Spring Grove (3-2) won at Lyle/Pacelli (2-3) with a second-half shutout on an unusually warm and sunny Saturday Homecoming Saturday afternoon at Lyle. The Athletics had only 23 yards of offense in the second half after 206 yards before halftime.
Lyle/Pacelli led at halftime, 22-21. But three plays into the second half, an interception by freshman Elijah Solum at the L/P 17 yard-line set up the SG go-ahead touchdown.
The match featured the sub-district’s top two passers, top 2 kick returners and top five receivers. Lion quarterback Isaac Griffin ran for two TDs (4 yds., 1 yd.), kicked 4 extra points and completed 8 of 21 passes for 76 yards and 2 TDs (14 yds. Carson Gavin; 14 yds. Caden Grinde). Hunter Holland returned a kickoff 79 yards for the first Lion TD.
Photo submitted
For L/P, Cole Walter completed 12 of 27 (163 yards, 2 TDs) but was intercepted three times.
With a total of seven turnovers, the longest touchdown drive of the game covered only 54 yards. Both teams took advantage of good field position as both came from behind in the first half. An interception, a fumble recovery and fourth-down stop gave the Athletics three opportunities near midfield. They took advantage of all three.
Jayden Lewis reeled in a 35-yard Walter pass two plays before Walter found a leaping Zach Bollingberg in the end zone with an 8-yard touchdown toss.
Walter’s 2-point run made it 8-0, but Hunter Holland returned the ensuing kickoff 79 yards. Griffin’s PAT kick cut the L/P lead down to 8-7.
A quarterback sack by Holland was followed by a short punt, and the Lions were back in business at the L/P 35. Mitchell Reynolds carried 13 yards for a first down, but the L/P defense forced a fourth down at the 14. Griffin came through with scoring pass to Carson Gavin, and the Lions led for the first time, 14-8.
However, L/P went back on top with Walter’s 32-yard TD toss to Hunter Bauer (16-14) and then on the next possession, made it 22-14 when Walter scampered in from 9 yards out.
After Caden Grinde recovered an L/P fumble at the 50, the Lions would answer again. Holland provided the big play with a 20-yard run, and Griffin would score from four yards out.
The half ended with an interception by SG junior cornerback Reid Bjerke, but with L/P going for 2-point extra points and SG opting for 1-pointers, the A’s led at halftime, 22-21.
But the Lion defense would not permit any more extra-point tries for L/P. The visiting defense limited the Athletics to only two more first downs, and came up with two more turnovers. Meanwhile the SG offense added two touchdowns and another two points with a safety.
After Solum’s interception, Griffin threw his second 14-yard TD pass of the afternoon – this time to Grinde for a 28-22 lead early in the third quarter. The safety came with a high snap as L/P attempted to punt out of the end zone. SG led 30-22.
The Lions made it a two-score margin and achieved the eventual final score with an 8-play, 49 yard drive, capped by Griffin’s 1-yard scoring carry with 7:48 to play.
SG outgained L/P by only 32 yards (258-226), but won the turnover battle 2 to 5 and came up with the kick-return touchdown. In their first game against a dangerous passing opponent, the Lions gave up two big pass plays and 147 aerial yards in the first half. But the Spring Grove stop troops limited L/P to only three pass completions for a total of 16 yards after halftime.
With many fans wearing shorts in November, the Lions claimed a 14th straight victory in the series they now lead 17 wins to 2.
Team totals
YARDAGE (rush + pass): SG 258 (182+76), LP 226 (63+163)
RUSHING: att.-yards (avg.): SG 37-182 (4.9 avg ) 2TD; LP 32-63 (2.0) TD
PASSES: comp-att-int, yds. (TD): SG 8-21-1, 76 yds. (2TD); LP 12-27-3, 163 yds. (2TD)
Sacks allowed: SG 0, LP1
TD: SG: 2 run, 2 pass, 1 special teams; LP: 1 run, 2 pass
PAT: SG 4-5 (4-5 kick); LP 2-3 (1-1 run, 1-2 pass)
TOTAL PLAYS: SG 58, LP 60
AVG. yards per play: SG 4.4, LP 3.8
FUMBLES – LOST: SG 3-1, LP 3-2
TURNOVERS: SG 2, LP 5
PENALTIES: SG 6-56, LP 7-61
3rd downs: SG 4-11, LP 5-13
4th downs: SG 1-3, LP 1-4
Red zone: SG 4-6, LP 2-2
First downs: SG 14, LP 13
Plays of 20+ yards: SG 1, LP 2
Lion INDIVIDUALS:
RUSHING 37-182: Hunter Holland 14-79; Isaac Griffin 17-61, 2TD; Mitchell Reynolds 4-21; Reid Bjerke 1-17; Caden Grinde 1-4
PASSING: Isaac Griffin 8-21-1, 76 yds. 2TD
RECEIVING: Caden Grinde 4-33, TD; Hunter Holland 2-20; Carson Gavin 1-14, TD; Reid Bjerke 1-9
SCORING: Isaac Griffin 16; Hunter Holland 6; Caden Grinde 6; Carson Gavin 6; (team safety 2)
PUNTING: Caden Grinde 3-112 (37.3)
KICKOFF RETURNS: Hunter Holland 1-79, TD; Tysen Grinde 2-24; Tristan Hammel 1-9
PUNT RETURNS: none
INTERCEPTIONS: Reid Bjerke 1-7 yards; Elijah Solum 1-3; Isaac Griffin 1-no return
PASS BREAKUPS: Tysen Grinde 1, Reid Bjerke 1, Ethan Crouch 1, Hunter Holland 1
BLOCKED PUNTS: none
FUMBLE RECOVERIES: Caden Grinde 1, Tysen Grinde 1
FUMBLES FORCED: Carson Gavin 1
SACKS: Hunter Holland 1
TACKLES for LOSS (incl. sacks): Hunter Holland 2.0; Carson Gavin 1.0; Tristan Hammel 0.5; Caden Grinde 0.5
TACKLES (solo + assists): Caden Grinde 15 (7+8); Carson Gavin 11 (4+7); Hunter Holland 9 (5+4); Elijah Solum 6 (4+2); Tristan Hammel 5 1+4); Reid Bjerke 4 (3+1); Ethan Crouch 4 (1+3); Cameron Kraus 3 (2+1); Isaac Griffin 3 (2+1); Tysen Grinde 1 (1+0); Ty Cleven 1 (0+1)
———————————————
Spring Grove football 2020
3-2 (3-2 sub-district)
W vs. Houston 33-16
L at Grand Meadow 6-40
L vs. Lanesboro 14-36
W at Kingsland 34-8
W at Lyle/Pacelli 36-22
Nov. 13 vs. Mabel-Canton
——————————————–
Lion B-Team
2-3
W at Mabel-Canton 8-6
L vs. Lanesboro 0-36
W at Houston 12-6
L vs. Mabel-Canton 26-36
L at Lanesboro 6-52
———————————————-
Spring Grove Junior High
5-0
W at Mabel-Canton 46-13
W vs. Lanesboro 48-20
W at Houston 46-34
W vs. Mabel-Canton 44-6
W at Lanesboro 20-0
Leave a Reply