The Caledonia/Spring Grove boys took first place in nine events while winning a home quadrangular track and field meet with Cotter, Wabasha-Kellogg and La Crescent-Hokah on April 28. The Warrior girls finished fourth. Senior Tysen Grinde, junior Josh Beardmore and sophomore Fischer Wait were each three-time winners. Grinde won both the high jump (6 feet even) and the triple … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Knees only painful on Wednesday evenings
Part three of a series Summer revivals, Christmas pageants, a hospital stay and even sore knees during Wednesday prayers are treasured memories for area historian David Beckman of attending South Ridge Church while growing up in the 1940s a few miles west of La Crescent. The family worshipped twice on Sundays, starting with Sunday school for both children and adults before … [Read more...]
Historic home softball game for Spring Grove
April 24, 2023 was a historic afternoon - the first home softball game in 39 years for a stand-alone Spring Grove team. The 25-0 loss to Class AA La Crescent-Hokah was the Lions’ fourth game of the season, but the first shutout. The Grove girls (0-4) had two base hits and four total base runners. Two batters hit by a pitch was the only charity offered by winning pitcher Kaitlyn … [Read more...]
Big inning propels Spring Grove to come-from-behind win
Spring Grove’s 14-4 home baseball win versus Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons was not a conventional 10-run rule decision. There was plenty of drama as the Lions trailed for the first four and half innings before erupting for 10-runs in the fifth inning of the April 25 conference contest. Winless AC/GE, which came in averaging just over two runs a game, scored four runs on … [Read more...]
Spring Grove girls fall to league-leading, unbeaten Rebels
The Spring Grove girls were not able to contain undefeated Southland during a 17-2 loss that ended with the run rule in the fourth inning. Addyson McHugh had the Lions’ lone base hit, a two-out single in the first inning, which sent Katelyn Kraus (fielder’s choice) to third base. However, neither was able to score. Both Spring Grove runs came without a hit in the third … [Read more...]
Warriors win three relays, high jump and discus
A Caledonia/Spring Grove foursome won two boys relays and was runner-up in a third, while Tysen Grinde won the high jump, was runner-up in long jump and triple jump plus a third place in the 400-meter dash. And the Warrior girls won the 4x100-meter relay at an April 25 track & field meet at Rushford. As a team, the Warrior boys placed second among five teams; the girls were … [Read more...]
McHugh, Konkel share Lion girls’ top award; team earns top academic honor
Senior Addyson McHugh and freshman Siri Konkel were honored by their 2023 Spring Grove basketball teammates as the Impact or Most Valuable Players. Konkel and fellow freshman Kylie Hammel shared the Hustle Award. Receiving the most votes for Most Improved was eighth grader Brinley Middendorf. Another tie saw senior Lydia Solum and sophomore Emerson Ingvalson both voted the … [Read more...]
Accolades continue for Spring Grove cagers
Spring Grove junior Elijah Solum was tabbed as the top basketball junior, “The Junior of the Year” in Section 1A by Ryan James, the leading resource for basketball recruiting in Minnesota. James also named a “Junior All-State Team,” honoring 25 Minnesota juniors from all classes (including three from southeast Minnesota). Solum was a Fifth Team selection. For the fifth … [Read more...]
Lion boys coast past Hurricanes in home opener, 10-2
Caleb Griffin pitched a four-hitter while striking out 10 Houston batters and walking only one as Spring Grove won its baseball home opener, 10-2, in front of a large crowd on April 14. Ty Cleven fanned three in one inning of relief. Elijah Solum (double, 2 steals) and Brandon Jahnke each drove in two runs while batting 2 for 3. Ezra Griffin went 2 for 4 with a triple, … [Read more...]
Lion girls cannot maintain lead against FC/L
Spring Grove led twice but managed only one base hit in a 17-7 loss to Fillmore Central/Lanesboro on April 13 at Preston. Katelyn Kraus singled into right field to drive in two runs during the Lions’ big six-run second inning, which took advantage of two walks, two hit batters and two FC/L errors. Kraus would score on a wild pitch for a 7-4 Spring Grove lead. But FC/L plated … [Read more...]
New era of Spring Grove softball begins with road loss at P-E-M
A new era of softball in Spring Grove began with a 2-0 lead before home team Plainview-Elgin-Millville replied with four runs in the bottom of the inning. The Bulldogs would prevail by the run rule, 18-3, during the fourth inning. It was the first game for a stand-alone Spring Grove team in 39 years (1984). The shared program with Caledonia began in 1985. Senior Maggie … [Read more...]
Lion boys stunned by last-inning loss at Southland
It was a gut-wrenching baseball loss for Spring Grove, which never trailed until the final play. Southland used three unearned runs in the final half inning to rally past the Lions, 5-4, on April 18 at Adams. Spring Grove, after only one previous error, committed back-to-back errors to spark the last-inning Rebel rally. The Lions still led 4-2, and needed only one out to secure … [Read more...]
Spring Grove baseball opens with 15-4 road rout at Spring Valley
A few base hits, many walks and several enemy errors resulted in Spring Grove’s 15-4 season-opening baseball win against Grand Meadow/LeRoy-Ostrander/Kingsland in a run-rule, five-inning affair at Spring Valley on April 13. Spring Grove scored 15 runs on only six hits, but there were not all that many good pitches to hit. So, the Lions took advantage of a dozen free … [Read more...]
Cal/SG sprinters, jumpers enjoy strong start
Some veteran performers and a newcomer to track and field competition had stellar starts for Caledonia/Spring Grove at the first meets of 2023. Junior Josh Beardmore won the 100-meter dash at both Stewartville on April 11 (11.48 seconds) and at the Winged Foot Invite at Plainview-Elgin-Millville on April 14 (11.07). The Warriors dominated the 100M event with sophomores Fischer … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Performances, Bible verses, a lot of singing and ice cream
By Lee Epps Part two of a series Throughout the first century of settlement by those of European heritage in southeast Minnesota, the church was a site for community activity, both religious and secular. This was certainly true for rural residents, some distance from villages where there might be larger buildings, such as hotels. Area historian David Beckman reflects on … [Read more...]