The Spring Grove boys went 9 for 10 at the free throw line in the final three minutes to deflate the dreams of Goodhue, which had sent its fans into a frenzy after chopping a 19-point deficit back to two in the 2023 Section 1A championship game at Rochester on March 16.
The 57-48 win sealed the Lions second-ever trip to the state tournament. Not only was Goodhue (26-4) the No. 1 section seed but also the top-ranked Class A squad in the state. The Lions (29-1), who came in with the No. 2 section seed and the No. 7 state ranking, became the only Spring Grove team to win 29 games.
The start was equally stunning as Spring Grove used a 7-point run and then a 9-point spurt to seize a 19-6 lead. The Lions hit 7 of their first 13 shots, including a trio of 3-pointers from three different players. Meanwhile, Goodhue scored first but then hit only two of its next nine shots, including 0 for 5 from 3-point land, while burdened with six early turnovers.
Wildcat standout, 6-foot-7 Will Opsahl (Minnesota State Mankato commit) scored the final four points before halftime to get Goodhue back within seven points (24-17) at the break. But Spring Grove senior Tysen Grinde opened the second half with a steal and 3-point bucket. On the next trip down the court, Elijah Solum drove in for two, and the Lions were back up by 12 (29-17).
The Lions maintained double-digit leads until Goodhue put on a trapping, pressure defense, which forced seven Spring Grove turnovers. Scoring 17 unanswered points, the Wildcats needed only three minutes and 51 seconds to slice a 19-point Lion lead (46-27) down to two (46-44) with 2:56 to play. Grinde scored a layup with an in-bounds pass from Solum and with the the Lions taking much better care of the ball, the Wildcats were forced to foul. The Lions hit 9 of 10 free throws during the final 2:50 and sank 16 for 21 overall (76%). With Goodhue going 7 for 17 (41%), Grove outscored the Cats by nine points from the free throw line in a nine-point win.
It was the second straight game the Wildcats rallied from a late deficit. In the semi-finals, they had trailed by 10 points in the second half before coming back to overtake No. 4 section seed and No. 9 state-ranked Lyle/Pacelli, 54-51. But they could not quite ride a rally to victory two games in a row. These same Lions, who had seen their quest for a state football title slip away late, were able to regain their basketball composure just in time to deliver the deciding blows from the free throw line.
Both teams scored 41 points from the field; SG shot 47%, Goodhue 48%. The Wildcats had two more total baskets, but the Lions had four more 3-pointers – 7 for 15, a very good 47%. Goodhue was a cold 18% from downtown (3 for 17).
The highest-scoring Lions for the season were the top scorers this night as well, each with a pair of 3-balls. Solum netted 22 points in addition to 5 assists. Grinde hit 4 of 6 from the field and 4 of 4 from the foul line while scoring 14 points plus team highs with 7 rebounds and 5 steals. Jaxon Strinmoen had 12 points plus 4 rebounds, 3 steals and a blocked shot. Caleb Griffin added 7 points, and Jacob Olerud 2.
Opsahl shouldered the load for the Wildcats, scoring 28 of their 48 points plus a game-high 10 rebounds along with 5 assists and 4 steals. Senior 6-3 Adam Poncelet added 9 points and 6-2 senior Justin Buck 8. Goodhue started four seniors and a freshman with a senior and two juniors coming off the bench.
This 57-48 final score was very similar to Spring Grove’s 57-46 semi-final win over Randolph. Although there was more drama at the end of the Goodhue game, Spring Grove was twice able to withstand a late rally. The opponent scored first in each game before the Lions roared back to take double-digit, first-half leads. In each game, Grove hit nine more free throws and four more 3-point field goals than the opposition. And the Lion defense is always a factor.
“We were able to really make them work for everything they got,” said Spring Grove head coach Wade Grinde. “And I think that was the difference. It’s really frustrating playing against that defense for 36 minutes. You got to be mentally tough, and they are. You saw they had a run left in them, but our guys are pretty tough, too.”
It was the second straight year for Goodhue to be the section runner-up. Last year, both the Wildcats and Lions were eliminated by eventual state champion Hayfield. Spring Grove and Goodhue have played six times overall and twice in the section championship game; SG came into each one at 28-1. The Wildcats defeated the Lions in that 2016 title contest, but Grove won their 2018 section quarterfinal game. Each has a 3-3 record in their six-game series.
