Iowa high school girls basketball state tournament: Solon reaches summit of Class 3A

The No. 3 Spartans held off No. 1 Estherville-Lincoln Central, 54-47

DES MOINES, IOWA – Jamie Smith took the girls basketball job at Solon before the 2018-19 season and went 3-18. 

“It wasn’t always perfect,’’ he said.

The final night of Smith’s sixth season at Solon was perfect in his eyes. 

Iowa commit Callie Levin had 27 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and the third-rated Spartans toppled No. 1 Estherville-Lincoln Central 54-47 in the Class 3A state championship game Friday at Wells Fargo Arena.

Solon's Kobi Lietz (left) defends Estherville Lincoln Central's Jasey Anderson (right) during the Class 3A state championship game at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines on Friday. (Photo by Ryan Timmerman)

“Seeing some of the struggle means a little bit more to me,’’ said an emotional Smith, who spent nine years at Interstate 35 in Truro before taking the Solon job. “This is why you do what you do.’’

Third-seeded Solon claimed its fourth state title, following triumphs in 1994, 1997 and 1998, and finished 24-3. Top-seeded Estherville-Lincoln Central, which was seeking its second state championship in three years, ended at 24-3.

The Midgets’ star, 5-foot-6 junior Haylee Stokes, carried her team as far as her slender shoulders could. The Minnesota State commit had 30 points, nine rebounds and five steals, and her basket with 5:55 remaining pushed the Midgets in front 40-39.

But the Spartans answered with an 11-2 run. The 5-9 Levin started the burst with a conventional 3-point play and ended it with a 3-pointer that put Solon up 51-42 with 2:00 left.

Estherville made it interesting, however. It got within 52-47 with 31 seconds left on Stokes’ 3. After Solon missed a pair of free throws, the Midgets had a pair of 3-point attempts to pull within two, but they were both off the mark and Levin’s two free throws with 6.9 seconds left iced it.

“It’s just an amazing feeling,’’ Levin said. “I’ve dreamed about this moment for so long. I just wanted it so bad. Our team wanted it so bad. And we got it done.’’

Estherville coach Don Martindale wasn’t surprised to see his team rally multiple times in the game. The Midgets trailed by 10 midway through the third quarter.

“It just typifies the heart and soul of our team,’’ he said. “Never quit. Never say die. Just compete until the end. I think the story of the game comes down to one thing, field-goal percentage. We had a lot of open looks and we just didn’t make them.’’

The Midgets finished 16 of 55 (29.1%) from the field, including 3 of 15 (20.0%) from 3-point range.

“Their defense was just like ours,’’ Stokes said. “They’re very tough defensively. … It was like playing ourselves.’’

Estherville Lincoln Central's Jasey Anderson fights for a loose ball with Solon's Mia Stahle during the Class 3A state championship game at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. (Photo by Ryan Timmerman)

Levin picked up her second foul with 5:21 left in the first quarter but convinced her coach to put her back in with 3:52 left in the first. She scored all 17 of her first-half points with two fouls.

“I said, ‘Coach, I promise you I’m not going to foul,’’’ Levin said. “He believes in me. He trusts me.’’

Smith went to a 2-3 zone in the fourth quarter and it paid dividends.

“I thought we had to,’’ he said. “They were kind of in a rhythm against man-to-man. I thought it had kind of run its course. I’m not a big zone guy, but we practice it for situations like that.’’

Solon went 9-13 in Smith’s second year, the year before Levin entered high school. Now the Spartans are at the summit.

“I’m an emotional guy,’’ Smith said. “It’s right on my sleeve. I’m excited for these kids. I’m excited for the community. I’m excited for my family. Everybody who’s invested, especially these kids. I love them like my own.’’

--Kevin White | @SBLiveIA