Visiting Lanesboro snapped a 10-game losing streak versus Spring Grove with a suffocating defense and a ground-gouging offensive attack. The Burros scored the first three times they had the ball and despite spoiling a 90-yard drive with a fumble at the 3 yard-line, still cruised to a 28-0 halftime lead at Lion Homecoming on October 23. Scoring with their first possession of the second half, the Burros led 36-0.
With a stable of four powerful running backs, the Burros averaged 8 yards per handoff with JT Rein rushing 19 times for 197 yards. Lanesboro threw only four passes (1 completion, 25 yards) while rushing 49 times for 390 yards.
Rein scored on a 10-yard run while Hayden Lawstuen scored on two of his five carries (8 yards, 47 yards), plus a two-point conversion. Quarterback Seth Semmen scored 2 TDs (2 yards, 3 yards) plus running for a 2-point conversion and passing to Carter Clarke on another extra-points play.
Meanwhile, the Lanesboro starting defense shut down and shut out the SG attack. Of the Lions’ 197 total yards, 110 came late while scoring twice in the final three minutes. Grove did not convert a third down (0 for 9) until a late 12-play, 65-yard drive averted a shutout. Mitchell Reynolds caught an 18-yard pass to set up his 2-yard touchdown run (36-7). Then Isaac Griffin scrambled for 25 yards one play before hitting Tysen Grinde with a 20-yard TD toss with just four seconds to play. Griffin kicked both extra points.
The Lions rushed only eight times on purpose plus five QB scrambles and 2 sacks. Griffin, who came into the game with the best quarterback rating in the sub-district, completed 19 of 35 passes for 157 yards. Caden Grinde caught 9 passes for 64 yards and defended with 20 tackles.
Burro coach James Semmen said containing (Caden) Grinde was a team goal. For the first time in three games, Grinde was not double-teamed, so he caught more passes than usual. But the Lanesboro regulars did not allow any long-yardage receptions and tackled well in the open field after short passes. Semmen was well pleased with Burro tackling, which he described the best of the season.
For the second time in three games, the Lions did not have a turnover, but their record dropped to 1-2, while Lanesboro improved to 2-1. Earlier in the week, the Burros had won the B-team game, also with three dozen points, 36-0. The Lions took the high-scoring junior high contest, 48-20.
LHS 36, SG 14
SG—- 0—-0—-0—14 = 14
LHS –14—14—8—-0 = 36
Team totals
YARDAGE (rush+pass)
SG 197 (40+157), LHS 415 (390+25)
RUSHING: att.-yards (avg.)
SG 16-40, TD (2.5 avg.), LHS 49-390, 5TD +2PAT (8.0 avg.)
PASSES: comp-att-int, yds. (TD)
SG 19-36-0, 157 yds., (TD), LHS 1-4-0, 25 yds. (+PAT)
MISCELLANEOUS: LHS (-14 yards) missed FG; SG 9 yards FG return
Sacks allowed: SG 2, LHS 0
TD: SG 1 run, 1 pass: LHS 5 run
PAT: SG 2-2 kick; LHS 0-2 kick, 1-1 pass, 2-2 run
TOTAL PLAYS: SG 52, LHS 53
AVG. yards per play: SG 3.8, LHS 7.8
FUMBLES – LOST: SG 2-0, LHS 5-2
TURNOVERS: SG 0, LHS 2
PENALTIES: SG 4-17, LHS 7-55
3rd downs: SG 2-11, LHS 3-8
4th downs: SG 0-0, LHS 2-2
Red zone: SG 2-2, LHS 4-5
First downs: SG 13, LHS 18
Plays of 20+ yards: SG 3, LHS 5
SG INDIVIDUALS:
RUSHING: Isaac Griffin 9-56; Mitchell Reynolds 6-(-1), TD; Team 1-(-15)
PASSING: Isaac Griffin 19-35-0, 157 yds. TD; Caden Grinde 0-1-0
RECEIVING: Caden Grinde 9-64; Tysen Grinde 4-33, TD; Carson Gavin 2-32; Mitchell Reynolds 2-21; Reid Bjerke 2-7
SCORING 14: Tysen Grinde 6; Mitchell Reynolds 6; Isaac Griffin 2
PUNTING: Caden Grinde 7-197 (28.1 avg.)
FUMBLES RECOVERED: Carson Gavin 1, Mitchell Reynolds 1
TACKLES for LOSS (incl. sacks): Carson Gavin 1.5, Tristan Hammel 1.5, Ethan Crouch 1.0, Noah Blackburn 0.5, Cameron Kraus 0.5
TACKLES (solo+assists): Caden Grinde 20 (10+10);’ Tristan Hammel 13 (4+9); Carson Gavin 10 (3+7); Isaac Griffin 9 (3+6)=; Tysen Grinde 7 (3+4); Reid Bjerke 5 (2+3); Ethan Crouch 3 (1+2); Cameron Kraus 2 (1+1); Ty Cleven 2 (0+2); Mitchell Reynolds 1 (0+1); Noah Blackburn 1 (0+1)
KICKOFF RETURNS: Caden Grinde 2-31; Mitchell Reynolds 2-24
PUNT RETURNS: none
MISC. YARDS: Reid Bjerke 9 miss FG return
LANESBORO INDIVIDUALS
RUSHING 49-390: JT Rein 19-197, TD (long 66); Seth Semmen 11- 73, 2TD+PAT; Hayden Lawstuen 5-65, 2TD +PAT (long 47); Jake Gathje 8-59 (long 38); Caden Anderson 1-3; Orion Sass 1-1; Michael Rein 1-(-1); Mason Howard 1-(-6); Team 2-(-1)
PASSING: Seth Semmen. 1-4-0, 25 yds (+PAT)
RECEIVING: Ben Snyder 1-25
XP KICKING: JT Rein 0-1; Team 0-1
FG KICKING: JT Rein 0-1
SCORING 36: Hayden Lawstuen 14; Seth Semmen 14; JT Rein 6; Carter Clarke 2
PUNTING: JT Rein 1-32; Team 1-5
SACKS: Ben Snyder 2
KICKOFF RETURNS: Jake Gathje 1-24; Bodie Wright 1-5
PUNT RETURNS: JT Rein 5-10
Spring Grove football 2020
1-2 (1-2 sub-district)
W vs. Houston 33-16
L at Grand Meadow 6-40
L vs. Lanesboro 14-36
Oct. 30 at Kingsland (Spring Valley)
Nov. 7 at Lyle/Pacelli (Sat. at Lyle, 1 p.m.)
Nov. 13 vs. Mabel-Canton
B-Team scores
W at Mabel-Canton 8-6
L vs. Lanesboro 0-36
Junior High scores
W at Mabel-Canton 46-13
W vs. Lanesboro 48-20
Photo: Spring Grove quarterback Isaac Griffin is pursued by Lanesboro’s Ben Snyder, who had both Burro sacks.
Photo by Lee Epps