The Spring Grove boys (6-1, 6-1 SEC) prepared for the conference showdown with Randolph by completing SEC sweeps of both Schaeffer Academy and Houston. A hard-fought 59-43 win over defending East Division champion Schaeffer came on the road at Rochester on Monday (Feb. 2) before a 64-15 home hammering of Houston on Saturday (Feb. 6.) in a game delayed two days by snow.
Next, the Lions seek to avenge their lone league loss when they host a first-place showdown with Randolph.
In B-team action, Schaeffer earned a season split, 36-33, but Spring Grove (4-2) completed a season sweep of the Hurricane B-boys, 48-6. The Spring Grove eighth grade boys did complete a season sweep of Schaeffer, 39-23, but snow postponed junior high games with Houston. Schaeffer does not field a seventh grade squad.
Spring Grove 59, Schaeffer 43
Schaeffer Academy played much better in this competitive 16-point home loss to Spring Grove than it had just 11 days earlier in a resounding 39-point road pounding in Houston County. Spring Grove, in this 16-point win, outscored the visitors, 18-0, in fast breaks. The boys in black did not create permanent breathing room until the last half of the second half.
Caden Grinde, after scoring 26 points in the earlier meeting, scorched the nets for 27 in the rematch while completing a double double with a career-high 10 rebounds to go with 8 assists and 3 steals. Carson Gerard tallied 12 points and rebounded 8 times with another 3 thefts. Schaeffer was led by eighth grader Ethan VanSchepen with 14 points while senior point guard Luke Bothun passed out 8 assists.
SG scored the game’s first seven points but was only up nine at halftime (32-23) and clung to a six-point margin (41-35) well into the second half. The Grove guys then put the game out of reach with a 14-to-2 run. They hit their final six shots from the field while sinking 6 of 8 late free throws.
The greatest improvement for Schaeffer was better ball handling – with 13 assists and 15 turnovers in the rematch, compared to 4 and 23 in the earlier meeting. And VanSchepen had scored only two points (2 free throws, no baskets) the first time around.
Spring Grove leads the series, 21-2, with both Schaeffer wins coming last year during the Rochester school’s SEC East Division championship season.
VARSITY: SG 59, SA 43
SG 32+27=59
SA 23+20=43
all FG: SG 40% (21-52), SA 39% (18-46)
2-pt. FG: SG 45% (15-33), SA 48% (13-27)
3-pt. FG: SG 32% (6-19), SA 26% (5-19)
Free throws: SG 79% (11-14), SA 40% (2-5); Rebounds: SG 29, SA 24; Turnovers: SG 9, SA 15; 2nd Chance points: SG 12, SA 9; Fast break points: SG 18, SA 0; Points in paint: SG 34, SA 24; Greatest lead: SG 19, SA 0
Fouls: SG 12, SA 14
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. * starter. Caleb Griffin 3P, 1R; *Caden Grinde 27P, 10R, 8A, 3S; *Tysen Grinde 8P, 4R, 1A, 2S; *Hunter Holland 2R, 2A, 2S; *Carson Gerard 12P, 8R, 3S; Jaxon Strinmoen2P; *Elijah Solum 7P, 4R, 3A, 1S, 1B
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Spring Grove 64, Houston 15
Houston scored first – in each half – but did not score often. It was the fewest points the Hurricanes have scored against Spring Grove in 72 years of continuous record-keeping (since 1949). Records before 1950 are spotty, but the ’Canes managed only 14 in 1943. A young and overwhelmed Houston squad has not come closer than 21 points in any of its seven losses. The 49-point decision came just 12 days after a 51-point home loss to the Lions (86-35).
Caden Grinde put in 17 points and passed out 7 assists with only one turnover. Gerard added 12 points, and Solum posted 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 5 assists with only one turnover. Freshman reserve Jaxon Strinmoen continues to impress, coming in to contribute 8 points and 8 rebounds.
Senior Noah Kingsley scored 10 of the 15 Houston points.
