An Iowa high school football playoff triple-header in a triangle filled with winning

SOLON, MOUNT VERNON, LISBON — Three towns, three teams, three high school football legacies, three simultaneous state playoff games on one Friday night, 11 miles apart.

Let’s go!

Solon

In the parking lot across the street from Spartan Stadium, you see writing on a car’s windows supporting a Solon lineman.

“Your lil’ sis love you. Play hard!”

Seldom have the Spartans not lived up to that suggestion over the years. This is their 34th playoff appearance, and 19th straight. Only five Iowa schools top Solon’s five state championships

Midway through the first quarter against Fort Madison in their Class 3A first-round clash, sophomore Conlan Poynton ran 55 yards for the game’s initial score. Less than two minutes later, Tyler Bell threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Brett White.

“Prettiest pass all fall,” public-address announcer (and emcee of the annual Solon Beef Days parade) Don Ellis says off-mike.

The Spartans went for two points and got it, led 15-0, and we head for the parking lot.

Before getting to the car, we hear Ellis announce that Adam Knight of Solon intercepted a pass and returned it to the Bloodhounds’ 9. The continuous clock, used when a team is ahead by 35 points, was put into play in the second quarter. The final was 50-7.

Mount Vernon

We reach the brand-new stadium at Mount Vernon High in time for the last minute of the first half. We may have fumbled looking for the stadium, somehow mistaking the bright lights of a car dealership for — ah, you don’t need to hear about that.

The Mount Vernon Mustangs lead the Independence Mustangs in a 3A first-rounder, 22-0. It’s Mount Vernon’s 27th playoff appearance, on the heels of its runner-up finish a year ago, and its Mustangs were ready.

They score on a short pass from Joey Rhomberg to Evan Brase with 26 seconds left in the half for a 29-0 lead and run between two lines of grade-school Mustangs as they head to their locker room.

“We get the ball first coming out of the half,” an Independence player tells teammates as they trotted to their locker room, and we love that he found a ray of light. His team, however, lost 50-6. Before halftime was over, we were on the 2.5-mile drive from Mount Vernon High to Lisbon High.

Lisbon

The Lisbon Lions are known more for being an ages-old wrestling powerhouse, but they’ve also had terrific football. This is their 21st playoff season. They entered this Class A second-round playoff game against East Buchanan with a 9-0 record.

But when we get here on this cold night, the Bucs lead the Lions 22-0 midway through the third quarter.

It’s perhaps no coincidence that Solon (Tyler Linderbaum), Mount Vernon (Tristan Wirfs) and East Buchanan (Robert Gallery) all sent offensive linemen to the NFL.

East Buchanan senior lineman Cody Fox helped block for his team’s 379-yard rushing output Friday. He committed to play at the University of Iowa before his sophomore year of high school.

East Buchanan beat Lisbon, 38-7. But Lions fans cheer heartily when their team scores its touchdown in the fourth quarter. Credit to the six Lisbon cheerleaders for getting a couple dozen of their schoolmates to join them in a late-game cheer when everyone was really cold and the game was out of reach.

The Lion mascot — whose costume probably wouldn’t intimidate actual lions — claims to be warm. One of the cheerleaders near the mascot says she most definitely is not, and was using two hand warmers.

There is no moss growing under the turfs of any of the school districts of Lisbon, Mount Vernon and Solon. Lisbon passed a $9.2 million bond referendum five years ago to renovate its schools, with classrooms updated, a new auditorium built, and the Walmer Field stadium improved.

Solon residents passed a bond referendum for $25.5 million in March for improvements to its school system. Among the many projects included were the replacement of the FieldTurf at the stadium.

Mount Vernon High unveiled its $7 million activities complex a month ago. Private donations covered $2.7 million. Among the donors was Wirfs, whose name is on the discus and shot put field.

The winning will continue in all three towns.

Comments: (319) 398-8440; mike.hlas@thegazette.com