SOLON — Can you top that?
That is the question for the 2024 Solon girls track team. “Topping it will very hard to do, but the goals remain the same,” said head coach Jessica Hotek. After back to back 3A titles and qualifying every relay and numerous individuals for last year’s Drake Relays, the Spartans still have the horsepower to win another state title according to Hotek. This despite losing one of Solon’s all-time track greats Sophia Stahle, a Solon record holder in six events.
“We certainly lost some great senior leadership from last year, but I know this year’s upperclassmen will step up to the challenge,” said coach Hotek. “We definitely have some holes to fill, especially in the short sprints, relays and hurdles.”
Future Iowa State Cyclone Gracie Federspiel will lead the 2024 Lady Spartans. The senior again qualified for the 2023 Drake Relays in the 400 and 800 meter runs placing 7th and 11th against the best in the state and set all-time Solon bests in each (56.67 and 2:12.97). She then helped lead the Spartans to a 3A title winning the 800, placing third in the 400 and anchoring the distance medley relay to gold and 4×800 meter relay to a silver medal.
Federspiel will have plenty of help this season. She teamed with sophomore Piper Stahle and seniors Mia Stahle and Anna Quillin in winning the 3A distance medley in 2023. All are back as well the 4×800 team of Federspiel, Quillin, junior Grace Hoeper and senior Ashlyn Williams. Quillin was also an 800 meter run qualifier at the state meet.
The depth continues with sophomore Aly Stahle, 3rd in the 3A 200 meters last season. Stahle also chipped in on the 2023 Drake runner-up sprint medley relay team and 4th place shuttle hurdle team (both achieved Solon school records) along with the 3rd place 3A 4×200 meter relay squad.
Sophomore Piper Stahle was a go-to relay contributor all season for Solon last year and returns as a 100 meter state qualifier. She grabbed state medals in the 4×100 and 4×200 meter relays in 2023. Versatile junior Kobi Lietz is also expected to plug into several relays this year. She qualified for the 2023 state meet in the 400 meters and 4×400 relay. Senior sprinter Mia Duckett sits in the Solon record books as a member of the 4×100 and 4×200 meter relay teams and qualified for the 2023 state meet in those events plus the 200 meter dash.
The top newcomer could be junior Sidney Dee, a veteran all-WaMaC cross country runner who will attempt to double on the golf and track teams this spring. She could provide some help in replacing Kayla Young in the 1500 and 3000 meter runs, but also has the speed to compete at the 800.
Although the field events didn’t produce huge points at the 2023 state meet, there are some interesting possibilities for 2024. Returning state meet qualifiers include seniors Hailey Miller (long jump), Lilly Towne (high jump) and Abigail Felton (discus). Junior Kate Schafer looks to improve on her 7th place 3A state medal in the discus.
“Last year we had several field event athletes get a taste of the state meet so I’m excited to see what kind of improvement they make this season,” Hotek said.
The varsity girls will open their season with a small group competing at the Iowa State Indoor Championship in Ames Friday, March 8. The full squad will hit the oval in Grinnell at the WAMAC indoor meet Tuesday, March 19.
Anna Quillin makes the pass to 4x800 teammate Grace Hoeper Tuesday, April 18 during the annual Denny Gruber Co-Ed Relays. Quillin, Hoeper, Ashlyn Williams and Gracie Federspiel teamed up for a 9:50.59 win and will compete this weekend in the Drake Relays.