Solon shines from the line, rallies past Mount Vernon, 56-50

MOUNT VERNON — Jamie Smith stood in the hallway postgame and queried about his team’s sizzling free-throw shooting.

It was 22 of 23, Coach.

“That’s pretty good,” he said.

Better than merely pretty good. And for the Solon Spartans, it was a game-saver.

The Class 3A third-ranked Spartans continued their January of Living Dangerously, overcoming a seven-point third-quarter deficit in a 56-50 Wamac Conference East Division girls’ basketball victory over No. 13 Mount Vernon on Tuesday at Mount Vernon High School.

“Playing these games, they’re going to help us (in the postseason),” junior Callie Levin said. “They’re going to make us better. We’re so excited, so pumped. We know we can compete with these teams.”

Solon (13-1 overall, 3-0 division) won its eighth consecutive game and claimed sole possession on the Wamac East lead.

The Spartans picked up one-point wins over Benton Community and West Delaware in recent weeks. And now this.

“We’ve been in these situations,” Smith said. “We’re growing, experience-wise.”

Mount Vernon (9-6, 2-1) scored the first 10 points of the second half for its largest lead of the game, 35-28. But Solon quickly answered. Mia Stahle hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Spartans in front, 39-38, at the end of the third quarter.

Lilly See’s free throw gave the Mustangs their final lead, 42-41, then Hailey Miller nailed a 3-pointer to put the Spartans up for good, 44-42 with 6:40 left.

True to character, Levin and Miller closed it out with two free throws apiece in the final minute.

Throughout the season, Solon has been a good free-throw shooting team, but not great. The Spartans entered the game at 67.2 percent.

A University of Iowa commit, Levin came in at 68.7 percent, and made all 13 of her tries Tuesday in a 24-point, eight-rebound, four-steal effort.

“There have been a few games in which we’ve struggled with our free throws,” Levin said. “They’re free points. The other day at practice, we all shot 120 of them.”

Miller added 12 points for the winners. Stahle tacked on 11.

Volleyball star Chloe Meester paced Mount Vernon with 20 points. Lilly See added 14.

BOYS: Solon 78, Mount Vernon 58

The Spartans stormed back from a 13-point second-quarter deficit and pulled away behind a barrage of 3-pointers in the second half.

Five Solon players reached double figures, led by Oaken Foster (19 points). Gehrig Turner added 12.

Solon improved to 8-3 overall, 2-1 in the division. The Spartans outscored Mount Vernon (7-5, 1-2) by a 25-7 count in the third quarter to flip a 37-30 deficit into a 55-44 lead.

Brady Erickson led Mount Vernon with 15 points.

Solon 56, Mount Vernon 50

At Mount Vernon

SOLON (56): Kobi Lietz 1-4 2-2 5, Hailey Miller 3-5 4-4 12, Mia Stahle 3-8 3-4 11, Callie Levin 5-13 13-13 25, Hilary Wilson 1-2 0-0 2, Anna Quillin 0-0 0-0 0, Delainey Durr 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 14-34 22-23 56.

MOUNT VERNON (50): Kameron Brand 0-1 0-0 0, Courtney Franck 3-4 0-0 6, Lilly See 4-6 6-9 14, Peyton Simpson 2-2 1-2 6, Chloe Meester 7-13 6-6 20, Brynlee Rasmussen 0-5 1-2 1, Eryn Jackson 1-5 0-1 3, Taylor Franck 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-36 14-20 50.

Solon 8 20 11 17 — 56

Mount Vernon 13 12 13 12 — 50

3-point goals: Solon 6-19 (Lietz 1-4, Miller 2-3, Stahle 2-6, Levin 1-5, Durr 0-1), Mount Vernon 2-7 (Brand 0-1, C. Franck 0-1, Simpson 1-1, Jackson 1-4). Team fouls: Solon 19, Mount Vernon 15. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Solon 23 (Levin 8), Mount Vernon 20 (Brand 5). Assists: Solon 7 (Miller 2), Mount Vernon 7 (Brand 3). Steals: Solon 11 (Levin 4), Mount Vernon 9 (C. Franck, See 3). Turnovers: Solon 18, Mount Vernon 16.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com