Solon Springs clinches first trip to state

By JASON JUNO

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ASHLAND, Wis. --- Solon Springs is going to state for the first time in school history after a 59-41 win over Owen-Withee in Saturday night’s sectional final at Ashland.

The Eagles very nearly made it last year also. They led by 13 points with seven minutes left in the sectional final against Chippewa Falls McDonell Catholic Central and lost.

This year, they led O-W by 15 with the same amount of time left.

Isaiah Kastern, Solon’s 6-5 Bemidji State commit, dominated in a second-half stretch with multiple dunks as Solon pulled away and clinched its trip to Madison.

“I don’t think it’ll set in for awhile yet,” Solon coach and Ewen-Trout Creek graduate Marcus Besonen said. “We obviously had a game plan that we wanted to execute and knew that we could be successful. That was the focus. It wasn’t really the thought of what we’re playing for, it’s just hey, we’ve got a team to beat and we got to go out there and do it. That’s where the focus was and now it’s like, I’m still in that mindset, so it’s hard to take it in all. But anytime you get a celebration like this, it’s awesome.”

Solon slowed O-W’s transition game in the second half and O-W couldn't stop Kastern (21 points) inside, Besonen said.

“Just getting him the ball in better positions and being able to get it to him on time so we could beat the double team or be in a position where it’s hard to double. Plus, we hit a couple of shots in the second half, it’s really hard to double if your guys are hitting shots off of them,” Besonen said.

The Eagles (27-2) have the 4 seed at state. They’ll play the 1 seed, Columbus Catholic, at 9:05 a.m. Friday at the Kohl Center in Madison. No. 2 Almond-Bancroft (27-1) plays No. 3 Abundant Life Christian (27-2) after that. The winners meet in the championship game Saturday at 11:05 a.m.

All but Columbus Catholic are making their first trip to state.

The games will be streamed on several TV station websites, including Wausau’s - waow.com.