Spring Grove’s has now played in five section championship games:
2008 – lost to Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, 55-51
2016 – lost to Goodhue, 58-44 (Goodhue placed 2nd at state)
2018 – lost to Rushford-Peterson, 66-30
2019 – won vs. Randolph, 72-54 (SG placed 3rd at state)
2023 – won vs. Goodhue, 57-48
————————————-
SG 57, GHS 48
SCORE by HALVES
SG 24+33=57
GHS 17+31=48
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 47% (17-36), GHS 48% (19-40)
2-pt FG: SG 48% (10-21), GHS 70% (16-23)
3-pt FG: SG 47% (7-15), GHS 18% (3-17)
Free throws: SG 76%, GHS 41% (7-17); Rebounds: SG 18, GHS 25; Turnovers: SG 13, GHS 18; 2nd Chance pts: SG 4, GHS `12; Fast break pts: SG 6, GHS 17; Pts. in paint: SG 23, GHS 35; Greatest lead: SG 19, GHS 2; Fouls: SG 16, GHS 16
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. * starter. *Caleb Griffin 7P, 2R, 2A; *Tysen Grinde 14P, 7R, 5S; Hunter Holland 1R; *Ethan Crouch 2A, 1S, 1B; Jacob Olerud 2P, 3R, 1S; *Jaxon Strinmoen 12P, 4R, 3S, 1B; *Elijah Solum 22P, 1R, 5A
————————————————–
Spring Grove Boys Basketball 2023
SEC games in bold
29 wins, 1 loss (20-0 SEC)
W at Lanesboro 71-52
W at Glenville-Emmons 75-27
L vs. Dawson-Boyd 57-66
W vs. Higher Ground Academy 83-39
W at Southland 57-33
W vs. Mankato Loyola 61-54
W at Grand Meadow 64-27
W at Mabel-Canton 85-36
W at Schaeffer Academy 69-37
W vs. Houston 67-21
W vs. Lanesboro 60-46
W at Kingsland 72-37
W vs. La Crescent-Hokah 66-63
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 65-35
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 81-27
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 93-24
W vs. Glenville-Emmons 72-31
W at Lyle/Pacelli 46-40
W vs. Fillmore Central 69-65
W vs Southland 47-42 OT
W vs. Rushford-Peterson 56-45
W vs. Kingsland59-23
W vs. Grand Meadow 64-24
W vs. Mabel-Canton 49-34
W at Houston 77-36
W vs. Lyle/Pacelli 53-38
SECTION 1A TOURNAMENT – #2 seed
W vs. #15 Mabel-Canton 71-33
W vs. #7 Randolph 39-24
W vs. #3 Hayfield 57-46
W vs. #1 Goodhue 57-48
——————————————
Spring Grove B-team
17 wins, 6 losses
W at Lanesboro 45-20
W at Glenville-Emmons 53-31
W vs. Dawson-Boyd 34-30
W vs. Higher Ground Academy 52-13
L at Southland 35-47
W vs. Loyola 46-23
W at Mabel-Canton 45-9
Wat Schaeffer Academy 61-25
W vs. Houston 52-19
W vs. Lanesboro 35-24
L at Kingsland 41-44
L vs. La Crescent-Hokah 30-31
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 49-25
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 54-18
W vs. Glenville-Emmons 57-36
W at Lyle/Pacelli 26-24
W vs. Fillmore Central 46-38
L vs. Southland 27-36
L vs. Rushford-Peterson 42-46
W vs. Kingsland 53-28
W vs. Mabel-Canton 55-28
W at Houston 51-14
L vs. Lyle/Pacelli 36-40
—————————–
Spring Grove 8th Grade
12 wins, 8 losses
W at Lanesboro 48-24
L at Caledonia 29-37
L at Southland 41-55
W at Grand Meadow 48-14
W at Mabel-Canton 53-30
W at Schaeffer Academy 41-31
W vs. Houston 49-18
L vs. Kingsland 12-43
L vs. La Crescent-Hokah 31-50
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 38-26
L vs. Fillmore Central 15-42
L vs. Southland 42-54
L vs. Caledonia 32-42
W vs. Rushford-Peterson 38-28
W vs. Lanesboro 44-22
L vs. Kingsland 29-41
W vs. Grand Meadow 49-13
W vs. Mabel-Canton 38-24
W at Lansing Kee 40-29
W at Houston 44-37
———————————–
Spring Grove 7th Grade
11 wins, 8 losses
L at Lanesboro 23-28
L a Caledonia 23-26
W at Southland 29-26
W at Mabel-Canton 36-32
W at Schaeffer Academy 31-15
W vs. Houston 38-21
W vs. Kingsland 25-20
L vs. La Crescent-Hokah 20-27
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 26-13
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 23-21
L vs. Fillmore Central 34-39
W vs. Southland 34-18
L vs. Caledonia 26-31
L vs. Rushford-Peterson 19-30
L vs. Lanesboro 28-40
W vs. Kingsland 32-25
L vs. Mabel-Canton 29-41
W at Lansing Kee 31-20
W at Houston 46-43
Leave a Reply