High school football rewind: Solon finishes regular season unbeaten

FORT MADISON — It was the ideal way for a playoff-bound team to close its regular season.

Build a cushion early. Rest the starters. Stay perfect.

Class 3A No. 2 Solon (9-0) followed that formula, pouring on 45 first-half points in a 51-2 rout of Fort Madison on the road Friday.

“It was a good way to wrap things up, seeing what we wanted to see as far as our guys' execution,” Solon Coach Lucas Stanton said. “Then trying to get some guys out to keep them healthy, because I firmly believe the healthiest teams are going to make the deepest runs in the playoffs.”

Senior quarterback Eli Kampman threw for 175 yards and four touchdowns — two apiece to juniors Maddox Kelley and Kaden Hoeper.

Solon put up 24 points in the first quarter and 21 in the second before resting its starting offense following the opening drive of the second half.

“In the first half, we were pretty efficient, both run game and pass game, but it wasn’t perfect,” Stanton said. “There are still some things we need to clean up.”

The Spartans produced 306 total yards to Fort Madison’s five.

“Defense and special teams early were really good for us,” Stanton said. “We got into some short field situations from our defense, and I thought we did a nice job of executing for the most part right off the bat.”

By finishing the regular season 9-0, the Spartans have now recorded nine undefeated regular seasons since 2007 — 13 since 2000.

“I told the guys last night (Friday) to kind of soak up a 9-0 regular season until about 10 a.m. today,” Stanton said. “Enjoy it. Then once we know who we play, we'll get the film up.”

The Spartans will host Benton Community (5-4) Friday in the first round of the state playoffs.

The Bobcats were among four teams to qualify for postseason play in 3A District 2 (No. 1 Clear Lake, No. 4 West Delaware and Independence).

Solon beat Benton, 28-21, in Van Horne on Sept. 19.

“It's really going to come down to sticking to our routine to give ourselves the best chance on Friday night being the most confident team on the field,” Stanton said. “Our approach all year is win or lose, we want to walk off the field no regrets, feeling proud about how we played.”

The Spartans lead 3A in total touchdowns (55) and have allowed opponents an average of just 8.4 points per contest — a potent combination of offensive firepower and defensive strength.

“Sometimes a group just has that ‘it factor,’” Stanton said. “There were a couple this season where we thought we could have practiced better, and then they got out and executed it exactly the way we wanted on Friday night. So, I think this group just has that ‘it factor.’”

Mount Vernon scrambles its way into the playoffs

Mount Vernon began the season atop the Class 3A poll. However, losses to No. 2 Solon, No. 7 Central DeWitt and No. 6 Dubuque Wahlert made Friday’s game against Davenport Assumption essentially a must-win for MV’s playoff hopes.

The Mustangs left no doubt, punching their postseason ticket with a 42-6 victory. Mount Vernon will travel to play No. 1 Clear Lake (9-0) on Friday.

Regina dominant, efficient in first-round win

In a Class 1A first-round home playoff game, No. 3 Iowa City Regina (9-0) needed just 11 offensive plays to rack up 49 first-half points in a 69-0 rout of Northeast.

Savion Miller led the way for the Regals with 108 rushing yards and four total touchdowns. The Regina defense dominated, forcing six turnovers.

“Our guys were playing at another level,” Regina Coach Dustin Elsbury said. “They understood that nothing’s guaranteed now. We’ve got to earn another week of football. They were focused, locked in and excited to play meaningful football again.”

Grand regular-season finale for Iowa City West

Big performances from Campbell Janis and Ethan Headings propelled Class 5A No. 10 Iowa City West (7-2) to a 42-14 home win over Linn-Mar, officially punching the Trojans’ ticket to the state football playoffs.

Janis rushed for 268 yards, surpassing the 1,000-yard mark for the season, while Headings joined him in the grand milestone club with 92 receiving yards Friday, also pushing his season total past 1,000.

“We wanted to play well tonight and get into the playoffs, and we were able to get that done a good team, a hot team,” West Coach Garret Hartwig told The Gazette. “Now it’s 0-0 for everybody.”

North Linn bounces back in playoff win over Columbus Community

A week after being shut out by Class A No. 6 Wapsie Valley, 10th-ranked North Linn responded with a commanding 59-14 first-round playoff win over Columbus Community.

Will Sommerfelt piled up 158 of his game-high 191 rushing yards by halftime — including touchdowns of 16 and 28 yards, plus a 76-yarder that set up another score.

“Our offense was really clicking right when the clock started,” Sommerfelt told The Gazette. “I knew it was going to be a great time on the offensive side.”