Spring Grove, trailing by two runs, was one strike away from elimination before back-to-back hits from Ben Udstuen and Braedon Solie sent the large hometown crowd into an explosive celebration. The No. 8 seeded Lions thus stunned visiting No. 9 seed Wabasha-Kellogg, 7-6, in the opening, single-elimination round of the 2023 Section 1A Baseball Tournament on May 24. The Falcon … [Read more...]
Spring Grove softball season ends against No. 1 sub-section seed
No. 1 sub-section seed Southland eliminated No. 8 seed Spring Grove, 16-1 in a run-rule-shortened four-inning playoff softball game on May 22 at Rose Creek. After the first nine Lion batters had been retired with strikeouts, Maggie Lile opened the fourth inning by being hit by a pitch and came around to score when the next batter Jada Strinmoen spoiled a no-hitter with a … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Unless something was done, things were getting worse
Part three of a series “The dry years, nobody thinks nothing of it then,” said Wilfred Pohlman, who along with his father William and neighbor John Goetzinger, had attempted for some time to form an organization to prevent flooding in Crooked Creek Valley in southeastern Houston County. But 1946 was not one of those dry years. “Words cannot describe the havoc that resulted … [Read more...]
Warriors’ Beardmore, Grinde win multiple track and field events
Josh Beardmore won three events; Tysen Grinde took two and placed second in another event one inch behind Beardmore. The Caledonia/Spring Grove boys finished second behind host Chatfield at a May 18 quadrangular track meet that also include Kasson-Mantorville and St. Charles. The Warrior girls finished fourth. While Beardmore and Grinde placed one-two in long jump, Jordan … [Read more...]
Spring Grove boys close regular season with 12-2 road win
The regular season ended with Spring Grove’s second 10-run-rule win against Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons. This 12-2 decision on May 22 at Alden was somewhat similar to the 14-4 home win for the Lions. In both games, AC/GE scored all of its runs in the first inning and later, Spring Grove used a big inning to take control. However, unlike the April game, the Lions led all the … [Read more...]
Spring Grove boys blanked by state-ranked Rebels
Both teams had two base hits, but state-ranked No. 9 Southland took advantage of numerous charitable donations while claiming a share of the 2023 conference championship with a 5-0 road win on May 18 at third-place Spring Grove (8-7, 7-4 SEC). It was a fourth straight setback for the Lions, the last two against state-ranked competition. The Rebels improved to 12-2 (11-1 SEC) to … [Read more...]
Lion boys’ big inning subdues state-ranked Fillmore Central/Lanesboro
The Spring Grove boys used a big five-run inning to upend state-ranked No. 4 Fillmore Central/Lanesboro, 6-4, on May 19, Senior Day and the final regular-season home game at Blayne Onsgard Memorial Field. The win assures the Lions finishing at .500 or better for the season. Through the first five innings, the non-conference encounter was a pitchers’ duel between Lion Ty … [Read more...]
Spring Grove bats finally prevail in sub-section softball
The Spring Grove girls banged out a season-high 11 base hits while eliminating Schaeffer Academy, 14-9, in the Sub-section 1A East play-in game on May 19 at Spring Grove. But the Schaeffer girls (those other Lions) also had 11 hits and jumped out to an early 5-0 lead. Spring Grove had never trailed in either of the two double header games the teams had played three days … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past: It was all downhill into Crooked Creek Valley
Part two of a series It cost 25 cents to ride the train from Freeburg to Caledonia. The train would pick you up wherever you were. Rural students could take 18-cent rides to high school in Caledonia. The train provided transportation from Caledonia to Little Miami with its the well-water swimming pool and tavern. But that all ended on June 16, 1946. It was a beautiful, … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past: Most of the sows and their babies came back home
Part one of a series Birds were singing on a bright and beautiful Sunday morning with healthy crops in the field, according to Margaret Goetzinger. June 16, 1946, was a special day for the family with Alvin Goetzinger’s baby daughter, Joan Kay, having been baptized that morning at Crooked Creek Peace Church. However, the day became very hot, humid and windy. By late … [Read more...]