In what was once a competitive series (40 wins each in 1985), the Lions have now won 57 of the last 59 games in the series they now lead 102 wins to Houston’s 54 (since 1949). It was very competitive last year when the teams split two overtime thrillers.
VARSITY: SG 64, Houston 15
SG 39+25=64
Hou 7 + 8=15
all FG: SG 48% (26-54), Hou 19% (6-31)
2-pt. FG: SG 57% (21-37), Hou 16% (3-19)
3-pt. FG: SG 29% (5-17), Hou 25% (3-12)
Free throws: SG 70% (7-10), Hou 0% (0-2); Rebounds: SG 37, Hou 13; Turnovers: SG 10, Hou 23; 2nd Chance points: SG 14, Hou 0; Fast break points: SG 18, Hou 2; Points in paint: SG 46, Hou 4; Greatest lead: SG 50, Hou 2; Fouls: SG 10, Hou 13
SG INDIVIDUALS: Caleb Griffin 2P, 5R; Jonah Udstuen 1A; Isaac Nerstad 2P, 1A; *Caden Grinde 17P, 3R, 7A, 2S; *Tysen Grinde 7P, 6R, 1A; *Hunter Holland 4P, 2R; Josh Newgaard 1R; Tristan Hammel 1P, 3R, 1S; Logan Brumm out ill; Jacob Olerud 1R; Isaac Gengler no stats; *Carson Gerard 12P, 1R, 3S; Ethan Crouch 1R; Jaxon Strinmoen 8P, 8R, 1B; *Elijah Solum 11P, 6R, 5A, 3S
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B-Team: Spring Grove 33, at Schaeffer Academy 36
Spring Grove went scoreless for the final 5:20 and saw a six-point lead descend to a three-point loss. It was a role reversal after Schaeffer had gone scoreless during the final six minutes of the first half and saw Spring Grove rally from a 10-point deficit with a 16-point run going into halftime (SG 21, SA 15).
Spring Grove (3-2), unable to penetrate the Schaeffer zone defense, depended on 3-point shots with 28 attempts from afar and only 18 closer in. It proved successful until the Grove guys hit only one of their final seven trey attempts. Going 8-for-28 (29%) from 3-point land was not bad, but the cold 24% (4 for 17) with 2-point tries and a scarcity of free throws were too much to overcome.
While remaining mainly on the perimeter, Spring Grove did not draw many fouls (4), attempting only two free throws all game (1 for 2), while Schaeffer went 7 for 14, a six-point advantage in a three-point decision. With eight more offensive rebounds and nine fewer turnovers, Spring Grove attempted eight more shots and outscored Schaeffer 32-29 from the field.
Jacob Olerud drilled five 3-balls to lead Spring Grove with 18 points plus a team-high 7 rebounds. Matthew Gingerich tossed in six treys while scoring 19 points for the visitors.
The loss was especially disappointing after a 38-22 win in the teams’ first meeting in Houston County. SG had shot much better that night (42%) than the 27% in the rematch. Both teams shot better at home than they did after a bus ride. Schaeffer had languished at 21% in January before warming up to 38% accuracy in Rochester.
B-TEAM: SG 33, SA 36
SG 21+12=33
SA 15+21=36
B-TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 27% (12-45), SA 38% (12-32)
2-pt. FG: SG 24% (4-17), SA 39% (7-18)
3-pt. FG: SG 29% (8-28), SA 36% (5-14)
Free throws: SG 50% (1-2), SA 50% (7-14); Rebounds: SG 28, SA 21; Turnovers: SG 9, SA 10; 2nd Chance points: SG 11, SA 4; Fast break points: SG 2, SA 0; Points in paint: SG 9, SA 19; Greatest lead: SG 8, SA 10; Fouls: SG 12, SA 4
B-TEAM INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. * starter. *Caleb Griffin6P, 3R, 2A; Jonah Udstuen 2R; Isaac Nerstad 3P, 2R, 1A; Josh Newgaard 1R; Tristan Hammel no stats; *Logan Brumm 4R, 1A; *Jacob Olerud 18P, 7R, 1A, 1S; Isaac Gengler no stats; *Ethan Crouch 2P, 4R, 3A, 3S; *Jaxon Strinmoen 4P, 5R, 2A
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B-Team: at Spring Grove 48, Houston 6
Spring Grove scored the first 21 points and limited the young Hurricanes to only three field goals all game. Olerud had 10 points, 9 rebounds 4 steals and 3 assists with only one turnover. Ethan Crouch and Isaac Nerstad each added another 10 points while Caleb Griffin scored 9.
