SOLON — The Lady Spartans started the second half by struggling to stop Cedar Point-Urbana (CPU). The Stormin’ Pointers were knocking down shots and getting to the free throw line at ease. As the number of empty trips down the court for Solon started to add up, their chances of a victory began to plummet. Solon head coach Jamie Smith called a timeout to get the girls a chance to breathe and to refresh their confidence.
“I told them you’re responsible for how this ends,” recalled Smith, “It’s either going to be a 30 [point loss] or we’re going to get back into it.”
The team took the message to heart and flipped the script in the fourth quarter. They outscored CPU 19-8. Senior Kobie Lietz led the comeback charge with 18 points on the night. The Lady Spartans brought it to within four points and the defense continued to get stop after stop. But the offense was clamped up by CPU in the final minute and they were unable to turn a couple of turnovers into points to inch even closer to completing the comeback.
The Lady Spartans fell just short against 15th ranked CPU, with the final score 53-57 Tuesday, Jan. 28.
“We missed a lot of free throws, and we just couldn’t convert,” said Smith, “We turned it over a couple of times. I guess that’s the way it goes.”
The Lady Spartans were jumping passing lanes and moving in transition often but came up empty handed too many times. They forced 15 turnovers, but CPU was able to run the floor and force a missed basket on multiple occasions.
“We switched to a 2-3 one, and I don’t think they ever got comfortable,” said Smith.
CPU’s offense was nearly impossible to stop for the first two and a half quarters. CPU led at halftime by eight points but stretched that to 18 in the third quarter.
“They had nine threes,” said Smith, “The most we’ve given up in six years is seven.”
Lietz’s big day was a big reason why Solon was able to bring the game within reach. To go along with the 18 points, she had four assists, four steals, and shot 58 percent from the field.
As the only senior on the team, Lietz has been tasked with leading the young team to a successful season. This game, Jerzey Haluska was the underclassman that took a step forward with her play. Haluska had ten points on only five shots, including a three pointer in the middle of the fourth quarter that brought the deficit to single digits for the first time since halftime.
Delaney Durr also had a good showing in the loss. The junior struggled to find the bottom of the net in the first half, but she became the driving force of the offense in the fourth quarter. Durr scored seven of her 13 points in the final quarter.
The late effort was not enough, but they showed they could play with one of the better teams in 3A in the state.
Wolves outlast Lady Spartans 47-41
MARION — The Marion Wolves topped the Lady Spartans 47-41 in a battle of WaMaC East rivals Friday, Jan. 31 in the Wolves’ den.
Stats were not available as of deadline.
Regals top Solon 57-52
IOWA CITY — The Lady Spartans traveled to Regina Catholic (Iowa City) for a non-conference contest against the No. 2-ranked (in Class 2A) Regals and trailed 18-14 at the end of the first period. Solon regrouped and outscored Regina 17-5 in the second to take a 31-23 lead into the halftime break. Momentum shifted back to the Regals in the third with Regina leading 44-39 going into the final eight minutes.
Regina’s Addie McLaughlin, a freshman, produced 25 points with 22 from senior Morgan Miller. Solon’s stats were not available at deadline.