Football: Lions Blank Burros for Section Crown, Head to State

Spring Grove (1-seed, 10-0) scored on the game’s third play and never allowed #7 Lanesboro (2-seed, 9-1) to get closer than 19 yards to the Lion goal line. With the 35-0 decision, the #3 Lions return to state for the first time since their 2018 state title. SG is the first regular-season 9-man champion in four years to also win the section crown. Elijah Solum completed 14 of 23 passes to six different receivers (247 yards, two TDs). Solum, also the game’s leading rusher (11-123 rushing), kickstarted the attack by racing 67 yards to the end zone just 103 seconds into the action. He later added a 1-yard TD plunge. He had four total TDs. Hunter Holland (16-84 rushing) scored on a 4-yard run. Tysen Grinde caught seven passes for 98 yards, including a leaping 20-yard TD grab. Caleb Griffin (2-59 receiving) caught a 35-yard TD pass and scored all of the extra points with a two-point reception and three PATs. The longest completions were a 48-yard toss to Bryce Berns and a 42-yarder to Grinde. Lanesboro, which lost 28-6 at SG in week eight, was limited to no touchdowns, only eight first downs, and only two big-yardage plays in this playoff rematch. Quarterback Mason Howard (18-70 rushing) got loose for 24 and 26-yard scampers, but one ended with a lost fumble near midfield. Howard, forced to scramble on some passing calls, completed 2 of only 6 passes for only eight yards while losing 22

yards with three sacks. The Burros’ premier running back Orion Sass (1,520 yards, 20 TDs) again found little room to run (13-49 rushing) against the Lions. Jacob Olerud had a game-high 12 tackles along with 11 stops each for Logan Brumm (sack) and Emmet Engeldinger (sack) plus nine tackles for Noah Blackburn and eight by Solum (sack). Lanesboro, down 28-0 at halftime, started the second half with the ball. The first play lost two yards, and the second was a sack and lost fumble. The Lions could not take advantage, stopped on downs at the 4 yard-line, where the Burros were able to drive the ball out of danger but nowhere near the Lion goal line. Against other opponents, both teams had gaudy scoring averages: SG 48 PPG, LHS 42 PPG. But it was defense that determined the regular-season championship and now the section title. The Burros, who averaged 413 yards of offense against other opposition, managed only 169 and 156 yards and only six points in two games against SG. In the section clash, the Lions gained 463 yards with its typical balanced attack – 216 rushing, 247 passing. Lanesboro finished the season at 9-2, both losses against the ranked Lions. The Burros, who have won six section titles, were playing in their third straight title game. Before the last two disappointments, they had won the title in 2020 but could not play in a state tournament, which was canceled due to COVID. The Lions (11-0) will take on #8 Hancock (9-1) in the state quarterfinals.