The varsity Lady Spartans finished the season last year at 26-13 overall, 1-3 in the WaMaC East, and made it to the Regional Final under first year head coach and 2016 Solon grad Mikayla Siddell. This year the program has seen a large shift in the number of players involved and made some staff changes Siddell describes as influential.
The team lost five seniors: Mik Langenberg, Kylee Flynn, Brianna Kerkove, Delaney Bombei, and Sophia Hoeper to graduation this past May. Bombei led the squad with 220 kills and reached a career milestone of 500 kills last October at home against Independence on Senior Night. Bombei also reached 250 blocks last season as well.
“We have several returning starters this season with a large number of returning athletes,” said Siddell.
Senior Brynn Deike, a setter, leads the returning starters this season after producing 678 assists, 75 kills, nine solo blocks, 29 block assists, 117 digs, and a team high 46 ace serves. She is joined by juniors Grace Erwin, Yasmine Sell, and Aly Stahle with sophomore Kennedey Whitford. Erwin, a middle, earned 1st Team All-Conference honors last year with 191 kills and a team high 73 blocks. In addition, Erwin made 93 block assists. Sell, an outside hitter, received All-Conference Honorable Mention with 145 kills, 52 solo blocks, and 88 block assists while Stahle, an outside hitter, earned All-Conference Honorable Mention with 189 kills, 23 solo blocks, and 41 block assists. She was also named to the Iowa Girls Coaches Association’s Class 3A Northeast team with Bombei. Whitford, a Libero and defensive specialist, had 245 digs, 24 ace serves, and 30 assists last season.
Also back are letterwinners Izzy Frees, a junior setter, and Jozie Lahr, a sophomore middle. Frees made 45 assists and two kills last season while Lahr was a stand-out performer on the JV squad. In 29 varsity sets, she produced 19 kills, 11 solo blocks, and 16 block assists.
The Lady Spartans’ coaching staff features four Solon alumni (including Siddell) with Kelsey Hinrichs (2013) and Alicen Weeks as varsity assistant coaches. Hinrichs will also coach the JV team. Taylor Bransky (2015) continues as the sophomore head coach and will be assisted by Brookelyn Whitford (2020) while Taylor Wilgenbusch takes over the freshman team.
As has become the norm, the WaMaC Conference will remain as competitive as ever. “We will see some ranked teams like state runner-up Clear Creek Amana (CCA) (ranked 8th in Class 4A at the end of last season and No. 1 in 4A by the Cedar Rapids Gazette), Mount Vernon (3rd in 3A end of season, 7th in the Gazette’s preseason rankings), and West Delaware (6th in 4A last season, 10th in the Gazette’s preseason rankings).” The Gazette has the Lady Spartans ranked ninth in 3A.
CCA, West Branch, and West Liberty (who ended Solon’s season 3-1 in last year’s 3A Regional final) visit Tuesday, August 29 for a quad while Mount Vernon visits Tuesday, Sept. 5 for the season opener with freshmen and JV games starting at 5:00 p.m., sophomores playing at 6:00, and the varsity taking the floor at 7:30.
Military Appreciation Night is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 12 (vs. Center Point-Urbana), Thursday, Sept. 14 is Cancer Night (vs. Xavier Catholic, Cedar Rapids), while Senior Night will be Tuesday, Sept. 26 (against West Delaware).
“The progression with the team’s leadership, drive, and motivation to succeed has greatly developed since last season,” the coach said. “We are hoping to continue where we left last season and build upon what it means to be a part of our program. Most of all, we want to spread the love of the game to all athletes and the community.”