SOLON — “Something’s gotta give,” said The Voice of the Spartans, Don Ellis, when introducing the No. 1-ranked Lady Spartans and No. 2-ranked Mount Vernon Mustangs last Tuesday as the WaMaC and Class 3A rivals met on the hardwood. After 32 minutes of basketball there was a new No. 1 as the Mustangs upset Solon 44-37.
Senior Callie Levin gave Solon a quick 6-0 lead with back-to-back three-point baskets as the Lady Spartans put up ten unanswered points and took the first period 12-2. A Levin steal and basket in the second made it 14-4, Mia Stahle made it 18-9, and a Hailey Miller three put Solon up 21-11. Solon led 22-14 at the half.
The Mustangs closed the gap in the third quarter and inched ahead 26-25 before taking the period 30-25. Levin drained her fourth three-point bucket to open the final quarter and cut the gap to 30-28. A second three from Miller made it 34-31 and prompted a timeout by Coach Jamie Smith. The Mustangs led 38-33 with 2:34 left to play. A pair of Levin free throws made it 40-37 with 51.1 seconds remaining. Mount Vernon added two free throws with 20.7 seconds left and sealed the win as a Levin shot was rebounded, driven down the floor, and put up as time ran out.
Levin led all as she matched her number with 23 points including four three-pointers. Miller had an eight-point night with a pair of threes, Kobi Lietz put up four points with two from Stahle. Anna Quillin and Levin dominated the boards with ten rebounds each.
The loss was reflected in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s weekly rankings for January 25 with Mount Vernon taking over the No. 1 spot, which had been held by Solon for several weeks. Mount Vernon also solidified their spot at the top of the WaMaC East with a 9-0 conference record to Solon’s 8-2 showing.
The teams will meet again Friday, Feb. 2 in Mount Vernon.
Solon 87-Independence 28
More Mustangs were on Solon’s menu last week as they traveled to Independence (Indee) on Thursday and punished their hosts with an 87-28 pummeling. Indee put up a challenge in the first period but the Lady Spartans prevailed 19-12 before unleashing a 36-point barrage in the second to lead 55-20 at halftime. The hammering continued with 16 points in the third and 16 more in the fourth while holding the Mustangs to five and three points for the final two periods.
Levin and Miller put up 17 points each including a trio of three-pointers apiece. Sophomore Delainey Durr had a 14-point night with a trio of threes, Stahle had a nine-point night with seven points apiece for Lietz and Quillin, four from freshman Maddyn Gates, two points from freshman Laeni Hinkle, and one point from freshman Jerzey Haluska. Levin made a game-high ten steals in the contest.
Upcoming events
Friday, Jan. 26 – HOME girl-boy doubleheader vs. CPU. JV girls/freshman boys at 4:30 p.m., varsity girls/sophomore boys at 6:00 p.m., and varsity boys at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 27 – HOME girl-boy doubleheader vs. Regina Catholic. JV girls/soph boys at 1:30 p.m., varsity girls/frosh boys at 3:00 p.m., and varsity boys at 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 30 – HOME girl-boy doubleheader vs. West Delaware. JV girls/frosh boys at 4:30 p.m., varsity girls/soph boys at 6:00 p.m., and varsity boys at 7:15 p.m.
WaMaC East standings (1/22/24)
Conf. Overall
Mount Vernon 9-0 14-1
Solon 8-2 12-2
W. Delaware 6-3 7-7
Marion 3-3 11-4
CPU 3-6 3-10
Independence 1-8 3-11
Hailey Miller and a pair of Mount Vernon Mustangs scramble for the ball last Tuesday in a battle of the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in Class 3A.