Photos by Lee Epps
Tysen Grinde was voted Spring Grove football Most Valuable Player, one of four Lions named to the 2021 coaches All-District Football Team along with two receiving Honorable Mention. Sophomore Elijah Solum was All-District and the Lions’ Defensive Player of the Year. All-District senior Carson Gerard was both the Lion’s Lineman of the Year and the Rookie of the Year. Jaxon Strinmoen was also All-District as a sophomore. Receiving Honorable Mention for a second season was junior Hunter Holland, joined this year by senior Reid Bjerke. Bjerke was also voted Spring Grove’s Outstanding Leader Award. Freshman Emmet Engeldinger was the choice for Scout Team Player of the Year.
Grinde (Lion MVP, All-District), who had received Honorable Mention the previous season, earned First Team recognition this year as a 6-foot-2, 170-pound junior wide receiver/safety and backup quarterback. Considering rushing, receiving and returning, he led the Lions in all-purpose running with 1,144 yards. He had the sub-district’s best kickoff return average of 22.0 yards per runback, including an 89-yard touchdown return against Grand Meadow. Although he spent only about six of the eight games as a receiver, he finished with the fourth-most receiving yards in the nine-team sub-district. He had 30 receptions for 440 yards and three touchdowns. In a little more than two games at quarterback, Grinde was the Lions’ second leading rusher. averaging 4.4 yards per carry. He was Spring Grove’s second leading tackler with 56 stops (26 solo).
Solum (All-District, SG Def. Player of Year) had an extraordinary sophomore campaign on both sides of the ball. The 6-1, 190-pound signal-caller passed for 1,233 yards, the 12th-best single season in the Lion record book, despite an injury allowing him to play only five and three-fourths of the eight games at quarterback. Solum had more touchdown tosses (12) than interceptions (8) while completing 52% of his attempts. At linebacker with a team-high 100 tackles (45 solo), he was voted the Lions’ Defensive Player of the Year.
Gerard, a 6-4 senior, in his only season of high school football, was All-District and both the Lions’ Lineman of the Year and Rookie of the Year. The 195-pound tight end/defensive end was the Lions’ third-leading tackler and ranked second with 3.5 tackles for loss. He was a formidable threat at tight end, averaging 17.4 yards with 19 receptions for 330 yards and three touchdowns.
Strinmoen (All-District) a 6-3, 163-pound sophomore receiver/defensive back/linebacker, had a eye-catching breakout season. He ranked third in the sub-district with 440 receiving yards, averaging 22.0 yards per catch with his 20 receptions, including four TD grabs. All that was accomplished before missing the last game on the injured list. On defense, he led the Lions in tackles-for-loss with six.
Holland (Hon. Men. All-Dist.), a 5-9, 165-pound junior running back/linebacker was the Lions’ leading scorer (34 points) and leading rusher with 323 yards (4.1 yards per carry). Out injured for most of two games, he still scored four of the team’s five rushing touchdowns and had both of the two-point conversion runs. The three-year letter winner also caught seven passes, including a 72-yard touchdown grab in the Lion’s dramatic rally in the section playoffs. This was his second season to receive Honorable Mention All-District.
Bjerke (Leadership), a 6-2, 175 receiver/defensive back averaged 11.9 yards per reception and 3.5 yards per rush. Before suffering a season-ending injury at LeRoy-Ostrander, he stunned the eventual state champions with a 90-yard kickoff return touchdown. The three-year letter winner missed the final three and a half games after that injury.
Engeldinger (Scout Team), a 5-11, 220 freshman lineman was honored by his teammates for his role in preparing the varsity starters during workouts. Seeing a lot action during B-team games, he earned one varsity start in the offensive line.
Scholars
There were 11 letter winners who achieved in the classroom as well. Academic All-District Lions were all three seniors – Camron Kraus, Reid Bjerke and Carson Gerard plus juniors Tysen Grinde, Hunter Holland, Ty Cleven and Caleb Griffin along with sophomores Jaxon Strinmoen and Elijah Solum as well as freshmen Emmet Engeldinger and Brandon Jahnke.
Letter winners
Earning their third varsity letters were senior Reid Bjerke plus juniors Hunter Holland and Ty Cleven. Second-year letter winners were senior Camron Kraus, juniors Cooper Olson, Caleb Griffin, Noah Blackburn, Logan Brumm and Tysen Grinde along with sophomores Jacob Olerud, Ethan Crouch and Elijah Solum. First varsity letters went to senior Carson Gerard, sophomore Jaxon Strinmoen plus freshmen Brandon Jahnke, Emmet Engeldinger, Bryce Berns, Gavin Ostern, Zach Brumm and Shawn Crouch.
All-District
There were 20 seniors among the 29 All-District First Team honorees. Champion Lanesboro and Runner-up Grand Meadow each had five while third-place and state champion LeRoy-Ostrander, Southland, Spring Grove and Mabel-Canton each had four selections. Of the nine honorees with eligibility remaining for 2022, there are three each from Spring Grove and Mabel-Canton.
LeRoy-Ostrander received two of the three highest accolades. Senior quarterback/defensive back Chase Johnson of LeRoy-Ostrander was voted Back of the Year for a third time while senior Tanner Olson was the choice for Lineman of the Year. Southland senior Brendan Kennedy repeated as Defensive Player of the Year.