SOLON — They held the line.
The Spartans improved to 5-1 (with their fourth consecutive win) Friday, Sept. 29 as they outlasted the Benton Community Bobcats 16-13 on Homecoming Night in a game won by field goals and solid defense.
Brett White recovered a botched Bobcat snap in the first quarter, which sparked a Solon drive ending in a Grant Knipper field goal and 3-0 lead. The ‘Cats equalized as Spartan defense forced them to settle for a field goal in the second quarter and leading to a 3-3 halftime tie.
Benton’s Carson Bruns scrambled nine yards to score in the third giving the Bobcats a 10-3 advantage in the third quarter, but Eddie Johnson scampered six yards in the fourth to score. Knipper’s point after kick knotted the game 10-10. With six seconds left in regulation play the Bobcats fumbled near the Spartans’ goal line and Austin Knight recovered the ball forcing overtime.
A 26-yard field goal gave Benton a 13-10 lead in the first overtime period before Knipper drilled a 22-yard rocket through the uprights to tie. Knipper struck again in the second overtime period for the 16-13 advantage and Spartan defense derailed a Bobcat run play on fourth down at their goal line for the win.
“I’m just really proud of our resiliency, and we overcame a lot,” said Coach Lucas Stanton. “A lot of credit to Benton, obviously, but a lot of it was self-induced. Don’t wanna take anything away from Benton because they’re a very good football team. But to come out of that game with a win is very fortunate and it shows just how much we’ve grown as a team and our toughness, and we just didn’t give up, right up to the final play. It was all heart and guts.”
Tyler Bell completed nine of 19 passes for 87 yards and was intercepted three times. Knipper took four passes 45 yards with two receptions for 33 yards for White. Conlan Poynton took one pass five yards, Nash Kotar went four yards, and Cole Buffington had one reception, but no yards.
Poynton made 18 carries for 75 yards, Johnson had eight for 26, and Milo Ashbacker made one carry for five yards.
White, a senior, led the stout defense with 16.5 total tackles and ten solos. Jack McCarty had ten with five solos, Brayden Moore made seven with five solos, Cole Carney and Mason Scott had 5.5 total and three solos each, Barret Schade made 4.5 tackles with one solo, Knight had three with two solos, Kaleb Behrends made two with one solo, Ben Kampman made 1.5 with one solo with one tackle each by Keenan Kruse, Nash Kotar, Johnson, Trevor Meyers, and Marcus Richard. Brayden Miller and Cole Farnsworth were credited with ½ tackle each.
Upcoming games
The Spartans host undefeated Williamsburg Friday, October 6 with frosh/soph at 5:00 p.m. and varsity at 7:30 p.m. on Youth Football Night. The Raiders bring a 6-0 (2-0 in 3A-5) record after defeating Fairfield 56-14 and crushing South Tama 61-6. Xavier Catholic (Cedar Rapids) provided the toughest challenge for the Raiders, who prevailed 21-20.
The Spartans travel to Fairfield Friday, October 13 and close out the regular season at home Friday, October 20 as South Tama visits.
Class 3A-5 Scores &
Standings, Week Six
Williamsburg W 56-14 vs. Fairfield 6-0 2-0
Solon W 16-13 vs. Benton Community 5-1 2-0
Grinnell W 49-6 vs. South Tama 4-2 1-1
Benton Community 4-2 1-1
Fairfield 2-4 0-2
South Tama 0-6 0-2
Brayden Moore (25) and Cole Carney (32) celebrate stopping a fourth-down scoring attempt in second overtime by the Benton Community Bobcats Friday, Sept. 29 on Homecoming Night. Solon outlasted Benton 16-13.