There were 11 lead changes in a state-ranked girls basketball matchup before No. 2 Hayfield held off visiting No. 18 Spring Grove, 60-52. The Dec. 28 bout was the closest anyone has come thus far against the undefeated Vikings (11-0), who have won the last two section championships. Spring Grove (8-2) led 45-44 before Hayfield sealed the victory with a late 11-point run. … [Read more...]
Kinley Soiney Leads Spring Grove Girls Past Kenyon-Wanamingo
Kinley Soiney poured in 30 points and the state-ranked No. 18 Spring Grove girls were effective in transition during a 60-40 neutral-site win over Kenyon-Wanamingo (3-5). The Dec. 27 decision was part of a holiday schedule at Hayfield. The Lions (8-1) shot a strong 45% from the field, much due to Soiney hitting 11 of 18 shots (61%). Grove did not rely heavily on 3-point … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past: “Let There Be Light” – and the 10 O’clock News
Technology changed life for the residents of Houston, Minn., during the first half of the 20th century (1900s), when according to area historian Ingrid Julsrud, “More has been invented and new things have come into existence… than in many previous centuries together.“ Electricity came late to the village of Houston, maybe conjectured Julsrud due to a lack of labor and/or … [Read more...]
Spring Grove Girls Race Past Wabasha-Kellogg, 63-43
The Spring Grove girls outran visiting Wabasha-Kellogg up and down the floor for a 63-43 non-conference home win on Dec. 19. Taylor Elton’s Lions scored nearly half of their points (29 of 63) in transition while allowing the Falcons no fast-break points. Fast-break scoring resulted in Spring Grove shooting 54% from the field, the Lions’ best in 11 years. Both teams shot well … [Read more...]
Spring Grove boys bury Burros early
The Spring Grove boys, for the second straight game, scored the first 18 points of a runaway home rout. The 64-30 decision was the Lions’ 21st consecutive victory over Lanesboro and 40th straight Southeast Conference win as the Boys in Black improved to 5-0 (4-0 SEC). The Burros returned home at 2-6 (2-4 SEC) after their Dec. 22 setback. Four Lions scored in double … [Read more...]
Lion boys wallop Wolverines in home opener
After opening the season with three road games, the Spring Grove boys enjoyed flogging Glenville-Emmons, 66-27, in the Lions’ home opener on Dec. 21. Jaxon Strinmoen hit 11 of 17 shots on the way to 25 points, one of 10 Lions to score. Twelve of the 13 Grove guys were credited with rebounds and nine with steals. Both teams went 5 for 9 at the free throw line, but that was all … [Read more...]
Lion Girls Claim First Win Over St. Charles, 63-27
The Spring Grove girls enjoyed a holiday-week feast of rebounds while securing their first win ever against Class AA St. Charles, 63-27. The Lions scored exactly 63 points for the second straight game, improving to 7-1 while the home team remained winless at 0-8. The Grove girls overcame a season-worst 25 turnovers because the Saints lost possession 40 times, including … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Speaking Norwegian at Home, English at School
Part three of a series Owen Hagen said when he started kindergarten in Spring Grove in the 1930s, he could not speak English, only Norwegian. “It was kind of hard for me,” he recalled. “Kids would laugh at me but that changed in a hurry,” he added without explanation. For Tinka Bergrud Rud (1915-2004), speaking Norwegian at school in the early 1920s was not a problem with … [Read more...]
Late Lion Surge Buries LeRoy-Ostrander Girls
Emerson Ingvalson poured in a career-high 26 points as the Spring Grove girls remained undefeated in conference play with a 70-51 home win over a young, but pesky crew of Cardinals from LeRoy-Ostrander on Dec. 15. Ingvalson did more than score, close to a double -double with 9 rebounds along with 5 steals and 4 assists (only 1 turnover). Kylie Hammel turned in a second … [Read more...]
Lion boys emerge from low-scoring start, crush Cardinals
The Spring Grove boys persevered through a record-tying, low-scoring first half before racing away from LeRoy-Ostrander after intermission for an ultimately convincing 54-17 road win on Dec. 19. Two Lions posted double-doubles with Jacob Olerud scoring 13 points plus career-records with 13 rebounds and 8 assists. Ben Udstuen had career-highs with 13 points plus 10 boards. Jaxon … [Read more...]