Aidan C. Wirtz
Junior Falyn Svalstad sets the pace for a pack of Spartans, helping secure the team victory at the Bob Brown Cross Country Classic Thursday, Sept. 4, at the Iowa City Kickers Soccer Complex. Svalstad finished sixth in 20:48.7.
IOWA CITY — The Solon Lady Spartans took home their second straight team crown while the boys placed third behind two ranked 3A teams at the Bob Brown Invitational September 4 at Kickers Soccer Complex in Iowa City.
The 3A #5 ranked Solon girls won easily scoring 52 points and putting four runners in the top 11. Western Dubuque was runner-up with 92. Sophomore Addison Seamans (20:43) rebounded from a subpar race in Anamosa to lead a Solon trio that included junior Falyn Svalstad (20:48) and sophomore Livya Nelson (21:12) to 5-6-7 individual finishes. Freshman Mailee Schmidt took 11th in 21:29 and sophomore Quinn Armentrout rounded out the scoring in 26th place (22:42).
Solon’s boys popped up in the 3A rankings after their Anamosa debut race in the 17th slot last week. The Spartans, running without senior Spencer Michels, could not overcome winner and #10 ranked Clear Creek Amana or runner up Western Dubuque, ranked #12 with returning state champion Quentin Nauman. The young Spartans were paced by the sophomore trio of Anders Holmes (17:30) in 7th, Deacon Waddell (18:06) in 20th and Preston Raasch (18:09) in 22nd. Senior Rene Meza crossed in 18:14 for 24th place and freshman Brooks Kabela (18:36, 28th) rounded out the scoring after missing the previous week with an injury.
The teams leave the notoriously long Kickers’ course in Iowa City for one of the fastest courses they will run on this year, Iowa State’s home course in Ames. The September 11 meet, hosted by Gilbert High School, includes five of the top six ranked 3A girls teams and eight of the top 19. The boys’ field is equally loaded with five teams ranked in the top 10 and eight in the top 18.
“It’s a mini state meet for us,” Head Coach Emmie Williams said. “We like to travel to Ames to see some 3A teams from that part of the state. It’s good to see how we rank with them.”