“228 points? That’s insane!” The words of one fan May 11 in Mount Pleasant as Solon’s girls swept their Class 3A state qualifying track and field meet.
Qualifying in all 19 events run at State, the Lady Spartans won 13 of them and nearly doubled the score of runner-up Clear Creek-Amana in their eight school District competition.
“The girls definitely ‘showed up’ and competed. They did exactly what they needed to do,” applauded Coach Jess Brimeyer.
With seven second places alongside the 13 wins, and a couple more ‘top eight statewide’ places making the 3A cutoff, the Lady Spartans will be hard to touch in the May 18-20 Iowa high school championships, at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. At State, a Class 3A entry qualifies automatically with a first or second place regional finish. From there, only the next eight best ‘at large’ finishes per event rate a trip to the starting line.
Solon arrives there this week as the defending Class 3A state champion.
Ahead of that? “We have to take a look at the state meet schedule, reshuffle some relays based on what other schools will be doing,” said Brimeyer. “It’s where we think we can score the most points and best utilize some of our girls, over the three days.”
At Mount Pleasant, Solon won the first seven running events. They roll into State with the fastest times in five, based on results from all eight 3A regionals. They include the 400 meters (Gracie Federspiel, 56.97 seconds), 400 hurdles (Sophia Stahle 1:05.47), 400-meter shuttle hurdle relay (Mia Stahle, Calla Foster, Sophia Stahle and Aly Stahle, 1:05.56), the 4×400 relay (Kobi Lietz, Kerrigan Lyons, Grace Hoeper and Federspiel) and the 4×800 relay (Anna Quillin, Hoeper, Ashlyn Williams and Federspiel).
Elsewhere in their regional, Mia Duckett, Emma Wolff, Aly Stahle and Sophia Stahle stopped the clock at 1:49.09, over the two lap 800-meter sprint medley relay. With Mia Stahle, Piper Stahle, Grace Hoeper and Anna Quillin, Solon also won the 1600-meter distance medley in 4:22.57.
In the 100, Piper Stahle’s 13.12 was a regional win. Kobi Lietz backed Federspiel’s 400 win with her own 1:00.89, for a 1-2 finish. Aisley Foster, Duckett, Piper and Mia Stahle’s 1:42.92 snagged third place in the 4×200. Sophia Stahle posted a 15.31 100 hurdles win. Calla Foster’s 16.92 was just .01 second from qualifying. Quillin ran third in the 800, a 2:26.67 qualifier, backing Federspiel’s first place. The Lady Spartans also doubled up in the 200 with Duckett running 26.66, second behind Aly Stahle’s 25.77 first. Mia Stahle provides a double threat for Solon in the 400 hurdles (1:08.16), second alongside Sophia’s victory.
Kayla Young went ‘1-3’ in her two long hauls — 10:44.14 for first place in the 3000 meters and an automatic ticket to State, then 5:01.19 in the 1500 for third place, still making it to the state starting line. Mary Fiala was fourth (11:48.09) in the 3000.
Bonus points came from the four field events. “We have at least one girl placing in each field event. That’s awesome,” reviewed Brimeyer. “First and second in the discus. They’re coming on at the right time. They deserve what they’re achieving. They’ve worked really hard, putting in a lot of time in the weight room and at practice. Even after late meets in the evening, they are there the next morning.”
A 1-2 punch from Kate Shafer (121‘10) and Abigail Felton (111’8) topped the regional discus field. Leah Kollar (36-6½) qualified second in the shot put. Hilary Wilson was seventh (33’9). “It’s a huge thing; the mentality of training for May,” emphasizes Kollar of the throwers’ regimen. “If you have a bad week, you make it up at the next meet. We work as hard as we can into May and then throw our best in May.”
Hailey Miller goes to State as runner-up (16’7¾) in the long jump and Aisley Foster placed sixth (15’7¾). Lilly Towne finished third (4’10) in the high jump, claiming an at large berth.
Standings: Mount Pleasant, May 13 3A Track and Field qualifier
Solon 228
Clear Creek-Amana 126
Mount Pleasant 113
Washington 102
Fairfield 64
Fort Madison 50
West Burlington, Notre Dame 45
Keokuk 4
Tickets to the 2023 Iowa High School Track & Field Championships
Go to https://www.iahsaa.org/tickets. Cost — $10/day.
Shot putter Hilary Wilson comes around for her release in the girls shot put May 11 in Solon’s Class 3A state qualifying meet.