DES MOINES — The competition was statewide, as Solon’s girls stepped onto the track at the 2024 Drake Relays, April 26-27, in Des Moines. A return trip to Des Moines for Iowa’s Class 3A State Track and Field Meet is already on the calendar for May.
Through the regular season, Solon competes against schools of various enrollment. At ‘Drake’ though, competition is one class. You face the ‘best of the best,’ with many schools larger than you. The meet has ‘minimum qualifying standards,’ and the athletes don’t go if they don’t hit them.
No 2024 Drake Championship Flags made the return trip to Solon this year but the 19 Lady Spartans there got a LOT of Blue Oval homework done. And that helps future lineups come together. “It helps us with our end of the year decision making for the (3A) state qualifier and the State meet itself,” emphasized Solon girls coach Jessica Hotek. “At Drake, we see some 3A teams we don’t see elsewhere during the season.”
However, Drake is no stranger to bad weather. Steady rain Friday brought on a couple weather delays. Then Saturday, more rain and an occasional flash of lightning led to a three hour suspension of activity. The meet finally concluded at 9:00 p.m.
Solon sprint/middle distance ace Gracie Federspiel had a 9th place finish in the 800-meters, with 2:16.89 in one of her four events. She also placed 13th among the all-class field in the 400 (58.36) and anchored the 4×400 relay (16th) with the baton passing from Kobi Lietz to Anna Quillen to Gracie Federspiel. In the 4×800 Quillen to Ava Rolwes to Falyn Svalstad led to another Federspiel anchor carry and a 9:57.30 finish for 18th-fastest in the statewide field.
Kate Shafer started the activity Friday morning with a 109’6” discus throw, 22nd in the final count. Mia Duckett logged a 13.10 in the 100-meter dash. She later teamed with Aly, Mia and Piper Stahle in a top-25 4×100 lap.
So, is it a little scary running in front of thousands of fans in Drake Stadium? “I get super nervous for Drake, but then the big crowd really helps me a lot,” admits Duckett. “The 4×100 is my favorite race. It’s the one I was really looking forward to running. We had a little trouble (earlier in the week) with the baton, but it was good today!”
In a deep 100-meter hurdles field, Aly Stahle checked in with a 15th place finish. She also worked with the sprint medley unit with Mia Stahle and Duckett coming to her. “I had some worries about my (exchange zone) start. Once I saw (fourth leg) Kobi (Lietz) lined up, I felt pretty good. Our handoff was solid.” The four notched a 12th place finish (1:51.70). The same four took the baton through the 4×200, going Mia to Mia, to Kobi, to Aly, who anchored a 1:44.84 team finish for 12th overall.
“Overall, we had some good performances,” reviews Hotek. “The 4×1, 4×2, 4×4 relays, they all ran season best times. And Gracie too, looked really strong given the four events she ran.”
And do the girls get a boost from it? “For sure, especially good for our freshmen, It helps us with the state qualifying lineup,” says Hotek. “It does help to see teams that we don’t see too often during the season.”
The next tests come this week. The WaMaC is Thursday at 4:00 p.m. at Marion. Solon will host the State Qualifying Meet Thursday, May 9 at 4:00 p.m.
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Distance medley relay anchor Gracie Federspiel is on the move bringing the baton around Saturday at the Drake Relays.