MARION — With a pair of wins and second-place finishes in five more events, Solon’s girls snagged the runner-up slot at the 15 team Linn-Mar Invitational track meet Friday, April 14 in Marion. Solon broke the 100 point barrier chasing the host Lions. Linn-Mar though, stretched its lead to 126-107 late in the meet for the title.
Pleasant Valley (94 points) and Cedar Rapids Kennedy (70) went third and fourth. Bettendorf (61) and Cedar Rapids Prairie (58) led the rest, which included Marion (47), Hempstead (45), Western Dubuque-Epworth (42), Cedar Rapids Washington (30), Davenport Central (21), Davenport Assumption (15), Cedar Rapids Jefferson (13) and Davenport West (7).
Wins for Solon came in the shuttle hurdle relay (108.73 with Aly Stahle, Trea Eidahl, Mia Stahle and Calla Foster) coming out of the blocks and the 400 hurdles (Mia Stahle, 1:07.94, with Eidahl eighth, 1:16.91). Ella Sheeley pushed for that eight spot (12:30.46) in the 3000. Emma Wolff, Josie Lahr, Hailey Miller and Piper Stahle did likewise in the 4×200.
Depth equals points for 2023 Lady Spartans
Solon showed depth throughout the evening, and the 19 events contested. Second place came from the discus, 100, 4×800, 800, and 1500. ‘Down to the wire’ took on extra meaning several times. Aly Stahle’s 12.87 100 meters trailed Western Dubuque’s Brynn Wolters’ by just .01 second. Anna Quillin had her best 800 open time. Kayla Young turned in her best 1500 finish. Kobi Lietz, coming off an injury, had a couple very good 400 relay splits.
That depth is important as the girls head into the late season after the Drake Relays next week.
“We had a couple scratches (at Linn-Mar), and some of those ‘second places’ too show how well rounded the team is. This should give them confidence heading toward Drake, especially with a lot of larger schools there,” noted coach Jess Brimeyer.
In the 800, Solon’s Gracie Federspiel battled Dubuque Hempstead’s Keely Leitzen over the two laps. Leitzen’s 2:15.08 edged her 2:15.95 for the win. Still, Federspiel met the ‘Blue Standard’ for automatic entry at Drake. “Nice night to run. The competition was really, really good,” she noted. “And our team has been really supportive of each other telling me, ‘I can do it’ before the race. It really helps me gain confidence.” But did she know she was on track to hit that Drake standard? “At 400, I thought, ‘Yes, I can do it!’ Then that last 200 I knew I just had to give it everything I had. Ultimately, I didn’t get the win, but I gave it everything.”
Teammate Anna Quillin crossed at 2:28.04 for seventh, her best, noted Brimeyer. She also pointed to a couple good 400 carries from Lietz and a 5:03.29 Young 1500 only to have Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Alyssa Brandt out lean her in a 5:03.27 photo finish win.
Field events come through, again
Kate Shafer went through the discus finals holding the lead after five throws. On the last toss, Pleasant Valley’s Reese Goodlet heaved it 120’3 to slip past Shafer’s 116-9. However, as they’ve done several times this season, the Lady Spartans ‘throws crew’ still outpointed the winner. Abbie Felton added third place points, whipping it 112-3. “I knew it was good when it left my hand. Didn’t know if it was going to be a ‘PR’ with the way the field was lined,” said Felton, who was throwing in the ‘90s’ just a couple weeks ago. “It’s sticking with what we are doing then hitting the weight room. Just us believing in each other.”
From the jump pits, Aisley Foster’s 15’4 long jump was eighth. Lilly Towne cleared 4’8, for 7th in the high jump.
Adding to the Solon haul was Mia Stahle, again, in the 100 hurdles. Her 16.55 was fourth place. In the 200, Aly Stahle (26.25) was third with Piper Stahle (27.05) fifth. Aly and Piper Stahle teamed with Aisley Foster and Emma Wolff for fourth in the 4×100 (51.19). Kobi Lietz, Addy Miller, Jozie Lahr and Federspiel teamed up for third in the 4×400 (4:13.17). Piper Stahle, Wolff, Mia Stahle and Lahr were sixth in the sprint medley, with a 1:57.79.
“I’ve been doing a lot more ‘400 workouts.’ Normally, I do (shorter) sprints,” said Mia Stahle. “I think the 400s are really helping my endurance this year, also the work in the offseason has helped me.”
“There are still some things to figure out, some battles going on with girls pretty close in time,” points out Brimeyer. “We will try some girls in different areas, figure out who should be on some of the relays. That’s the main thing, going forward.”
Upcoming schedule
Thursday, April 20 – AT Davenport Assumption HS. 4:00 p.m.
Monday, April 24 – AT Center Point-Urbana HS. 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 27 – AT Clear Creek Amana HS (Pacha Relays). 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, April 27 – Saturday, April 29 – Drake Relays
Ella Sheeley and Grace Fiala work their way through the 3000 meter run Friday, April 14 at the Linn-Mar Invitational track meet.