SOLON — There’s a new No. 1 in District 5.
The Spartans improved to 6-1 (with their fifth consecutive win) Friday, October 6 as they upset the No. 4 (in Class 3A) -ranked, and previously undefeated, Williamsburg Raiders 21-14 at home. Solon entered the contest ranked 7th in 3A but 4th in the all-important RPI rankings. The win makes Solon undefeated in 3A-5 putting the District Championship within reach with two games left in the regular season.
The Raiders capitalized on a fumbled kick-off to the Spartans and scored the first touchdown with 4:11 to go in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead. A quarterback sack by Brett White forced a loose ball, which was scooped up by Barret Schade who ran 59 yards to score with 1:18 left in the quarter. Grant Knipper nailed the point after kick to tie the game. With 1:21 left in the first half Jack McCarty intercepted a Raiders pass for 1st and ten on Solon’s 36-yard line. Tyler Bell connected with Eddie Johnson for a 40-yard pass resulting in first and goal at the one-yard line. Conlon Poynton scampered that one yard with 2.7 seconds left in the half to score, and Knipper’s kick gave the Spartans a 14-7 halftime advantage.
A diving catch in the endzone led to the Raiders tying the game at 14 with 8:51 to go in the third. The stalemate held throughout the remainder of the quarter before Cole Carney picked off a Raider pass in the fourth quarter. The interception set up a drive, which culminated in an Eddie Johnson touchdown three plays later and another Knipper kick for a 21-14 Solon lead with 7:28 left in regulation play.
Williamsburg blocked a punt by Bell and mounted a drive toward the goal line but Spartan defense, including a pair of swatted passes, denied the Raiders a chance at scoring as Solon took possession for the final two minutes.
“Once again just really proud of our players’ resolve,” said Coach Lucas Stanton. “We didn’t play our best football on special teams and we got put into some bad situations right away but credit to the kids for sticking together and believing in one another.”
Bell, a junior, was foiled by the Raiders, completing just one of seven passes for 40 yards (to Johnson, also a junior) on the night.
Poynton (a sophomore) led the ground attack with 27 carries for 138 yards, Johnson made ten for 33, Bell kept the ball eight times (zero yards), and Milo Ashbacker (senior) went two yards on one carry.
White, a senior, again led the defense with a dozen tackles including nine solos and one sack. Schade, a junior, made five total with three solos, McCarty (senior) had four with two solos, seniors Nash Kotar and Mason Scott, with junior Carney, each made 3-1/2 tackles, senior Ben Kampman made three with a pair of solos, senior Brayden Moore had 2-1/2 tackles while seniors Gavin Sieverding, Ryan Walsh, and Knipper produced two apiece (both solos for Sieverding. Senior Marcus Richard was credited with 1-1/2 tackles, and one tackle each came from seniors Austin Knight and Ashbacker with ½ tackle each to Johnson and seniors Trevor Myers and Kaleb Behrends.
“We are in the driver’s seat for the district championship and hosting for the playoffs,” Stanton said. “A win this week will solidify the district. I believe as long our RPI ranking stays top-4 we will host in playoffs on road to the dome.”
Upcoming games
The Spartans travel to Fairfield Friday, October 13 with the hopes of bringing some bad luck to the 3-4 (overall) and 1-2 (3A-5) Trojans who defeated winless South Tama 20-7. The regular season ends at home Friday, October 20 as South Tama’s Trojans visit for Senior Night and Cancer Awareness Night.
Class 3A playoffs start Friday, October 27 with quarterfinals on Friday, Nov. 3. 3A semifinal games will be Saturday, Nov. 11 in the UNI-Dome with the 3A State Championship Game Friday, Nov. 17.
Class 3A-5 Scores &
Standings, Week Seven
Solon W 21-14 vs. Williamsburg 6-1 3-0
Williamsburg 6-1 2-1
Grinnell W 21-20 vs. Benton Community 5-2 2-1
Benton Community 5-2 2-2
Fairfield W 20-7 vs. South Tama 3-4 1-2
South Tama 0-7 0-3
Trevor Myers (57) and Charlie Brandt (12) celebrate a touchdown by Eddie Johnson with 7:28 left in the game Friday, October 6 at home against Williamsburg as the Raiders’ Rayce Heitman (6) protests.