Kinley Soiney tossed in 23 points and Kylie Hammel 21 plus 8 rebounds as the visiting, Spring Grove girls ripped LeRoy-Ostrander 67-45. Emerson Ingvalson was solid all-around with 7 points and 7 rebounds plus game-high totals of 6 assists and 7 steals. The season records became reversed with the Lions improving to 18-2 (12-0 SEC) and the Cardinals falling to 2-18 (2-11 … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Two Bronze Beasts, Two Men Named Mons
The Norwegian coat of arms features an upright, yellow lion, wearing a crown and wielding an axe. Recognizing the Norwegian heritage of Spring Grove, that lion would be a fitting source of the school nickname, the Spring Grove Lions. But “au contraire,” which in French means “to the contrary.” There is a 50-50 chance that the original namesake bronze lion came from France. … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Booming Brewing, Organized Opposition
Second of a series It was long a familiar landmark for automobile traffic between Hokah and La Crescent on Highway 16 before it was torn down in 1954. The building originally housed one of the most successful breweries in Minnesota. The Root River Brewery was founded in Hokah Township by Joseph Pfeffer, Jr. in 1858, the same year he and his son immigrated from … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Climate, Topography Ideal for Immigrant Brewers
First of a series It surely will never receive another human footstep, but it endures two levels below street level in downtown Caledonia – a century-and-half-old brewery cellar. As far back as the first decades of white settlement in the 1850s-1860s, there were breweries in Southeast Minnesota, often started by European immigrants, particularly but not exclusively German … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Midnight Noises and a Rutabaga “Astonish the Newcomers”
Part five of a series Mysterious and frightening noises at night, a back-and-forth chase with a savage animal and an oversized vegetable were among strange experiences for T. R. Stewart, who as an 11-year-old boy, came with his family to Minnesota Territory in 1853. A half-century later, he wrote about those first few months as one of the first white families to settle in … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Awakening Beneath a Snow-covered Quilt
Part four of a series Hearing the call of prairie chickens was a new and alarming experience. It was 1853 when 11-year-old T. R. Stewart and his family came west from Massachusetts to be among the very first pioneer settlers in southeast Minnesota Territory, near present-day Caledonia. Their first week was spent at a hotel in Brownsville and the second week at the home of … [Read more...]
Spring Grove Boys Mangle Mavericks, 66-32
Jacob Olerud had an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double as the Spring Grove boys whipped Martin County West, 66-32. MCW High School, located in Sherburn, along Interstate 90, serves the communities of Trimont, Welcome and Sherburn. Basketball is a Class A program in Section 2. The Mavericks were state-ranked when they defeated Spring Grove 41-33 two years ago. They dropped to … [Read more...]
Lion Boys Extend Grand Meadow Misery
The Spring Grove boys’ 85-24 victory extended their winning streak over Grand Meadow to 49 games and extended the misery for this year’s young Superlarks, who remain winless after 24 games. Coming in after two straight losses to state-ranked teams, the Lions slipped in the state rankings from No. 3 down to No. 12. But Wade Grinde’s guys have now improved to 20-3 (16-2 SEC), … [Read more...]
Spring Grove Boys Rip Rochester STEM
The Spring Grove Boys cruised to a 95-36 home win over a new program, Rochester STEM Academy. It was 52-14 at halftime as the Lions improved to 19-3. Any established program who scheduled the Cobras (2-19) was permitted to play 27 games, one more than the usual season limit. Both teams shot well beyond the 3-point arc with the Cobras hitting 8 of 20 (40%) and the Lions 12 of … [Read more...]
Lion Boys Edged by R-P in record four overtimes
The score was tied at halftime, the end of regulation and the end of three overtimes before the state-ranked No. 17 Rushford-Peterson boys finally prevailed in four overtimes over visiting, state-ranked No. 3 Spring Grove, 82-79. In decades of record-keeping, the Lions had never before played a four-overtime game. Jaxon Strinmoen, who scored his 1,000th career point in the … [Read more...]
Spring Grove Boys Stunned by Southland Buzzer-Beater
Class A state-ranked No. 3 Spring Grove led No. 13 Southland for most of the second half, but Noah Bauer hit a 3-pointer with under two seconds to play in the Rebels’ euphoric 52-50 home win. Inbounding with only 1.3 seconds left, SG amazingly got off a shot (that missed the mark). The score was tied seven times; there were seven lead changes. Grove trailed by eight points … [Read more...]
Lion Boys Capture Outright Title with Runaway Win over Mabel-Canton
The Spring Grove boys wrapped up the outright SEC East Division championship while throttling visiting Mabel-Canton, 80-38. The state-ranked Lions (18-1, 15-1 SEC) handled the ball with only 7 turnovers, had a season-fewest 5 fouls and shot a hot 50% from the field overall, including a good 38% (12-32) from 3-point range. The Cougars (10-11, 8-8 SEC) shot a so-so 39%, but … [Read more...]
Spring Grove Boys Clinch Crown, Bury L/P with Early 3-Point Avalanche
The Spring Grove boys hit their first five shots, all 3-pointers, and finished with a season-most 13 treys during a 79-26 lashing of visiting Lyle/Pacelli. Elijah Solum passed out a career-high 11 assists, Ben Udstuen scored a career-high 21 points along with 8 rebounds and Jaxon Strinmoen had a 20-point, 12-rebound double-double. Spring Grove (17-1, 14-1 SEC) clinched at least … [Read more...]
Lion Boys Overwhelm Wolverines again
Jaxon Strinmoen, for the second time this season, poured in 25 points versus Glenville-Emmons as the visiting Spring Grove boys rolled to a 19th straight win over the Wolverines, 82-40. Ben Udstuen added 15 points and a career-high 6 assists while Jacob Olerud supplied 12 points. Thirteen Lions played; 10 scored. Seven Wolverines scored but none in double figures. The Grove … [Read more...]
Spring Grove boys shoot past LeRoy-Ostrander, 74-34
The Spring Grove boys shot a season-high 57%, including a season-best 55% (12 for 22) beyond the 3-point arc while coasting to a 38th consecutive win over visiting LeRoy-Ostrander, 74-34. Both Ben Udstuen and Jaxon Strinmoen had 16 points and 5 rebounds with Strinmoen adding 5 steals. Zach Brumm came off the sideline for a career-high 6 assists. Camden Hungerholt led the … [Read more...]