The Spring Grove boys remained the lone undefeated team in the SEC East after a late-week 68-29 annihilation of previously unbeaten Schaeffer Academy. That came after a 57-31 throttling of Mabel-Canton. That 22nd consecutive victory over the Cougars came three nights before the Spring Grove Lions ended a two-game losing skein against the Schaeffer Lions, last year’s East Division champions. Grove defense dominated both contests, although it was not the same defensive alignment on Thursday as it had been on Monday.
Spring Grove improved to 3-0 (3-0 SEC) while Schaeffer slipped to 2-1 (2-1 SEC), and Mabel-Canton dropped to 0-2 (0-2 SEC). Meanwhile in the West Division race, Southland (3-0, 3-0 SEC) is the only undefeated squad.
There were no preliminary games versus Mabel-Canton, but there was a three-game sweep versus Schaeffer with Spring Grove winning both the B-team (38-22) and eighth grade (29-13) games.
at Spring Grove 57, Mabel-Canton 31
The Lions lifted 25 steals while committing only eight defensive fouls. The Cougars shot well enough to win (40% to SG’s 36%), but with 36 turnovers, were not able to shoot often enough (35 attempts) against a suffocating Spring Grove defense.
The Lions final 26-point margin was determined with strong starts in both halves. Grove scored the game’s first 11 points and then opened the second half with a 16-3 run. The home team led 28-18 at halftime.
The Lion attack was efficient with 19 assists and 15 turnovers. Caden Grinde had 18 points, 8 steals and 5 assists while sophomore Tysen Grinde added 10 points. Freshman Elijah Solum contributed in every statistical category with 8 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals while blocking a shot, taking a charge and passing out twice as many assists (4) as turnovers.
Freshman Jaxon Strinmoen came in to put in 6 points plus 2 steals and 2 assists. Carson Gerard (4 points) rebounded 6 times and came up with 6 steals.
For the Cougars, Gavin Johnson hit 6 of 7 shots (1 blocked) to lead scoring with 12 points. His team-high 8 rebounds helped Mabel-Canton win the rebounding race, 29-22. Braydin Jump came away with 6 boards.
VARSITY: SG 57, Mabel-Canton 31
SG 28+29=57
MC 18+13=31
all FG: SG 36% (19-53), MC 40% (12-30);
2-pt. FG: SG 44% (12-27), MC 53% (9-17);
3-pt. FG: SG 27% (7-26), MC 23% (3-13);
Free throws: SG 55% (12-22), MC 40% (4-10); Rebounds: SG 22, MC 29; Turnovers: SG 15, MC 36; Fast break pts: SG 12, MC 0; Points in paint: SG 35, MC 20; Greatest lead: SG 27, MC 0; Fouls: SG 10, MC 19
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. * starter; Caleb Griffin 5P, 1A; *Caden Grinde 18P, 3R, 5A, 8S, 1B; *Tysen Grinde 10P, 5R, 3A, 1S, 1B; *Hunter Holland 4P, 1R, 2A, 3S; Logan Brumm 1S; Jacob Olerud2P; Isaac Gengler 1S; *Carson Gerard 4P, 6, 1A, 6S, 1B; Ethan Crouch 1R, 1A, 1S; Jaxon Strinmoen 6P, 1R, 2A, 2S; *Elijah Solum 8P, 5R, 4A, 2S, 1B
at Spring Grove 67, Schaeffer Academy 28
Caden Grinde scored 26 points, the opponents 28 in the showdown for first place. While the big-city Lions had no defensive answer for Grinde, they suffered through 23 turnovers against the Spring Grove defense. Grinde had 6 of the 11 Spring Grove steals to go with 5 assists and 4 rebounds.
Tysen Grinde hit 3-of-5 attempts beyond the 3-point arc on the way to 14 points. Gerard scored 9 of Grove’s first 14 points and finished with 11 points and a team-high 6 rebounds. Four Grove players scored in double figures with Solum adding 11 points along with 4 assists with only one turnover. Seven visitors scored, but no one reached double figures.
Schaeffer shot a very respectable 41% from the field, but Spring Grove blistered the nets with 64% accuracy, the best percentage in 36 games, dating back two seasons. Dribble penetration (21 points) and a hot 46% (6 for 13) from 3-point land kept Grove in control, including a 33-7 start and commanding 36-14 halftime lead.
VARSITY: SG 67, SA 28
SG 36+31+67
SA 14+14=28
all FG: SG 64% (25-39), SA 41% (11-27);
2-pt. FG: SG 73% (19-26), SA 47% (9-19);
3-pt. FG: SG 46% (6-13), SA 25% (2-8);
Free throws: SG 65% (11-17), SA 50% (4-8); Rebounds: SG 29, SA 11; Turnovers: SG 10, SA 23; Fast break pts: SG 11, SA 4; Points in paint: SG 45, SA 20; Greatest lead: SG 39, SA 0; Fouls: SG 12, SA 15
SG INDIVIDUALS: Caleb Griffin 2P, 1R, 2S; *Caden Grinde 26P, 4R, 5A, 6S, 1B; *Tysen Grinde 14P, 2R, 3A, 1B; *Hunter Holland 1P, 1S; Tristan Hammel 1R; Jacob Olerud 2P; *Carson Gerard 11P, 6R; Jaxon Strinmoen 4R; *Elijah Solum 11P, 2R, 4A, 2S
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B-team boys swamp Schaeffer, 38- 22
Four different Spring Grove players scored while they broke a 9-all tie with a 12-0 run. Isaac Nerstad sank 4 of 6 shots from 3-point land, including a pair of treys during that separating surge. The freshman sharpshooter finished with a game-high 14 points. Jacob Olerud, another freshman, was solid with 7 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists with only one turnover.
Spring Grove led by 12 points (21-9) at halftime and by as many as 22 (36-14) during the second half. The B-boys improved to 2-0.
The evening had begun with a season-opening 29-13 triumph by the Spring Grove eighth grade squad. These Grove guys led 16-2 on the way to an 18-4 halftime lead. There was no seventh grade game.
B-TEAM: SG 38, Schaeffer 22
SG 21+17=38
SA 9+13=22
B-TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 42% (15-36), SA 21% (8-39)
2-pt. FG: SG 50% (9-18), SA 26% (7-27)
3-pt. FG: SG 33% (6-18), SA 8% (1-12)
Free throws: SG 50% (2-4), SA 55% (5-9); Rebounds: SG 20, SA 27; Turnovers: SG 13, SA 18; Greatest lead: SG 22, SA 2; Fouls: SG 11, SA 10
B-TEAM INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. * starter. *Caleb Griffin4P, 1A, 4S; Jonah Udstuen 1A; Isaac Nerstad 14P, 1R; Josh Newgaard 1B; *Logan Brumm 5P, 5R, 2A, 2S; *Jacob Olerud 7P, 5R, 4A, 1S; Isaac Gengler 2P, 1S; *Ethan Crouch 4P, 6R, 1A, 1S, 3B; *Jaxon Strinmoen 2P, 3R, 1A, 1S, 2B