The varsity Spartans ended the 2022 football season with an 8-3 record after losing to rival Mount Vernon in the Class 3A Quarterfinals. Seniors Blake Timmons, Mac McCarty, Landon Shive, Brayden Ruskey, Fischer Harrison, Rhyse Wear, Sean Stahle, Quinton Heineman, Charlie Hammil, Oaken Foster, Dawson Fordice, Zeb Kleinsmith, David Karam, Luke Woessner, Adam Smith, Joe Ebert, and Aidan Doyle graduated this past May.
However, Lucas Stanton, in his fourth year leading the program, returns 29 seniors, and “a lot of players with great experience” as Solon stays in Class 3A District 5 but bids farewell to Keokuk, Washington, and West Burlington-Notre Dame. In their place for the ’23 and ’24 seasons are WaMaC foes Benton Community, South Tama County, and Williamsburg. Benton went 6-4 last year while South Tama had only one win in nine outings. Williamsburg, moving up to 3A this year, went 12-1 falling to Central Lyon/George-Little Rock in the Class 2A Championship game.
Returning starters
Nine seniors – Brett White, Ben Kampman, Nash Kotar, Brayden Moore, Barret Schade, Mason Scott, Marcus Richard, Kaleb Behrends, and Grant Knipper, are back in the starting lineup. White is a 6’, 205-lb. three-year starter and All-State inside linebacker. He led the Spartans’ offense as a running back with 922 yards of rushing on 111 carries and led defensively with 43 solo tackles. Kampman, a 6’3, 210-lb. defensive end/tight end, is a three-year varsity letter winner and two-year starter with 29 solo tackles last season including seven sacks. He also received All State honors. Kotar, a 6’, 185-lb. defensive back and wide receiver, was a starter last season until sidelined by an injury. Coach Stanton predicts a great year for Kotar. Moore, a 5’10, 185-lb. linebacker and running back, started every game last season at outside linebacker. He was an All-District performer with 19 solo tackles including one sack.
Schade, a 5’10., 190-lb inside linebacker and running back, made 11 solo tackles last season. Scott, a 6’2, 215-lb. lineman started every game last season at right guard and earned All-District Honorable Mention. Richard is a 6’3, 250-lb. lineman who started every game last season at left tackle and also received All-District Honorable Mention. Behrends is a 6’4, 265-lb. lineman who was a defensive line starter multiple times last season while Knipper, a 5’11, 165-lb. kicker, defensive back, and wide receiver was named the All-District Special Teams Player of the Year after nailing four of seven field goal attempts with the longest at 35 yards. He also drilled 46 of 49 point after kicks through the uprights. Coach Stanton notes, “He should be a kicking threat for us, and will compete to start at defensive back and wide receiver.”
Junior Grant Wilson also returns to the starting lineup. Wilson is a 5’10, 230-lb. lineman who started every game at center as a sophomore and earned All-District Honorable Mention.
Other returning letterwinners
Ten seniors -Jack McCarty, Austin Knight, Kenan Kruse, Carter Grimm, Trevor Myers, Ryan Walsh, Gavin Sieverding, Cole Buffington, Cole Farnsworth, and Milo Ashbacker; and two juniors – Eddie Johnson and Oliver Owens, also are back this season.
McCarty is a wide receiver and defensive back. Stanton said he “had a great JV season and off season.” McCarty produced six solo tackles last season for the varsity and had three kick returns for 40 yards and one punt return for 23 yards. Knight is also a wide receiver and defensive back who rotated between wide receiver and corner last year. Knight made seven solo tackles and had two receptions for 57 yards. Kruse is a linebacker and tight end who rotated at outside linebacker. Kruse made six solo tackles and two interceptions last season and had one punt return that he ran back 28 yards for a touchdown. Grimm is a lineman Stanton said finished the year strong last season and should be fighting for a starting spot on the offensive and defensive line.
Myers is also a lineman who was the Spartans’ sixth offensive lineman last season. Stanton noted Myers “knows every position on the offensive line.” Walsh is a defensive lineman who rotated in frequently early last season until an injury sidelined him. Sieverding is a wide receiver and defensive back who rotated at corner last year. Buffington is also a wide receiver and defensive back who Stanton noted, “Played a lot of meaningful snaps at wide receiver a year ago and has some very good natural ability.” Buffington recovered one fumble for the Spartans. Farnsworth, a wide receiver and defensive back, had a great off-season according to Stanton and “really came on strong at the end of last season.” Farnsworth had one reception for 17 yards and one solo tackle. Ashbacker, a defensive and running back, “Had a great off season,” Stanton said adding, “He’s a very energetic player.” Ashbacker made eight carries for 33 yards.
Johnson is a running back and defensive end who Stanton said had a great JV year and saw varsity action in the playoffs. Johnson had 16 varsity carries for 66 yards and two receptions for 17 yards and one touchdown while Owens “came on strong at the end of the year,” said the coach. Owens had one reception for six yards.
Newcomers eager
to contribute
Juniors Cole Carney and Tyler Bell, with sophomore Conlan Poynton are poised to help build the Spartan’s success this season. Carney is a running and defensive back Stanton described as “Very explosive and will find himself on the field somehow, some way. Bell, a quarterback and defensive back. Bell had two punts for 77 yards last year and Stanton described him as “very dedicated. He grew a lot in the off season and should compete to be the starting quarterback.” Poynton is also a quarterback and defensive back who Stanton described as a “gifted athlete who will compete to see time on either side of the ball.”
Strengths and
question marks
Stanton is faced with finding a replacement for three-year starting quarterback Blake Timmons, who completed 82 of 162 passes last year for 929 yards and seven touchdowns. Timmons also kept the ball 125 times for 764 yards and 15 touchdowns including an 80-yard run. Brayden Ruskey was the backup QB with nine completions out of 24 attempts with one pass apiece by Kotar and Oaken Foster.
“We’ve had two quarterbacks in six years,” said Stanton, leaving big shoes for somebody to fill.
“We really like our district and the competitiveness of it. Williamsburg, Benton, and Grinnell will all be very good.”
Season opens on the road after scrimmage this week
After a Week Zero scrimmage at home with Monticello Friday, August 18 (JV at 5:00 p.m., varsity to follow at 6:30), the season opens Friday, August 25 at Assumption Catholic in Davenport with the frosh/soph game starting at 5:00 p.m. and varsity at 7:30. Clear Creek Amana visits for the home opener Friday, Sept. 1 with frosh/sophs at 5:00 p.m. and varsity at 7:30.
The Spartans will honor America’s armed forces on Friday, Sept. 8 with Armed Forces Night as Central DeWitt visits.
“Overall, we feel really good about our team, and we like the fact that we will be tested right away and through district play. Our guys are excited about the challenges ahead,” said Stanton.
Sean Stahle (13) celebrates forcing a fumble, recovering the ball, scampering 26 yards to the endzone, and scoring in the first minute against Grinnell last season with Aidan Doyle (72).