Houston had 21 turnovers while attempting only 21 shots. It was a strange contest with neither team hitting a free throw (SG 0-4, Houston 0 for 2). The Lions had previously won at Houston, 53-12. The junior high games were postponed.
B-TEAM:
SG 48, Houston 6
SG 33+15=48
Hou 4 + 2 = 6
B-TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 46% (21-46), Hou 15% (3-20)
2-pt. FG: SG 52% (15-29), Hou 23% (3-13)
3-pt. FG: SG 35% (6-17), Hou 0% (0-7)
Free throws: SG 0% (0-2), Hou 0% (0-2); Rebounds: SG 24, Hou 9; Turnovers: SG 7, Hou 21; Fast break points: SG 10, Hou 0; Greatest lead: SG 42, Hou 0; Fouls: SG 8, Hou 6
B-TEAM INDIVIDUALS: *Caleb Griffin 9P, 2R, 1A, 3S; Jonah Udstuen 3R, 2A, 1S; *Isaac Nerstad 10P, 2S; Josh Newgaard 5P, 5R, 2S, 1B; Tristan Hammel 2R; Logan Brumm out ill; *Jacob Olerud 10P, 9R, 3A, 4S; Isaac Gengler 1R, 1A; *Ethan Crouch 10P, 2R, 2A, 1S, 1B; *Jaxon Strinmoen 4P, 2A, 1S
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>>SEC EAST DIVISION
Spring Grove 6-1 SEC, 6-1 season
Randolph 4-1 SEC, 5-2 season
Lanesboro 4-2 SEC, 4-3 season
Mabel-Canton 3-4 SEC, 3-4 season
Schaeffer Academy 2-4 SEC, 2-4 season
Houston 0-7 SEC, 0-7 season
>>SEC WEST DIVISION
Southland 6-1 SEC, 6-1 season
Lyle/Pacelli 4-1 SEC, 5-1 season
Grand Meadow 2-2 SEC, 3-2 season
LeRoy-Ostrander 1-3 SEC, 1-3 season
Kingsland 1-4 SEC, 1-5 season
Glenville-Emmons 0-3 SEC, 0-3 season
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Varsity Boys Basketball 2021 (approximately 7:15 unless noted)
>>6-1 season, 6-1 SEC
W at Grand Meadow 45-41
W vs Mabel-Canton 57-31
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 67-28
W at Houston 86-35
L at Randolph 47-52
W at Schaeffer Academy 59-43
W vs. Houston 64-15
02/08 Randolph
02/11 at Mabel-Canton
02/16 at Lanesboro
02/19 Lanesboro
02/23 at Glenville-Emmons
02/26 LeRoy-Ostrander
03/02 at Lyle/Pacelli
03/05 Southland
03/12 Kingsland
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B-team Boys Basketball 2021
>>4 wins, 2 losses
W at Grand Meadow 56-30
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 38-22
W at Houston 53-12
L at Randolph 44-47 (OT)
L at Schaeffer Academy 33-36
W vs. Houston 48-6
02/08 Randolph
02/11 at Mabel-Canton
02/16 at Lanesboro
02/19 Lanesboro
02/23 at Glenville-Emmons
02/26 LeRoy-Ostrander
03/02 at Lyle/Pacelli
03/05 Southland
03/12 Kingsland
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8th Grade Boys Basketball 2021
>>3 wins, 0 losses
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 29-13
W at Houston 35-15
W at Schaeffer Academy 39-23
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7th Grade Boys Basketball 2021
0 wins, 1 loss
L at Houston 24-34
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