The Spring Grove boys, with the No. 4 section seed, defended their way past No. 5 Kenyon-Wanamingo, 51-35, in a section quarterfinal (final eight) at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester on March 7. The Lions’ characteristic defense and rebounding plus sufficient offense was enough to overcome their uncharacteristic ball-handling miscues.
Photo by Lee Epps
State-ranked No. 10 Spring Grove (24-4) thus earned a berth in the Section 1A semi-finals against state-ranked No. 1 and top section seed Hayfield (27-2). The Vikings, escaping a near upset, advanced by with a 66-62 win over No. 8 seed Randolph in the highest-scoring quarterfinal. In their only previous meeting, the Lions defeated Hayfield in the first round of the 2018 section tournament. The seeds have all held with No. 2 Rushford-Peterson and No. 3 Goodhue advancing to the other semi-final with low-scoring quarterfinal decisions.
SG 51, Kenyon-Wanamingo 35
The Lion defense, allowing an average of 36 points per game, held Kenyon-Wanamingo (21-7) to a season-low 35 points. The Knights scored only 21 points against the Grove half-court zone defense. Their only lead came at 2-0, but they remained in contention until the final five minutes due to their own stiff defense and converting steals into 12 fast-break points.
Averaging slightly more than nine turnovers a game, the Lions had eight lost possessions before halftime and finished with 18, their third worst ball-handling result in 28 games this season. It ended an outstanding string of 12 straight games with single-digit turnovers.
The Knights desperately needed some 3-point shots to fall, but their first 16 attempts missed the mark. They trailed by 16 points before a pair of treys finally went down to get K-W within nine points (44-35) – but with only 1:03 to play. The Lions then scored the game’s final seven points with a fast-break dunk by sophomore Jaxon Strinmoen, followed by a 5-for-6 free throw finish. Spring Grove matched its 33% season average by hitting 5 of 15 beyond the 3-point arc. Sophomore sharpshooter Jacob Olerud sank 2 of 3 triples.
Sophomore guard Elijah Solum said his ability to jump was severely limited on an ankle he had injured five nights previous in the section opener. But against K-W, he persevered to hit some critical mid-range jump shots on the way to a game-high 20 points. Junior guard Tysen Grinde put in 11 points to go with 8 rebounds and 4 steals. Strinmoen added 3 points and 7 boards.
K-W started five seniors; SG’s only senior Carson Gerard added 9 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals. Those three thefts came early to thwart the Knights’ plan to take advantage of 6-foot-10 senior center Paul Kortsch, who scored with the first pass into the low post. But Gerard stole the next three post passes. Olerud swiped another low-post pass intended for Luke Alme, and another attempt to find Kortsch went out of bounds.
The Lions, primarily Solum and Gerard, limited Kortsch to only three offensive rebounds. He scored the Knights’ first two baskets but finished with only eight points. Kortsch added three more rebounds on defense, where he was most effective while blocking 6 shots and disrupting several others. Laden Nerison, a 6-3 senior guard, led K-W with 9 points and 9 rebounds.
It took more than 10 minutes for the Lions to build a 14-4 lead. The Knights nibbled away at the deficit to get within five (16-11) just before halftime. But Olerud drilled a 3-ball just seven seconds before the break to make it 19-11. Early in the second half, Gerard had two impressive rebound baskets, each pushing the Lion lead to 10 points. But back-to-back steals and lay-ups helped the Knights make it a shaky three-point margin (23-20). Solum then scored the Lions’ next nine points (32-25).
Solum assisted on Olerud’s fast-break 3-pointer during a telltale nine-point run that stretched the lead to 14 points (39-25), the beginning of the end with 4:22 on the clock. The Lions hit only 12 of 22 free throws (all in the second half), but they preserved the lead by sinking 7 of 12 during the final two minutes, nine seconds.
During the Lions’ first two nights of playoffs, they defeated two contingents of Knights – the Kingsland Knights and the Kenyon-Wanamingo Knights. It was the first-ever meeting with K-W, but Spring Grove won the only game with Wanamingo during the 1989-90 season. Current assistant coaches Al Lochner and Mike Solum were on hand for that regular-season tournament tilt, Lochner as head coach and Solum (father of 2022 Lion Elijah) as a player.
>>SCORE by HALVES
>>SG 19 + 32 = 51
>>KW 11 + 24 = 35
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 40% (17-42), KW 25% (13-51)
2-pt FG: SG 44% (12-27), KW 39% (11-28)
3-pt FG: SG 33% (50-15), KW 9% (2-23)
Free throws: SG 55% (12-22), KW 70% (7-10); Rebounds: SG 32, KW 32; Turnovers: SG 18, KW 17; 2nd Chance points: SG 6, KW 8; Fast break points: SG 12, KW 14; Points in paint: SG 25, KW 27; Greatest lead: SG 16, KW 2; Fouls: SG 11, KW 20; Fouled out: SG 0, KW 1
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. * starter. Caleb Griffin no stats; Isaac Nerstad no stats; *Tysen Grinde 11P, 8R, 2A, 4S, 1B; *Hunter Holland 1R, 1A; Josh Newgaard 1R; Ethan Crouch no stats; Logan Brumm no stats; Jacob Olerud 8P, 2R, 2S; *Carson Gerard 9P, 9R, 3S, 2B; *Jaxon Strinmoen 3P, 7R, 1A, 1S; *Elijah Solum 20P, 4R, 3A, 1S, 1B
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Section 1A Tournament 2022
(#14) Bethlehem Academy 61, (#19) Glenville-Emmons 39
(#15) Schaeffer Academy 60, (#18) Houston 24
(#16) Wabasha-Kellogg 66, (#17) Mabel-Canton 54
ROUND of 16
(#1) Hayfield 84, (#16) Wabasha-Kellogg 46
(#8) Randolph 83, (#9) LeRoy-Ostrander 63
(#4) Spring Grove 62, (#13) Kingsland 27
(#5) Kenyon-Wanamingo 69, (#12) Grand Meadow 59
(#2) Rushford-Peterson 59, (#15) Schaeffer Academy 35
(#7) Southland 75, (#10) Lanesboro 53
(#3) Goodhue 76, (#19) Bethlehem Academy 34
(#$6)( Lyle/Pacelli 78, (#11 Fillmore Central 70
QUARTERFINALS
(#1) Hayfield 66, (#8) Randolph 62
(#4) Spring Grove 51, (#5) Kenyon-Wanamingo 35
(#2) Rushford-Peterson 53 (#7) Southland 42
(#3) Goodhue 47 (#6) Lyle/Pacelli 39
SEMI-FINALS, March 12
#1 Hayfield (27-2) vs. #4 Spring Grove (24-4)
#2 Rushford-Peterson (22-4) vs. #3 Goodhue (22-6)