SOLON — The road to Des Moines and the 2023-24 season both came to an end last Thursday in a Class 3A Substate 5 second round game at home. The Spartans finished the regular season at the top of the WaMaC East at 15-1 (21-2 overall) and earned the right to host the first two rounds of the postseason.
Solon 75 Davis County 36
The Spartans cruised to a first-round win against Davis County last Tuesday as Gehrig Turner opened with a three-point basket. Solon won the first period 25-10 with Brett White Jake Benzing, Vince Steinbrech, Caleb Bock, and Austin Knight pouring in the points in addition to Turner sinking a second three. By halftime the Spartans had racked up a 42-15 lead with threes by Bock, Isiah Zoske, and Rylen Stiegelmeyer.
Benzing drained back-to-back threes in the third, sank a two-point basket, and dropped in a third three as he scored 11 consecutive points for a 55-24 lead. Steinbrech, Bock, and Zoske triggered the 35-point continuous clock with a 62-24 lead with four minutes left in the period. Zoske closed out the quarter with a three-pointer and Solon led 69-30 going into the final eight minutes. Jace Janssen, Gavin Chhabra-Miller, Nolan Seagren, Jackson Link, Eddie Johnson, and Karsyn Regenniter all saw floor time in the fourth.
Benzing, a senior, led all with 19 points and joined an elite group of Spartans as he surpassed the 1,000-point mark. Previous 1,000-point men include Solon’s all-time leading scorer, Matt Lesan (1,841), Matt Morrison (1,394), Ed Donovan (1,203), Jerry Doyle (1,110). Dave Randall (1,077), Dick Greenwald (1,031), and Kyle Kunkel (1,010).
Zoske had a 13-point night, Steinbrech and Bock produced nine points each with seven by Stiegelmeyer, six from Turner and White, and two points each from Knight, Janssen, and Johnson. Knight and White made four rebounds each with seven assists by White.
Keokuk 56 Solon 53
The Chiefs arrived in Solon with a 16-6 record overall and 7-3 showing (good for second place) in the Southeast Conference. The Chiefs edged past the Spartans 13-8 at the end of the first period, but Solon charged back in the second to hold a 26-24 halftime lead. The Chiefs delivered a withering attack in the third outscoring Solon 22-12 for a 46-38 lead going into the final period. While the Spartans rallied back with a 15-point performance, Keokuk held on for the season ending win and advanced to face Williamsburg in the 3A-5 Substate Final Monday, Feb. 26 at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids. The Raiders (15-8) defeated Fort Madison 70-64 and Clear Creek Amana 83-63.
Stats were not made available by this edition’s print deadline.
The game marked the final performance for seniors Austin Knight, Rylen Stiegelmeyer, Jackson Messenger, Brett White, Vince Steinbrech, Jake Benzing, Jace Janssen, Gehrig Turner, and Gavin Chhabra-Miller. We anticipate having the 2023-24 Boys All Conference selections available for next week’s edition.
Austin Knight (2) drops a two-point basket in a Class 3A Substate 5 first round game Monday, Feb. 19 in Solon. The Spartans rolled the Mustangs 75-36 to advance to the second round against Keokuk.