Energy was high at Solon High School Thursday, April 22, as the Lady Spartans took their mark for the girls 4×800-meter relay at the Denny Gruber Relays— and they didn’t disappoint.
Athletes Sydney Dee, Liv Nelson, Addison Seamans, and Falyn Svalstad topped their opponents during the 4×800-meter relay, finishing first with a time of 10:12.04. As one of the first
events of the evening, the Lady Spartans set the tone for the rest of the meet, and their teammates rose to meet the challenge – placing first overall.
When the starting gun fired, Dee exploded off the line and quickly took command of the race.
Through the fence surrounding the track, Spartan fans cheered her on, waving signs and
shouting encouragement as Dee widened the gap between Solon and the competition.
The momentum continued with each exchange. Nelson kept the pace intense, her stride smooth and controlled. Seamans powered through the third leg before handing the baton to Svalstad to finish the race.
Prominently ahead of the rest of her opponents, Svalstad crossed the finish line.
Head Coach Jessica Hotek stood at the south end of the track, just past the finish line, cheering on her runners. When Svalstad crossed the line, Hotek embraced her and her teammates, all smiles as the realization of their win set in.
“These girls gave it their all, and it shows,” Hotek said. “They kept on pushing.”
As it grows closer, the Lady Spartans have a promising future in the track and field postseason.
With more impressive performances such as the 4×800-meter relay, their future remains limitless.
Team scores – 1 Solon 149, 2 Mt. Vernon 133, 3 Marion 118, 4 Regina, 58, 5 Vinton-Shellsburg 46, 6 Beckman 34, Assumption 33, North Cedar 4
Solon results
High jump – 3 Sophia Miles 4-8, 5 Layla Shipley 4-8
Long jump – 5 Jerzey Haluska 15-5.25
Shot put – 3 Kate Shafer 35-9.50, 5 Piper Johnson 31-3, 11 Adlie Miller 26-9m 12 Audrey Howell 26-6.25, 14 Brinley Landsgard 25-10, 18 Ella Lammers 22-4.50
Discus – 2 Shafer 119-0, 4 Johnson 100-5, 8 Landsgard 87-0
Sprint medley relay – 2 Solon (Marin Ashbacker, Avery Kellen, Piper Stahle, Jillian Elijah) 1:55.55, 6 Solon “B” (Lucy Miller, Gabby Jedlicka, Addison Detra, Reese Hahn) 2:01.46
4×800 – 1 Solon “A” (Sydney Dee, Liv Nelson, Addison Seamans, Falyn Svalstad) 10:12.04, 3 Solon “B” (Mya Fordice, Kinley Mai, Kenley Murken, Ella Sheeley) 10:35.94
Shuttle hurdle relay – 4 Solon (Cydney Jaster, Keegan Kleppe, Kendall Werner, Zoey Grimm) 1:13.73
100 dash – 3 Piper Stahle 13.01, 6 Sydney Kunkel 13.54
Distance medley relay – 2 Solon “A” (Grace Hoeper, Hahn, Elijah, Ava Rolwes) 4:34.82, 6 Solon “B” (Zoey Melloy, Eve Hinners, Camie Opiol, Shipley) 4:56.07
400 dash – 1 Haluska 1:00.03, 2 Kobi Lietz 1:00.05, 8 Viviana Schmooke 1:13.24
4×200 – 3 Solon “A” (P. Stahle, Hoeper, Kunkel, Ashbacker) 1:49.09, 7 Solon “B” (Quinn Armentrout, Kalynn Timmons, Trea Eidahl, Addison Detra) 1:53.81
100 hurdles – 2 Jaster 17.26, 6 Kleppe 18.06, 7 Grimm 18.26, 8 Madelyn McCandless 18.85, 12 Werner 19.63
800 run – 4 Svalstad 2:27.63, 5 Dee 2:29.07, 7 Liv Nelson 2:31.37, 8 Fordice 2:33.85
200 dash – 3 Haluska 27.73, 4 Ashbacker 27.82
400 hurdles – 3 Kleppe 1:13.74, 7 Werner 1:29.73
1,500 run – 2 Seamans 5:08.52, 4 Mai 5:19.50, 7 Sheeley 5:36.32
4×100 – 3 Solon “A” (P. Stahle, Ashbacker, Kunkel, Lietz) 50.49, 8 Solon “B” (Miller, Detra, Timmons, Kellen) 54.10, 13 Solon “C” (Melloy, Jedlicka, McCandless, Zoee Netolicky) 58.49
4×100 throwers – 2 Solon “A” (Shafer, Johnson, Landsgard, Howell) 1:04.52
4×400 – Solon “A” (Armentrout, Haluska, Hoeper, Lietz) 4:05.13, 6 Solon “B” (Maddyson Bogard, Schmooke, Eve Hinners, Olivia Bonnema) 4:56.76
(results by Kauder Racing