Much is expected from the 2023-24 Spring Grove basketball boys, greatly due to last year’s success and the players returning for five-time Section 1A Coach of the Year Wade Grinde and his veteran coaching staff, including Al Lochner and Tom Vix. The Lions won a school-record 31 games (20-0 SEC, 31-2) while hoisting the third-place trophy at the Class A state tournament. While … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Not a Normal Year at Houston High
In addition to beautiful brick buildings, formal education of the youth in Houston, Minn., has taken place in church basements, a log hut, an opera house and a schoolhouse that not only swayed in the wind but also provided a path for floodwater. Education in the village began in 1855 in a log shanty in lower Houston on the south side of the old Root River bed. As enrollment … [Read more...]
Spring Grove Girls Drop Close Contest at Waukon,66-63
Spring Grove had 18 fewer turnovers and 22 more shot attempts. But it was not enough to overcome 23 fewer rebounds, being outshot, 46% to 34%, from the field and a five-point deficit at the free throw line. Waukon (now 2-1), with a much larger enrollment, held on for a 66-63 home win, its sixth straight victory versus Spring Grove. While the Lions depended greatly on 3-point … [Read more...]
Lion Girls Open with Runaway Road win at Lanesboro
The Spring Grove girls opened the 2023-04 basketball season with an impressive 67-34 road win at Lanesboro. With graduation losses after two straight SEC East Division championships, the Burros (1-2) trailed throughout their third game of this season. Three Lions scored in double figures, led by Kinley Soiney with 21 points along with 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Kylie Hammel … [Read more...]
Lion Football Fights through Misfortune, Returns to Section Finals
Spring Grove football extended winning ways with an 8-3 record (5-2 sub-district) and second straight appearance in the 9-player section championship game. It was at the 13th winning record in the last 14 seasons. But it was not easy with nearly half (five of 11) of the games decided by single-digit margins. The Lions earned a winning record by prevailing in four of those five … [Read more...]
Young Lions Depend on Depth, Defense
The 2023-’24 Spring Grove basketball girls, with depth and pressure defense, seek to improve on their dozen wins last winter, their most in six years. But, at 12-15, it was still a sixth straight season below .500. However, Grove was 12-12 versus other Class A-size schools. The Lions were 10-8 in league play, finishing third among five teams in the SEC East for a second … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Mons Fladager- Painter, Entrepreneur, Father of Spring Grove
Part two of a series “No one man can be given more credit for the development of the city of Spring Grove than Mons Fladager,” wrote area historian Jane Briggs Palen, who noted that there were only two inhabitants in Spring Grove – Robert McCormick and William Hinckley – when Fladager arrived in 1859. He operated a store in a log hut, that with help from two sons and … [Read more...]
Halverson is Lion MVP, among four All-SEC selections
Joelle Halverson was voted Spring Grove’s top volleyball honor as 2023 Impact Player of the Year (MVP) and was one of four Lions named by the coaches to the All-Southeast Conference Team. Kendal VanMinsel is a repeat All-SEC honoree while Sydney Holland moves up to First Team All-SEC this year after receiving Honorable Mention last year. Jordis Neeley completes the all-league … [Read more...]
Excellence Consistent for Spring Grove Volleyball
Spring Grove extended a string of highly-successful volleyball seasons in 2023 with a 22-7 record, the Lions’ third consecutive 20-plus win season under the tutelage of former Spring Grove standout Kelsey (Anderson) Morken. Not counting the shortened COVID season of 2020, the wins over the most recent seasons have been 22, 28, 20, 19, 26 and 22. Going 12-2 in Southeast … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past: Settled First by Yankees, Mostly by Norwegians
Spring Grove, the first Norwegian settlement in Minnesota, is still known for its Norwegian heritage. But the non-Norwegian name was given to the village by Pennsylvania printer James Smith, who in 1852 was Spring Grove’s first settler. His 1853 store was the first business. Smith would also be the first Justice of the Peace and postmaster. Before the influx of Norwegian … [Read more...]