Can anyone stop Solon? North Cedar awaits

February 24, 2009 by Jeff DahnThe Class 2A No. 1-ranked Solon Spartans have been unbeatable and unchallenged on their way to a 23-0 record this season. The Spartans have won 24 straight games dating to last year's 2A state consolation victory over Pella Christian, the state's longest winning streak regardless of class. Solon won its first two district games by an average of 39 points, including a 106-43 romp past Alburnett in the first round, a game in which the Spartans had 42 points at the end of the first quarter and 60 at halftime. They will get their first real postseason test Tuesday night when they take on North Cedar (21-2) in a district final at Maquoketa.Here are a few quick stats on both teams:Solon (23-0): The Spartans average 74.7 points per game and won their 23 games  by an average of 27.4 points. Senior point guard Matt Morrison, an all-stater in both basketball and football who will head to Northern Iowa next year on a basketball scholarship, is the undisputed leader. He averages 16.6 points, 4.9 assists and 4.9 steals. Tucker Wentzien is as 12.1 points and 8.0 rebounds, Ben Weeks at 12.6 points and Ben Bergman at 10.1 points and 7.1 rebounds. The Spartans are a matchup nightmare for anyone and a team with at least two legitimate all-state candidates in Morrison and Wentzien.

North Cedar (21-2): The Knights have won six straight games since back-to-back losses to Wilton and Mid-Prairie in late January that forced them to settle for a tie for the Cedar Valley Conference championship with Mid-Prairie. They average 67 points a game, led by senior point guard Jessy Gutwiler (17.0), who will likely matchup with Morrison on the defensive end. Andy Weiland averages 11.9 points and 5.2 rebounds and 6-4 freshman Jordan Hay is at 10.3 points and 6.1 rebounds.The Solon-North Cedar winner will face either Dyersville Beckman (18-5) or Cascade (19-4) in the Substate 4 championship Saturday at Marion. Those teams meet Tueday at Western Dubuque. It's an intriguing matchup in its own right. Cascade has won 12 straight and its defensive average is a miniscule 34.4 points. Beckman, which plays in the predominantly 3A Wamac Conference, has won seven straight. The Blazers beat the Cougars, 49-41, in a regular-season game Jan. 10.Any thoughts on the winners of the those two games? I'm anticipating a Beckman-Solon substate final at Marion on Saturday.