Joe Wilkinson

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Sophomore Ethan McLaughlin hits the electronic finish line Aug. 31 at the Prairie cross country invitational.

CEDAR RAPIDS– First meet of the season? Solon’s boys stepped up against 21 schools– 10 of which qualified for the 2018 state cross country meet. With a new season, though, come new lineups… and new expectations.

SOLON– Senior Sophie Nicol’s track season has gone a little rough.
“I was sick. There was an injury,” she said. “I spent the longest time getting my endurance back, trying to qualify for state.”
She has run just about every distance in her four year high school career. It took the toughest one, in the state qualifier, to make her statement.

DES MOINES– It’s a time-worn axiom; Time keeps slipping away. Good news, if you are the Solon girls track team, looking for ways to chip away at their times, just ahead of conference, district and the state coed track meets later this month.
With nine events qualifying for the century-plus old Drake Relays, it was hard to pick your favorite. But it was a great way to see how the team stacks up against not only Class 3A competition they’ll see at state but the best across the board, in the one-class Relays. A total attendance of 40,000 was announced.

SOLON– High School track in Iowa has two season highlights. As with other sports, there is the state championship– May 17-19 this year. But this weekend, the Drake Relays spotlights international, college and high school athletes showing their stuff in a track showcase with a century of tradition.
To qualify for Drake, Iowa high schoolers compete against the entire state, not just their school’s enrollment class, for the limited events offered. Solon descends on Drake’s Blue Oval with five relay teams and four individuals.

DES MOINES– Weather and track conditions were consistent through the weekend at the Drake Relays; cold, wet and windy. Solon’s girls responded, though, with highlight performances and others which still kept them near the top of the state’s high school track finishes, as they now head into their 2017 homestretch.
Drake is a late-season pause in the high school regular season. Top Iowa high school track and field performances share the limelight with regional and national college/university competition, special international elite events and Olympic rematches.