The Spring Grove volleyball girls improved to 3-0 (3-0 SEC) with a straight-set, home win against LeRoy-Ostrander and a come-from-behind 3-1 road triumph at Spring Valley versus Kingsland. It was the first loss for both the Cardinals (1-1) and the Knights (2-1). The Lions (3-0) shared the East Division lead with Mabel-Canton (3-0) and Lanesboro (3-0). SG 3, L-O 0 (25-19, … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past: County high schools were private, parochial before public
The first high school education in Houston County was offered in Caledonia, as late as 1868, by Yale University graduate, the esteemed Julius Emmons. The next year, the first edifice, constructed exclusively for high school students, opened under the direction of Caledonia’s Trinity Episcopal Church, its rector Rev. William R. Powell and Bishop Whipple. The Minnesota state … [Read more...]
Spring Grove extends volleyball win streak to 12 versus Wolverines
Spring Grove served an amazing 97% with 16 aces (Paige Jahnke 6, Maggie Lile 4) as Spring Grove opened the 2020 season with a three-set road win at Glenville-Emmons, 25-17, 25-12, 25-10. All six Lion servers scored from the service line. Sophomore Addyson McHugh scored 16 points with 13 kills, 1 ace block and 2 service aces. Sophomore Kenadee Gerard was the most efficient … [Read more...]
Second half sends Spring Grove past Houston, 33-16
After a back-and-forth first half, Spring Grove dominated the second stanza to defeat Houston, 33-16, at Blayne Onsgard Memorial Field in the October 11 season opener of 2020. Trailing 16-7, the Lions drove 65 yards to make it 16-14 just 41 seconds before halftime. It became two touchdowns within 56 seconds on the game clock when sophomore Hunter Holland took the second half … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Medical men and midwives made house calls in early Houston County
In 1897, Houston-based physician Dr. Lewis K. Onsgard and two companions perilously oared through a swift, unpredictable current to reach a patient who was accessible only by boat after floodwaters washed out a bridge. In Houston County and southeast Minnesota, both providing and receiving medical care in the 1800s were as challenging as most other aspects of pioneer … [Read more...]
Soccer (9/28 & 10/01)
(B) Cotter/Hope 1, Cal/SG/Hou 4 (Austin Meyer scored two goals and assisted with a free kick on a Dominick Konkel goal, which put the Warriors up 3-1 with 9:36 to play. Sam Flatin assisted both Meyer goals, the first midway through the first half and the final score with only two minutes remaining. Just two minutes after Meyer scored the ice-breaker, Lyle Myhre made it 2-0, a … [Read more...]
Spring Grove gridders restocking line again
For the second straight season, it is a mostly inexperienced Spring Grove football squad, following last year’s 7-3 crew who achieved a 10th straight winning season. Eight of 16 letter winners return, but only four with starting experience on offense and defense. The kicking game is the most experienced unit for new head coach Kody Moore, who takes the reins after the … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Winnebago removal “the most spectacular sight ever witnessed in this area”
Second of a two-part series For tribal elders, this migration was unpleasant but nothing new. More than a century later, local historian Percival Narveson termed “this uneasy procession” to be “the most colorful and spectacular sight ever witnessed” in what became western Houston County. In the summer of 1848, about 2,500 Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) Indians, 90 soldiers, about … [Read more...]
Soccer (9/22 & 9/24)
(B) La Crescent-Hokah 8, Cal/SG/Hou 1 (Trailing 7-0, Warrior Austin Meyer scored with a penalty kick with the 68th minute of the 80-minute game at Caledonia. The Lancers had scored seven minutes into the match, led 4-0 at halftime, and added a pair of penalty-kick goals in the second half while improving to 4-2-1 behind a hat trick from Andy Lopez. The teams had tied 1-1 … [Read more...]
Decades of sports, mostly spectating The great Ernie Banks and I were both sitting in his sister’s living room
It never had a favorite player; as a child, every Chicago Cub was a hero. But it was no secret who was the best player. Many say one of the best baseball players ever. In 1958 and 1959, “Mr. Cub” Ernie Banks was the first in National League history voted Most Valuable Player in two consecutive seasons. At that time, it seemed to me that distinction usually went to a player on … [Read more...]