-5. The Panthers, Southeast Conference champions, ended their season at 18-6 overall and 8-2 in the conference.
Newton cruised to the final with their 70-56 quarterfinals win over Oskaloosa and a 72-52 win over Fairfield in the semis.
The winner advances to the Class 3A State Tournament Monday, March 6-Friday, March 10 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.