It was a clash of Class 3A Iowa high school football heavyweights at Spartan Stadium on Friday night.
No. 3 Solon football faced its biggest challenge to date, a head-to-head matchup with No. 4 Mount Vernon.
With both teams coming into the game undefeated, somebody was going to walk out with a blemish on their record. But the Spartans (4-0) prevailed, pulling out a 7-6 nailbiter over the Mustangs (3-1).
"Over the past three weeks, we've played good opponents but nothing like Mount Vernon," said Solon sophomore Maddox Kelley. "So, a win like that drives our confidence a whole lot going into next week and weeks after that."
Here are three reasons why Solon football is a state title contender in Class 3A.
The Spartans stay resilient while facing late-game adversity
The final two minutes brought a wave of emotions. Up 7-0, the Spartans needed a few stops to walk away with a win. But it's never as simple as it sounds.
On second-and-15, the Solon allowed a 65-yard touchdown. On top of that, the Mustangs rolled out its offense to attempt a two-point conversation for the win. At that point, the message was clear for the Spartans: don't linger on past mistakes.
"Like the rest of the game on defense, we couldn't dwell on the previous play," said Solon coach Lucas Stanton. "We had to go with a next-play mentality. I know it sounds super cliche, but we just moved on."
The Spartans made up for the late-game scare with a game-clinching stop. They pressured Mount Vernon quarterback Kellen Haverback out of the pocket and forced an overthrown ball that sealed the win.
Those "grind-it-out" wins build mental toughness, a trait that is needed when competing in a tough field of competition in Class 3A.
"For our kids, it shows them that they can be put through some tough situations, and they can battle with anybody," Stanton said. "If we get through this four-week gauntlet (Mount Vernon, Grinnell, Benton, Williamsburg), we're going to be tested, and we'll be able to make a run."
Maddox Kelley answered the call
It's no surprise that the first turnover of the game belonged to Kelley, a sophomore who's already regarded as one of the best young pass-catchers in the Iowa City area.
At the right place at the right time, Kelley, who entered Friday's game with a team-high 229 yards on 17 receptions, showcased those pass-catching skills on the opposite side of the ball. He picked off a tipped pass that stopped the Mustangs' momentum.
After a second turnover fell in the hands of senior Owen Einwalter, Kelley broke on the ball and snatched his second interception of the night. Those three turnovers were difference-makers.
"The first one...just happened to be right there; it just hit into my hands. But the second one I kind of cheated a little bit because the way they were motioning," Kelley said. "I was kind of expecting that, and so when I saw them go out ... I was like 'I hope he comes over here because I'm going to get it'".
There's no doubt that Kelley has become a spark for the Spartans this season, no matter what side of the ball he's on.
"He's a ball hawk, he's a game changer," Stanton said. "They kind of took him away on offense, but they couldn't take him away on defense."
Solon's offense scored when it needed to
The Spartans were held to a season-low 7 points. Mount Vernon's defense, which allowed just about 8 points per game this season, created some problems.
But Solon's only touchdown made all the difference in the end.
The Spartans set the tone with a six-play, 65-yard drive that lasted just 59 seconds in the first quarter. Like he has all this season, running back Eddie Johnson answered the call. A 45-yard explosion on a swing pass helped put the Spartans in Mustang territory. Four plays later, Johnson — who rushed for over 100 yards Friday — walked in a 2-yard touchdown to put the first six points on the board.
"Our line got after it (during that first drive)," Johnson said. "We did that little swing pass, I just broke a couple of tackles, and then we finished it off."
While there is room for improvement, a win over a rival like Mount Vernon is the type of adversity the Spartans needed to overcome to prove to the state they are state title contenders.