ANAMOSA — A break in the heat was a break for the runners as Solon’s cross-country teams kicked off their 2023 season Saturday, August 26 at the Anamosa Invitational. The girls and boys each placed their five scoring runners in their top 16, each team at 55 points. For the Lady Spartans, that was good for the win. For the boys, it was a solid second place with Cedar Rapids Kennedy taking five of the first seven individual places in the 130-runner boys’ field.
With temperatures in the high 90s over the previous week, it meant precautions before turning runners loose over Anamosa’s rolling, hilly five kilometers. “For our first meet, on a really hot Saturday, everybody just ‘stepped it up,” noted Solon head coach Emy Williams. “They really attacked the course and ran smart races from seniors to freshmen.”
Senior savvy showed, especially on the boys’ side
Brick Kabela finished third overall (16:24), just 21 seconds behind meet medalist Adam Gray. Senior teammates Michael Yeomans (8th, 21:13), Lawsin Sinnwell (13th, 18:12), and Collin Bumsted (15th, 18:16) packed through the finish chute shortly after with sophomore Spencer Michaels taking the fifth team scoring slot, crossing 23rd in 18:10. Senior Wyatt Applegarth was 23rd (19:04) with junior Evan Burg 27th (19:19).
“Collin, especially, ran a great race (at Anamosa)” reviewed Williams. “But just watching the boys grow and how they pushed each other over the summer to get better? I’m really proud of them for being so much more ‘ahead’ they are at this point in the season!”
Third place in the boys meet went to Washington (65 points), then Muscatine (108), Jesup (139), Springville (183), and Anamosa (217) with Union-Laporte City (223) and Maquoketa (236) rounding out the standings.
Heading into this week’s schedule—which includes a trip around the Kickers Complex in Iowa City Thursday (August 31) for the Bob Brown/Regina Invite—Solon’s boys were ranked sixth in Class 3A, by the Iowa Association of Track/Cross Country Coaches poll.
On the girls’ side, ‘A pretty good start’
The Lady Spartans arrived at the Anamosa meet ranked eighth in 3A by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches (IATC). Their 55-point finish there undercut Washington, which had been fourth in last week’s rankings. The first meet scoring from there went Jesup (98), CR Kennedy (104), Union (112), Muscatine (120), Anamosa (192), Maquoketa (213) and Waterloo West (263). IATC rankings are usually published on Mondays.
For the season opener, the coach is encouraged by first meet performance. “Yes; super excited,” responded Williams. “After losing four pretty good senior girls from last year, it seemed pretty important in the last week just to know who we came back with. And they really attacked the course.”
Senior Anna Quillin crossed sixth (21:27) in the 128 girls who toed the starting line, leading the Solon pack. “We knew it was going to be hot like this. We made sure we were rehydrating, eating right during those hot days leading up to (the meet),” said Quillin. “We tried to practice when it was not so hot, so it wouldn’t take as big a toll on our bodies. I did pretty well; hoping I’d have gone a little faster, but I’m okay with it. As a team, we have a pretty good group back this year…and some great freshmen coming up, too. Three of them placed (at Anamosa) among our seven top runners. They were amazing. It’ll all work out!”
One of those ninth graders—Ava Rolwes, was eighth (21:37) joining Quillin in the Top Ten. Then came junior Sydney Dee (11th, 22:05), freshman Falyn Svalstad(14th, 34), junior Rose McAtee (16th, 22:38), senior Ashlyn Williams (22nd, 23:32) and freshman Jillian Jansen (25th, 23:40).
From here, it’s a steady march, with one or two meets each week. “I think we are going to have a lot of fun this year,” assesses Williams. “That great senior leadership. You never know what the competition is going to do. I think (at Anamosa) we attacked. We embraced having that competition!”
Ava Rolwes heads to the finish line boosting Solon’s girls’ finish Saturday, August 26 at the Anamosa Invitational season opener. Rolwes was the first Solon freshmen across the finish line, helping boost the Lady Spartans to the meet title.