It was a season like no other for the Spring Grove girls and every other team as well. The COVID-controlled campaign limited the Lions to 16 games, the fewest in 37 years when they went 4-12 with a fifth-place River Valley Conference finished in 1984. This year’s win total was similar at 3-13 overall to finish fifth in the SEC East Division with a 3-11 Southeast Conference … [Read more...]
Lange repeats as all-conference gymnast
Caledonia/Spring Grove freshman gymnast Braelyn Lange has earned all-conference acclaim for a second season in 2021. She was previously honored two years ago as a seventh grader. All-conference points are awarded by a top-five finish in any of the four events during conference dual meets. The season’s 15 highest scorers are all-conference. … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Samuel McPhail’s boiled eggs and butter clinch county seat election
First of a two-part series He named his daughter Minnesota, his dog Santa Anna, his town Caledonia and his county Houston. Capt. Samuel McPhail founded the towns of Caledonia and Redwood Falls. He was a soldier, an attorney, a businessman, an Indian fighter, a tree scientist and one of the most colorful pioneers in Houston County – unforgettable to all who heard his squeaky … [Read more...]
Warrior gymnasts place eighth at section
The Caledonia/Spring Grove gymnasts closed their season with an eighth place finish in the nine-team Section 1A Tournament hosted by ninth place Kasson-Mantorville/Triton on March 20. Cal/SG (2-9 duals) improved by one place from last year’s section tournament while outscoring K-M/T for the third time this season. Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa had the top two individual scorers … [Read more...]
Lion boys upended in low-scoring section opener, 38-36
The Spring Grove boys missed their final four shots, all 3-point attempts, and the abbreviated 2021 season ended with a low-scoring 38-36 elimination loss in the March 16 section opener against Wabasha-Kellogg. In the only first-round upset, No. 5 seed Spring Grove was outshot at home by the No. 12 seed. The Lion defense did its job, allowing only 38 points, very close … [Read more...]
Spring Grove girls bow out against No. 2 seed Blooming Prairie
When No. 15 seed Spring Grove was playing against girls about their own age, they prevailed by 10 points. But unfortunately for the visiting Lions, it was the Blooming Prairie seniors and juniors who received the No. 2 seed and played for most of their 58-24 win in the Section 1A Tournament opener for both teams. The Awesome Blossoms had won as many games (15) as Spring Grove … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Soldier, pioneer, hotelier handled “Wild Kate,” founded village of Houston
The founder of the city of Houston, William George McSpadden, Jr., was one of the most influential early settlers in what became Houston County. Often on the move, he came west after one war, led Houston County soldiers throughout another war and later served in the state legislature. He was born in 1825 or 1826 in Ireland, during his Scottish parents’ two-year stopover on … [Read more...]
Cal/SG gymnasts sweep top four All-Around scores
The Caledonia/Spring Grove gymnasts claimed the top four all-around places and closed the regular season with its best team score of the season, 117.725, while host Stewartville/Chatfield won with 123.550 on Saturday, March 13. Warrior freshman Braelyn Lange took top all-around honors with a score of 31.00, followed in order by teammates seventh grader Macy Kraus 29.800, … [Read more...]
Spring Grove boys outshot by R-P, coast past Kingsland, receive No. 5 seed
The Spring Grove boys opened the week with a cold-shooting, home non-conference setback against Rushford-Peterson in a 46-40 tight defensive struggle on Feb. 8 before coasting past visiting Kingsland, 60-24, four nights later to cap their tenth conference crown in 11 years. It was the sixth straight Lion loss to the Trojans and the sixth consecutive win versus the … [Read more...]
Lion girls fall to both league leaders, receive No. 15 seed
The Spring Grove girls had to close the regular season on the road against both of the conference division champions. There were a pair of 41-point decisions by almost the same scores, 67-26 at Houston on March 11 and 68-27 the next night at Spring Valley versus Kingsland. It did not help that leading scorer Jordian Leahy remained on the injured list all week. The next day, … [Read more...]