The Spring Grove basketball girls could not stay with defending East Division champion Lanesboro as the Lions dropped their 2022-‘23 season and home opener, 62-35, on Nov. 29. Already having played twice and with a pair of 6-foot returning all-conference seniors, Kaci Ruen and Jessie Schreiber, the Burros (2-1, 1-0 SEC) dominated inside with a huge 42-to-18 rebounding margin. … [Read more...]
Spring Grove girls continue the climb with experienced players, new head coach
The Spring Grove basketball girls will have many familiar faces on the court as former Lion standout Taylor Elton moves up from junior high duty to become the program’s 12th head coach. Elton played on Spring Grove’s 2012 state tournament squad and played college ball at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and then on the Luther College team that qualified for the DIII NCAA … [Read more...]
Volleyball: Post-Season Honors
It was a great year for area volleyball teams. Mabel-Canton (36-3) won the SEC-East, Section 1A, and took third place at state. Caledonia (19-13) won the TRC and finished as 1AA runner-up. Spring Grove (28-5) and Chatfield (26-3) set school records for wins while taking second in their conferences. Rushford-Peterson (21-8), Fillmore Central (19-11), and Grand Meadow (17-12-2) … [Read more...]
Football: Falcons Post 20-Point Rally, Fall One Point Short in State Semis
It is certainly not a game Fillmore Central football nation is going to forget. Minneota nation won’t forget it either. The state semifinal between the #2 Falcons (Section 1A Champ, 12-0) and #10 Vikings (Section 5A Champ, 10-2) had two complete opposite halves, the first controlled by one team, the second the other. It had a furious 20-point comeback including a fourth and 29 … [Read more...]
Football: #3 Spring Grove Earns Third Prep Bowl Appearance
After giving up an early touchdown, the Spring Grove defense took control of a 9-man state semifinal between undefeated teams. During the 27-6 Lion win against state-ranked #2 Fertile-Beltrami, Tysen Grinde logged 198 yards of all-purpose running, including a stunning 76-yard punt return TD. Despite Elijah Solum completing 12 of 18 passes, the #3 Lions, for the first time this … [Read more...]
Football: Defensive Stands Again Huge as #1 Gophers Make Prep Bowl
They say defense wins championships. The Chatfield defense wasn’t lights out in the 1AA state semifinals versus #5 Eden Valley-Watkins (Section 5AA Champion, 11-0), but it was pretty salty (as Gopher Hall of Famer Ken Jacobson would say). Chatfield (Section 1AA Champion, 12-0) notched two more key 4th down stands to a post-season resume already peppered with stymies. Both were … [Read more...]
State-ranked Lions log record 28 wins, claim two tourney titles
The 2022 Spring Grove volleyball girls (28-5) were the first in school history to be state-ranked and the first to win as many as 28 matches. The Lions, who were No. 7 in the coaches’ preseason state Class A poll, were No. 9 in the final rankings. It was a season of achievement both on the court and in the classroom. The team earned the state coaches’ Silver Award for a team … [Read more...]
Spring Grove returns for third Prep Bowl appearance
After giving up an early touchdown, the Spring Grove defense took control of the 9-man state semi-final between undefeated teams on Nov. 17 at U. S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. During the 27-6 Lion win against state-ranked No. 2 Fertile-Beltrami, Tysen Grinde logged 198 yards of all-purpose running, including a stunning 76-yard punt return. Despite Elijah Solum completing 12 … [Read more...]
Cross Country: LARPH and Six Individuals Take on State Meet
The Journal 11 cross country programs were again well represented (as a whole) at the 2022 State Cross County Meet in Northfield. All five sent at least one individual to compete. Lewiston-Altura/Rushford-Peterson/Houston’s boys made their fourth straight trip to the state meet behind Coach Matt Kingsbury. For a second straight year, Kingsland sent Garrison Hubka and Cole … [Read more...]
Football: Fourth Down Domination, Balanced Attack Sends #3 SG into Semis
Elijah Solum broke Spring Grove single-season records for both passing yardage and passing touchdowns during a 40-22 win over Hancock in a 9-man state quarterfinal at St. Paul. Solum was responsible for all six Lion touchdowns, running for three and passing for three. Third-ranked Spring Grove (12-0) will face #2 Fertile-Beltrami (11-0) in the semis. The Lions won nine of the … [Read more...]