Photo by Lee Epps
Basketball teams from Spring Grove had a good week. The girls posted two wins to get off to a great start to the season while the boys opened with a couple of “W”s. The Lion girls first snuck past Schaeffer Academy. It was close all game with no team leading by more than six. Siri Konkel hit five of six free throws in the final 19 seconds to help propel SG to the 42-38 win. Kylie Hammel (16 pts, 4 stls), Konkel (11 pts, 5 asts, 6 stls), and Emerson Ingvalson (6 pts, 6 rebs) did the biggest work. SG then rode Ingvalson’s career game (26 pts, 9 rebs, 4 asts, 5 stls) to a 70-51 win over visiting LeRoy-Ostrander. Taylor Elton’s group never trailed and iced the game with a late 16-0 run. Hammel (16 pts, 4 asts, 4 stls) and Kendal VanMinsel (8 pts, 7 rebs) helped. L-O was led by Miranda Nagel (17 pts, 8 rebs) and Benita Nolt (9 pts, 5 rebs). M-C transplant Kinley Soiney did not play in either SG game. The wins left the Lions undefeated in the SEC (4-0, 5-1), and thus in first place with Houston (4-0, 5-4). L-O (0-5, 0-9) is yet to win. The boys, meanwhile, first took care of Schaeffer Academy 68-36. The Lions led 32-15 at halftime. Four Grovers got to double figures; Jaxon Strinmoen (16 pts, 6 rebs, 5 asts, 4 stls), Jacob Olerud (12 pts, 3 stls), Bryce Berns (11 pts, 3 asts), and Ben Udstuen (11 pts). Wade Grinde’s group then went on the road to AA La Crescent/Hokah. SG led the game 33-22 at halftime. The Lions later led by 14 only for LCH to go on a 22-7 run to lead 51-50 in the second half (4:21). Ethan Crouch and Isaac Nerstad then hit threes and the Lions closed by scoring 10 of the final 16 points to post a nice 60-57 win. The Lancers missed a potential game-tying three at the buzzer. Olerud (23 pts) did big work, helped by Udstuen (12 pts, 9 rebs) and Strinmoen (9 pts, 13 rebs, 8 asts). Lancer Parker McQuin had 29 points to lead all scorers. It was LC/H’s first loss (3-1). They own victories over Lion 1A contemporaries R-P 72-64 and FC (minus Jayce Kiehne) 92-49. The Lion boys improved to 1-0, 2-0.
Photo by Lee Epps