The Spring Grove boys, for a second time this season, used a second-half scoring spurt to subdue Southland. Then they netted a season-most 15 threes on the road while extending their winning streak against LeRoy-Ostrander to 34 games. The 51-38 home win over the Rebels on Feb. 7 was a non-conference decision; the Lions had taken the SEC game in Adams (59-37) back in December. The 82-49 conference win at L-O on Feb. 11 was the only contest versus the Cardinals this season.
It was Spring Grove’s seventh straight game with single-digit turnovers, losing possession only nine times in each game last week. The opponents had about twice as many turnovers – the Rebels with 17 and the Cardinals with 18.
Averaging 57 points per game, SG has scored 59 and 51 against Southland. However, Southland, averaging 75 points per game against other opponents, has managed only season-lows 37 and 38 points versus the stingy SG stop troops. LeRoy-Ostrander came in averaging 64 points but had only 17 at halftime before finishing with 49 against the Lions.
Sophomore guard Elijah Solum scorched the nylon twine for a career-high 26 points at LeRoy-Ostrander after a 15-point night versus Southland. Junior guard Tysen Grinde poured in 19 points in each game last week.
Spring Grove, which had already locked down the SEC East Division championship, improved to 19-3 (12-0 SEC) with the wins against two teams with winning records. Southland left town at 12-4 (10-2 SEC West) while L-O slipped to 13-8 (7-5 SEC West).
Photo by Lee Epps
The B-team Lions (12-6) lost to Southland for the second time this season, last week at home, 38-31. It was no contest at LeRoy-Ostrander where the B-boys’ early 19-point run led to a 55-16 clipping of the Cardinals. Isaac Nerstad led Lion scoring in both games while Josh Newgaard had a 9-point, 9-rebound night against LeRoy-Ostrander. The freshman boys (2-1-1) were outscored by Southland, 42-27.
The eighth grade boys (4-4) fell at Caledonia, 43-31, while the seventh grade lads lost for the first time this season, 34-33. The Lions led most of the second half until the Warriors scored the winning basket with 42 seconds remaining. Caledonia earned a season split with both junior high teams.
SG 51, Southland 38
Oddly, just as in the teams’ first meeting in December, Grinde led Spring Grove scoring with 19 points, and Southland senior Eli Wolff led all scorers with 21 points. In both victories, the Lions used a decisive scoring run in the second half. Last week, the Lions’ seven-point halftime lead (26-19) had been trimmed to one point (30-29) before SG separated with a 15-3 spurt to go up by 13 points – the eventual winning margin. The Rebels never got closer than 10 points during the final eight-plus minutes. But unlike that earlier 59-37 Lion win, SG led all the way in this rematch. The Grove guys scored the first eight points and won the first half 26-19 and the second half 25-19.
Wolff, a 6-foot-2 sharpshooter, posted a 21-point, 12-rebound double-double, while Harrison Hanna added 12 points. But only three Rebels scored, while six Lions disturbed the net, including a 15-point contribution from Elijah Solum. SG shot 36% from the field and Southland 32%. And the Lions shot more often due to eight fewer turnovers and five more offensive rebounds.
The boys wearing black converted 10 steals into 11 fast-break points in a 13-point win. Grinde, Hunter Holland, Logan Brumm and Jaxon Strinmoen each had more assists than turnovers.
The Lions have won the last three games versus the Rebels in a series that will be regularly revisited, now that Southland is back in the Southeast Conference. SG leads all-time, 11 wins to 7.
SG 82, LeRoy-Ostrander 49
It was delectable delivery from downtown as SG put up a season-high 26 shots beyond the 3-point arc and sank a season-best 15 treys, a season-best 58%. Solum buried 5 of 7 from deep, sophomore Jacob Olerud 3 of 4, sophomore Strinmoen 2 of 3 and Grinde 4 of 9. Holland attempted only one shot all night, and even then, not because he really wanted to. But he responded when circumstances demanded. With the first-half clock approaching all zeroes, Holland took a fast-break pass from Ethan Crouch and right in front of the Cardinal bench, ripped the net with a deep, desperation triple just before the buzzer sent celebrating Spring Grove into halftime with a 44-17 cushion.
Another amazing sequence involved a diving, sliding steal by Grinde, who after out-grappling Camden Hungerholt for possession and while on his back, passed the ball for an ensuing fast-break basket and a 28-5 Lion lead.
The pace was apparent early; 10 of the first 15 SG shots came from 3-point land. The boys finished with 15 made treys and 14 baskets closer in. Four Lions scored in double figures with Solum netting 26 points, Grinde 19, Strinmoen 12 and Olerud 11. Grinde also sparked the attack with 7 assists and only a single turnover. Holland, Crouch and Strinmoen each had 2 assists with no turnovers.
Six-foot-3 senior Levi Royston led L-O with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Another 6-3 senior, Tanner Olson, added 7 points along with a game-high 10 rebounds. The Cardinals, started four seniors and a freshman with one senior and two juniors coming off the bench.
L-O was one of only five (out of 22) opponents to outrebound Spring Grove (30-24) and shot an acceptable 40%. But the Lions shot a sizzling 57%, their third best percentage of the season. Both teams scored 34 points in the paint, but Grove was too good from 3-point territory – 33 points better from the perimeter in a 33-point win.
