Solon looks for a piece of state title history

Before transferring into Solon High School this year, Ben Bergman was at Mount Vernon. Perhaps that makes him more qualified than anyone to give some perspective on the great athletics run going on in the Johnson County town.Bergman has seen things up close and personal AND from a rival's distance.“This year, it was incredible winning the state tournament in basketball,” said Bergman, a starting forward. “I think what's going on speaks to all the athletes and their work ethics. It seems like everybody plays all kinds of sports here.” Plays them very well, too.Solon has a 27-game win streak going in football and strolled to a Class 2A state championship last fall. As mentioned, the Spartans won 2A state in basketball this past winter.Now it's baseball state tournament time. Wouldn't you know it, Solon (36-5) is the top seed in Class 2A, playing its quarterfinal game at Des Moines' Principal Park today at noon against Sumner-Fredericksburg (33-10).No school has won football, basketball and baseball titles in the same school year. Solon has that chance.“It's something we haven't discussed as a team, other than telling the kids that everyone else is going to be mentioning it,” said Solon Coach Keith McSweeney. “It's hard enough to win a championship at any time, let alone one (after winning football and basketball).“There are a lot more elements that go with winning in baseball. You've got matchups. There are a lot of things that are simply out of your control.”That being said, opponents have found matching up with Solon to be an impossible task. The Spartans went 22-0 in the Wamac Conference, including sweeps of second-seeded Dyersville Beckman and 3A state tournament qualifiers Benton Community (a No. 2 seed) and Vinton-Shellsburg.Starting pitchers Bergman and Brandon Shulista are a combined 21-1. It hits .402 ... as a team. It has a bunch of starters back from last year's 2A semifinal team. It has a bunch of guys who already have won state titles.“I'd say that's one of the biggest things we have going for us,” said starting shortstop Ben Weeks. “When you talk to someone, they say ‘Oh, you're from Solon. You've got those great football, basketball and baseball teams.'”Perhaps by the end of the week, they'll be saying they've got those state championship football, basketball and baseball teams.