Solon snaps Regina’s streak at 56

SOLON - In the mind of Kevin Miller, his team earned a make-or-break, do-or-die moment.

'These kids had come this far, they'd battled for four quarters,” he said. 'We were going to go out on our terms.”

Brandan Childs connected with Connor Ham for the winning two-point conversion in overtime, and Class 3A seventh-rated Solon snapped the 56-game winning streak of 1A No. 1 Iowa City Regina. 29-28, in a non-district football game Friday night at Spartan Stadium.

'When you're playing a team this good, you've got to take a chance. We took a chance,” said Miller, the Spartans' head coach.

The Spartans (1-0) avenged a 38-0 loss to the Regals last season.

Solon won the coin flip before overtime and elected to play defense first. Regina (0-1) scored on a third-down, 10-yard pass from Drew Cook to Nick Phillips. Jacob Adam's PAT gave the Regals a 28-21 advantage.

It didn't stick.

On second-and-6, Ham lost his footing on a sweep to the right side, regained it and found the end zone. Miller called timeout to weigh his options.

He went for the win.

'Hell, yeah,” Ham said. 'Why go for anything else?”

Childs located Ham in the end zone, and Ham cradled the pass about a foot off the ground. Bedlam ensued.

'I got hit from behind,” Ham said. 'I hung on and took the hit.”

It was Regina that broke Solon's 42-game win streak on Sept. 3, 2010. It was the first of four straight wins for the Regals against Solon, the last three of which were decisive.

Regina owns the state record for consecutive victories, and will remain tied with Waterloo East for the longest unbeaten string (also 56). But Friday night was the Spartans' night.

'Congrats to them,” said Regina Coach Marv Cook. 'I know how hard they work here. They made play after play.

'This game was a series of big plays, and Solon made more.”

Both teams failed twice to convert when they advanced inside the 10-yard line.

Regina had a chance to win it at the end of regulation, but Adam's 17-yard field-goal attempt from the right hashmark clanged off the left upright.

Solon's Brandon Kramer scored a pair of touchdowns - on an 82-yard punt return in the first half, then an 8-yard run midway through the third quarter that put the Spartans in front, 21-14 - and rushed for 119 yards. Childs completed 14 of 20 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown.

Oh, and that make-or-break two-pointer at the end.

Drew Cook, an Iowa recruit, completed 19 of 26 passes for 225 yards.

Jake Brinkman's 44-yard run got the Regals even at 21-all with 7:59 remaining in regulation.

Solon is at Mount Vernon next week; Regina hosts Cascade.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com