CLEAR LAKE — The first quarter and four minutes into the second quarter resembled the Solon Spartan’s prior two matchups in the substate bracket. With a trip to the state tournament on the line, Solon was tied with Clear Lake, 15-15. The Lions were undefeated coming into the game, and the next four minutes before halftime proved why.
Clear Lake drained a three from the right wing to take the lead. On the other side, Grant Gordon missed a contested floater, and the Lions went right back to work. A quick putback bucket after a missed three by the Lions had them up five. Then another missed shot by the Spartans led to a three-pointer from the corner. The same story happened yet again, and before the Spartans could catch their breath, they found themselves down 26-17 at the half.
The 11-2 run by the Lions was anchored by great perimeter shooting and domination on the boards. This would be a preview of what the second half would bring for the Spartans. Solon (18-6) would score 12 points in the second half and lose 29-58 against the 24-0 Lions.
The Spartans were out-rebounded 17-31 and struggled to keep the Lions off the offensive glass. Clear Lake amassed 10 offensive rebounds and managed to turn those into 11 second-chance points. Clear Lake also shot 8-24 from outside the arc, however, they found a hot streak going into and coming out of the halftime break that helped them extend their lead to one that would be insurmountable for the Spartans.
The Spartan offense that had powered the postseason run had been silenced by a taller, stifling Lion defense. The Spartans shot 3-13 from the perimeter and did not have any players in double figures. They struggled to hold onto the ball as well, with 11 turnovers, specifically six turnovers in the first quarter. The slow start made it hard for the Spartans to sink into a flow and open opportunities were sparse.
Caleb Bock had been the anchor of the Spartan team all postseason long, but today the Lions kept him quiet. Bock went scoreless through the first quarter. His first points came three minutes into the second quarter on a nice step-through move that split the double team –something he would face nearly every time he drove to the paint. Bock finished with only five points and six rebounds in his final game as a Spartan.
Along with Bock, it was also Karsyn Regennitter, Isaiah Zoske, Nolan Seagren, Owen Einwalter, Jackson Link, and Beau Mullens’s final game in the orange and black. All the seniors logged minutes in the loss. In the group are three starters – Bock, Seagren, and Zoske –and a key player off the bench, Link. The group will be tough to replace, but Maddox Kelley and Grant Gordon are two sophomores who have earned their stripes this season. Both have made key plays down the stretch in elimination games for the Spartans and have earned high praise from head coach Jared Galpin.