The community newspaper for Solon

Solon Economist
The community newspaper for Solon

Solon Economist
The community newspaper for Solon

Solon Economist
Mailee Schmidt (at right) and Addison Seamans were 20th and 23rd for Solon in last week’s WaMaC conference meet in Cedar Rapids. Schmidt finished in 21:02.70 while Seamans crossed the finish line in 21:20.10. Overall the Lady Spartans were second in team points behind rival Mt. Vernon.

Lady Spartans second, Spartans fifth at WaMaC conference cross country meet

Jonah Frey, For the Solon Economist • October 23, 2025

CEDAR RAPIDS — Championship season has arrived for high school cross country in Iowa, meaning the stakes are the highest they’ve been all season for the Solon Spartans. Solon competed at the WaMaC...

Rene Meza flies past flowering weeds, prairie grass, and content cows in the distance Saturday, Sept. 27 during Anamosa’s invitational meet. Meza was the second Spartan to the finish line with a 14th place showing in 17:54.0.

Rene Meza emerges as a leader for Spartan XC

Jonah Frey, For the Solon Economist • October 23, 2025

Hunched over with his hands on his knees in an attempt to catch his breath, a young Rene Meza knows that the hardest part is still ahead of him. He’s one lap into a four lap run around the track, and...

Falyn Svalstad and Addison Seamans were the first two Lady Spartans across the finish line at North Linn’s Bob Mudd Lynx Invitational Saturday, October 11. Svalstad took third in 19:32.5 while Seamans was fifth in 19:52.3 with PR’s for both as Solon won the varsity girls race.

Solon sweeps boys’ and girls’ races at North Linn’s Bob Mudd Lynx Invitational

Mike Kabela, Special to the Solon Economist • October 16, 2025

COGGON — Solon’s cross country teams have battled injury, sickness and inconsistency all season, but with post-season around the corner, the Spartans and Lady Spartans put down clutch performances...

Anders Holmes, a sophomore, is leading the varsity cross country boys this season. The only Spartan to make it to the state meet last year, Holmes is determined to run in Fort Dodge again this year, but alongside his teammates.

‘Just try to pass someone’

Jonah Frey, Special to the Solon Economist • October 8, 2025

Every breath became a gasp for air, but Anders Holmes’ legs only began moving faster. He couldn’t tell exactly how many guys were ahead of him, but he knew it was too many. The cheerful shouts from...

Boden Laing personifies cross country athletics in Iowa as he runs past tall grass and colorful weeds with a cow herd in the background Saturday, Sept. 27 at Anamosa’s invitational. The Solon Middle School boys won the 2-mile event.

Solon Middle School boys win at Anamosa Invitational

Chris Umscheid, Editor • October 1, 2025

ANAMOSA — Solon Middle School’s boys cross country team took the team title Saturday, Sept. 27 in Anamosa’s invitational meet edging out Anamosa’s closest rival – Monticello – 32-37, and...

Falyn Svalstad leads an Oelwein Husky past flowering weeds, prairie grass, and content cows in the distance Saturday, Sept. 27 during Anamosa’s invitational meet. Svalstad led the Lady Spartans to a runner up finish with her third place showing in 19:42.9.

Lady Spartans 2nd, Spartans 6th at XC Anamosa Invitational

Chris Umscheid, Editor • October 1, 2025

ANAMOSA — The north end of the Anamosa Middle School campus features prairie grass, tall weeds, and a nearby farm with cows peacefully grazing on corn stubble. Then comes another herd, this one consisting...

Falyn Svalstad led the varsity girls with a seventh place finish in Solon’s home invitational Monday with a time of 20:27.4.

Lady Spartans win at Indee’s invitational, take runner up at home

Chris Umscheid, Editor • September 25, 2025

The varsity girls won Independence’s invitational cross country meet Thursday, Sept. 18 with Falyn Svalstad (20:11.7), Addison Seamans (20:33.1), Liv Nelson (20:44.4), and Mailee Schmidt (21:05.1)...

Lady Spartans 6th, Spartans 11th on ISU’s course

Mike Kabela, Special to the Solon Economist • September 18, 2025

AMES — The Solon cross country teams travelled to Ames Thursday, September 11, to run in the Gilbert Invitational held on the Iowa State cross country course. The meet was littered with ranked teams,...

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.

Lady Spartans reign, Spartans third at Bob Brown XC Invitational

Mike Kabela, Special to the Solon Economist • September 10, 2025

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...

Falyn Svalstad, Addison Seamans, Mailee Schmidt, and Liv Nelson go full throttle down the short, steep downhill on a sharp S-curve Saturday, August 30 on the grounds of the Anamosa Middle School for their season opening meet.

Solon Cross Country has strong open to 2025 season as Lady Spartans place first and Spartans place second in the Anamosa Invitational

Lance Peterson, Special to the Solon Economist • September 3, 2025

ANAMOSA — The sun was blocked out by the clouds, the landscape masked by a thin fog, the air was brisk, the grass was damp from the rain the day prior, and spectators were dressed in sweatshirts and...

Falyn Svalstad (335) and Addison Seamans pace each other during last year’s Bob Brown Cross Country Classic. Svalstad, a junior this year, and Seamans, now a sophomore, add to the Lady Spartans’ depth this season.

Focused on health and Fort Dodge

Mike Kabela, Special to the Solon Economist • August 28, 2025

The Solon boys and girls cross country teams open their seasons this Saturday in Anamosa. The girls come off a season that saw them finish 2nd in the WaMaC and 4th at state (right behind Mount Vernon...

Solon cross country Coach Emy Williams embraces Sydney Dee during the award presentations at the 3A Regional Meet in October. Williams was named as one of five Class 3A At-Large Coach of Year recipients by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches.

IATC announces Class 3A AllState girls cross country honors

December 3, 2024

The Iowa Association of Track Coaches (IATC) recently released their picks for 2024 All-State Cross Country Teams with Solon represented. Senior Sydney Dee was named to the Class 3A Second Team...

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