For 80-straight minutes, there wasn’t a single moment of silence.

As the soccer rivalry between the Solon Spartans and Clear Creek Amana Clippers played out on the field to a dramatic 1-1 draw, that intensity was reciprocated by the crowd.

There were the quiet signs of a rivalry; more slide tackles, more hand fighting, more whistles. And there were also the unmistakably loud ones; screaming high schoolers, vocal parents, and animated benches.

“It simulates a postseason type game,” Solon head coach Noah Sigwarth said.

This is a rivalry that runs deep in the I-380 corridor. Clear Creek Amana and Solon have alternated wins at the boys varsity level every season since 2021. The Clippers took last year’s matchup 1-0 at home. This year, they came into the game undefeated.

“We have a saying, ‘burn the ships,’” Solon midfielder Tucker Spence said. “I think that sums it up pretty good.”

For the entire first half, a group of four high schoolers sitting in front of a reflective green sign that read “middle school student section” yelled until their still developing voices grew hoarse.

“That’s so embarrassing!” they cried as the Clippers’ leading scorer Aidan Gross took hard contact and fell to the ground.

“Way to take it like a man, baby!” they cheered when Solon’s Eli Cash absorbed a cross with his face.

Occasionally, a Solon player would glance over their way and grin. That unspoken approval fueled further cheers.

“Its kind of strange for a soccer game. You don’t usually get that,” Solon forward Ethan Ulch said.

The peak of Solon’s euphoria happened with two minutes to go in the first half. Ulch headed a ball into the sky and toward the Clear Creek Amana goal, where a mass of bodies converged on it. Solon’s Ryan Locke emerged from the tangle with possession and tapped it into a wide open net.

“That’s our half! That’s Solon soccer!” the high schoolers in the crowd declared.

When they didn’t return at the start of the second half, both benches picked up the slack. The Clippers players sang along to “Seven Nation Army,” and led “CCA, CCA” chants that reverberated across the length of the turf field. Solon’s bench fought back as both teams tried to drown each other out with noise.

“It was a case study in bringing positive energy for your teammates and everybody having a role in your team’s success,” Sigwarth said.

Clear Creek Amana played the better half of soccer once their bench became involved,. The first half was characterized by sustained possession and limited scoring chances. The second half turned into a game of kick and run.

“They hear (the cheering) from the sideline, from the stands, and they kind of get all riled up and swing at the ball,” Sigwarth said.

The style of play favored the Clippers, who dominated possession and found the equalizer with 11 minutes left in the game. The visiting parents thundered their feet against the bleachers and the bench players bounced like popcorn kernels in celebration.

Play continued from end to end as the final seconds ticked off the clock. Ulch won a footrace but hit the crossbar with seven minutes left. A Solon free kick with 30 seconds to go was calmly saved by Clippers goalkeeper Garrett Plathe. After punting the ball three-fourths of the way downfield, the final volley sailed wide as time expired.

Although Solon wasn’t able to hand the Clippers their first loss of the season, there was still a feeling of excitement with how things ended.

“I think this is a good indication of things to come and how good we can play. There were moments of brilliance,” Spence said.

Stats

Goals – Ryan Locke 1

Shots – Locke 6, Ethan Ulch 2, Eli Cash 1, Collin McKie 1

Shots on goal – Locke 5, Ulch 1

Assists – Ulch 1

Saves – Jake Grimm 3

Solon 2 Benton Community 0, Tuesday, April 28

Goals – Ethan Ulch 1, Trendon Walker 1

Shots – Ryan Locke 7, Ulch 4, Caden Mai 2, Walker 2, Parker Mergen 1,

Shots on goal – Ulch 2, Locke 2, Mai 1, Walker 1

Assists – Locke 2

Saves – Jake Grimm 3

Upcoming schedule

Thursday, May 7 – HOME varsity doubleheader vs. Marion, girls at 5:30 p.m., boys to follow

Monday, May 11 – Varsity doubleheader at Bellevue Felderman Park vs. Marquette Catholic, girls at 3:45 p.m., boys to follow

Tuesday, May 12 – HOME varsity doubleheader vs. S. Tama, girls at 5:30 p.m., boys to follow *Senior Night*

Thursday, May 14 – Varsity doubleheader at Cornell College Soccer Field vs. Mt. Vernon, girls at 5:45 p.m., boys to follow (rescheduled from4/14/26)

Monday, May 18 – Class 2A Substate Quarterfinals

Wednesday, May 27 – Class 2A Substate Semifinals

Friday, May 29 – Class 2A Substate Finals

Monday, June 1-Friday, June 5 – State Tournament