Boys Heavyweights Square Off

In sub-section 1A boys basketball, two teams have been at the forefront of things in recent history; Rushford-Peterson and Spring Grove. Tom Vix and Wade Grinde’s clubs have battled for three of the last five 1A East title games, including last year’s. And thus a match-up, with both teams with new pieces, was a mid-season ‘where we at’ test. The old pieces for last year’s champs made the difference. SG bolted to a 10-0 lead. R-P re-grouped to tie things at 12. Lion sophomore Alex Folz, a starter last year, then nailed three three’s over the last half of the first stanza. SG led 28-18 at half. R-P again pushed early in the second, scoring on six of seven possessions, their best stretch. They pulled to down 37-33. Folz then hit three’s on back-to-back possessions, and scored all nine points (all three’s) in a 9-0 Lion run. With around five left, SG led 46-33. They prevailed 53-43 and remained the 1A East team to beat. Folz, a 5’8” guard, scored a game-high 23 points (7-14 three’s, 8-15 FGs). Brock Schuttemeier added 13 (pts) and 6 (rebs). He had eleven in the first half. Stand-out Chase Grinde was held down scoring-wise (8 pts, 3-11 FGs, 13 rebs, 7 assists). He assisted much of Folz’s barrage. Grinde’s rebound total was more than half of what R-P had as a team (20). Junior Payton Hahn came off the bench to lead R-P offensively (10 pts). Noah Carlson and Luke Rasmussen each had 9 (pts) and 4 (rebs). Three’s were key (SG 10-26, RP 4-22).