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Solon gets revenge against Benton in Class 3A high school football playoffs
Spartans fell, 21-20, to Bobcats in regular season but advance to state quarterfinals with 34-27 win
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VAN HORNE — Solon Coach Lucas Stanton took a picture of the scoreboard after the Spartans’ 21-20 loss to Benton Community on Oct. 4.
He had a feeling his team would see the Bobcats again.
It proved to be an effective tactic.
The Class 3A ninth-ranked Spartans (8-2) defeated No. 5 Benton Community (7-3), 34-27, in the opening round of the Class 3A Iowa high school football playoffs Friday at Bobcat Stadium in Van Horne.
“Right after that (Oct. 4) game, we told the guys we felt like we let that one slip away — but they’re a good football team and there were some things that we needed to learn from that game,” Stanton said. “I told the guys, this should burn in your brain a little bit. We should be champing at the bit to come play these guys again.”
His team was ready.
The Spartans blocked a 19-yard field goal attempt on Benton’s opening drive and returned the ball to the Bobcats’ 48.
Nine plays later, Eddie Johnson punched in his first of three touchdowns, this one from 2 yards out.
“Having him (Johnson) out there is pretty special,” Stanton said. “From a leadership standpoint, guys just feed off the way he plays. Even dinged up, he’s playing physical, tough football.”
Benton answered midway through the second quarter when Dylan LeFebvere bulldozed his way to the end zone for a 2-yard TD.
Two minutes later, Ty Bell connected with Maddox Kelley on a 19-yard touchdown.
“The nice thing is Ty looks like he’s been there before,” Stanton said. “It’s his second time through the playoffs. So it was just another game for him.”
With 14 seconds remaining in the first half, LeFebvere added his second score, a 1-yarder, as the Bobcats took a 13-12 lead into intermission.
Early in the third, Bell rolled out and found Johnson open for a 29-yard TD. Johnson then punched in the 2-point attempt, giving the Spartans a 20-13 lead.
“They’re a really tough football team that tested us this game and the last game we played them,” Johnson said. “It shows we can hang with any tough team.”
With 3:40 left in the third, Bell again found Kelley, who made a nice grab for a 12-yard touchdown.
Benton wasn’t done.
Owen Von Ashen returned the ensuing kick 97 yards for a score.
Just before the end of the third, Carson Nolan picked off a Bell pass. Then, with six minutes remaining, Nolan scored from a yard out to tie it at 27-all.
“Benton’s one of the best teams in the state,” Stanton said. “So for us to come back and respond the way we did, that’s a sign that we’re young but we’re growing up.”
After Nolan’s score, Johnson and the Spartans locked back in.
Johnson capped a 13-play, 61-yard drive that took 5:14 off the clock with a game-sealing 3-yard TD.
“We grind all year — all just for these four games in the playoffs,” Johnson said. “I’d do anything for these guys.”
Johnson finished with 90 rushing yards and three total touchdowns.
“Just resilience from our team,” Stanton said. “We went through a tough stretch, Benton, Williamsburg … not just tough physically but mentally. I think it took a toll on us. We just rallied the troops and got back to having fun with this.”
Solon will travel to play No. 3 Humboldt in next Friday’s quarterfinal round.
This was Benton’s 13th postseason appearance.
Solon 34, Benton Community 27
AT Bobcat Stadium
TEAM STATISTICS
First downs: SOL 25, BC 17
Passing yards: SOL 222, BC 76
Rushing yards: SOL 124, BC 249
Comp-att-int: SOL 18-23-1, BC 6-15-0
Fumbles-lost: SOL 0, BC 0
Total yards: SOL 346, BC 325
Punts-average: SOL 1-34, BC 3-36.3
Penalties-yards: SOL 1-10, BC 7-60
SCORING SUMMARY
Solon 6 6 15 7 — 34
Benton Community 0 13 7 7 — 27
Solon — Eddie Johnson 2 run (kick missed)
Benton Community — Dylan LeFebvere 2 run (Elijah Kupka kick)
Solon — Maddox Kelley 19 pass from Ty Bell (kick missed)
Benton Community — Dylan LeFebvere 1 run (Elijah Kupka kick)
Solon — Eddie Johnson 29 pass from Ty Bell (Johnson run)
Solon — Maddox Kelley 12 pass from Ty Bell (Ryan Locke kick)
Benton Community — Owen Von Ashen 97 run (Elijah Kupka kick)
Benton Community — Carson Nolan 1 run (Elijah Kupka kick)
Solon — Eddie Johnson 3 run (Ryan Locke kick)
Individual Statistics
Rushing – Solon: Eddie Johnson 21-90, Einar Stecher 1-(minus 4), Ty Bell 6-26, Maddox Kelly 5-20, Misc. 2-(minus 8). Benton Community: Carson Nolan 16-101, Logan Upah 2-13, Dylan LeFebvere 27-141, Misc. 1-(minus 9).
Passing – Solon: Ty Bell 18-23-222-1. Benton Community: Carson Nolan 6-15-76-0.
Receiving – Solon: Maddox Kelley 8-120, Eddie Johnson 2-29, Karysn Regennitter 5-55, Owen Einwalter 2-18. Benton Community: Logan Upah 4-54, Eli Patterson 2-22.
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