Spartans get another title shot

CEDAR RAPIDS - Book it: Solon-Mount Vernon III is on.

Call it The Frienemy Final.

'This is what we've wanted,” Solon Coach Peter Gustin said after the second-ranked Spartans conquered No. 3 Nevada, 25-20, 25-13, 25-21, in a Class 3A semifinal at the state volleyball tournament Thursday afternoon at the U.S. Cellular Center. 'We want the chance to beat the best team out there on the last day of the season.”

The Spartans (32-8) reached their third state final in three seasons under Gustin. They were 4A runners-up in 2012 and 2013.

To reach the summit, the Spartans will have to beat their rivals to the north. No. 1 Mount Vernon (33-7) defeated No. 5 Red Oak in four sets in Thursday's other semifinal.

First serve is scheduled for 2:30 Friday afternoon.

This is a rivalry for sure, but not one filled with hatred.

'We did a lot of things together, their team and ours, this summer,” said Solon's Jordan Smith, who hammered a match-high 18 kills (against just two errors) in her 37 swings.

'Their girls are super nice. Gustin and (Mount Vernon Coach Maggie Willems) are best friends.”

Or, as Gustin said, 'We're frienemies. There's a lot of respect between the programs. We won't have to scout them or watch tape, we know them so well.”

Solon won the first match between the teams; Mount Vernon captured the second. The third is winner-take-all. For keeps.

As for the semifinal match, there was a surprising lack of drama. Solon scored seven straight points to erase a 13-11 deficit in the opening set, and kept its foot on the pedal.

'Our serving was great. Our defense was fantastic,” said senior Jordan Runge. 'We really pulled our game together.”

Solon owned the second set, the pulled away at the very end of the third.

Leading 22-21, the Spartans closed it out with the final three points. An ace by Taylor Nearad - her ninth of the match - got the Spartans to match point, then a block of Grace Keith ended it.

Nearad distributed 26 assists.

Kati Cassabaum led Nevada (38-10) with eight kills, but the Cubs suffered through a low-efficiency rate. They managed just 21 kills (compared to Solon's 35) with 18 errors for a kill efficiency of .034.

Solon's core of Smith, Runge and Nearad has been the nucleus of the current three-year run. Friday marks their final shot at a title.

'The goal is to get those girls to finish on top,” Gustin said. 'What they've accomplished is a great achievement. They deserve to go out on top.”

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