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VARSITY vs. SOUTHLAND
>>SCORE by HALVES
>>SG….26 + 25 = 51
>>SHS 19 + 19 = 38
all FG: SG 36% (18-50), SHS 32% (12-38)
2-pt FG: SG 39% (11-28), SHS 44% (7-16)
3-pt FG: SG 32% (7-22), SHS 23% (5-22)
Free throws: SG 53% (8-15), SHS 75% (9-12); Rebounds: SG 27, SHS 25; Turnovers: SG 9, SHS 17; 2nd Chance points: SG 176, SHS 8; Fast break points: SG 11, SHS 4; Points in paint: SG 28, SHS 23; Greatest lead: SG 14, SHS 0; Fouls: SG 12, SHS 12
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. *starter. Caleb Griffin no stats; *Tysen Grinde 19P, 5R, 2A, 4S; *Hunter Holland 3P, 5R, 3A; Logan Brumm 4R, 2A; Jacob Olerud 6P, 1R, 1S; *Carson Gerard 4P, 2R, 2S, 1B; *Jaxon Strinmoen 4P, 5R, 2A, 3S, 1B; *Elijah Solum 15P, 5R, 2A
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VARSITY vs. LeROY-OSTRANDER
>>SCORE by HALVES
>>SG 44 + 38 = 82
>>LO 17 + 32 = 49
all FG: SG 57% (29-51), LO 40% (20-50);
2-pt FG: SG 56% (14-25), LO 47% (15-32);
3-pt FG: SG 58% (15-26), LO 28% (5-18);
Free throws: SG 56% (9-16), LO 44% (4-9); Rebounds: SG 24, LO 30; Turnovers: SG 9, LO 18; 2nd Chance points: SG 13, LO 8; Fast break points: SG 15, LO 4; Points in paint: SG 34, LO 34; Greatest lead: SG 37, LO 0; Fouls: SG 12, LO 13
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. *starter. Caleb Griffin 2P, 3A, 3S; Isaac Nerstad 2P; *Tysen Grinde 19P, 3R, 7A, 3S, 1B; *Hunter Holland 3P, 1R, 2A; Josh Newgaard no stats; Ethan Crouch 2P, 2A; Logan Brumm 2P, 1A; Jacob Olerud 11P, 3R, 2S 1B; Bryce Berns 1S; *Carson Gerard 3P, 4R, 1B; *Jaxon Strinmoen 12P, 6R, 2A, 3S; *Elijah Solum 26P, 5R, 4A, 2S
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B-TEAM vs. SOUTHLAND
>>SG…18 + 13 = 31
>>SHS 16 + 22 = 38
all FG: SG 26% (10-39), SHS 35% (15-43)
2-pt FG: SG 31% (5-16), SHS 42% (13-31)
3-pt FG: SG 22% (5-23), SHS 17% (2-12)
Free throws: SG 40% (6-15), SHS 40% (6-15); Rebounds: SG 25, SHS 27; Turnovers: SG 15, SHS 13; Greatest lead: SG 3, SHS 9; Fouls: SG 12, SHS 10
B-TEAM INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. *starter. Caleb Eiken no stats; Nathan Crouch out injured; *Isaac Nerstad 13P, 3R, 2A; *Ethan Crouch 2P, 4R, 3A, 3S, 3B; Ben Udstuen 3P, 3R, 2A, 1S, 2B; *Josh Newgaard 2P, 5R, 1B; Zach Brumm 1R, 1S; *Jacob Olerud 8P, 5R, 1A, 1S, 1B; *Bryce Berns 2R, 2A, 2S; Gavin Ostern 3P, 2R
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B-TEAM vs. LeROY-OSTRANDER
>>SG 33 + 22 = 55
>>LO 6 + 10 = 16
all FG: SG 34% (20-58), LO 13% (6-47)
2-pt FG: SG 41% (14-34), LO 16% (6-38)
3-pt FG: SG 25% (6-24), LO 0% (0-9)
Free throws: SG 41% (9-22), LO 50% (4-8); Rebounds: SG 46, LO 27; Turnovers: SG 11, LO 17; Greatest lead: SG 39, LO 0; Fouls: SG 11, LO 16
B-TEAM INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. * starter. Caleb Eiken 3R, 2A, 1B; Nathan Crouch injured; Kohl Betcher 2R; *Isaac Nerstad 17P, 3R, 1S; *Ethan Crouch 2A, 1B; Ben Udstuen 4P, 6R, 1S; Troy Reinhardt 1R; *Josh Newgaard 9P, 9R, 1S, 3B; Zach Brumm 2P, 1R, 1A, 1S; *Jacob Olerud 2P, 6R, 1A, 2S, 1B; *Bryce Berns 4P, 5R, 2A, 1S; Ezra Griffin 2P, 2R; Gavin Ostern 11P, 6R, 1A, 1S, 1B; Shawn Crouch 4P, 2R, 2A
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B-TEAM vs. LANESBORO (complete stats not available last week)
>>SG…20 + 27 = 47
>>LHS 27 + 24 = 51
B-TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 44% (20-45), LHS 44% (22-50)
2-pt FG: SG 54% (15-28), LHS 50% (18-36)
3-pt FG: SG 29% (5-17), LHS 29% (4-14)
Free throws: SG 25% (2-8), LHS 100% (3-3); Rebounds: SG 23, LHS 19; Turnovers: SG 14, LHS 15; Greatest lead: SG 3, LHS 7; Fouls: SG 10, LHS 7
B-TEAM INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. *starter. Caleb Eiken no stats; Nathan Crouch out injured; *Isaac Nerstad 11P, 3R, 1A, 1S; *Ethan Crouch 13P, 11R, 2A, 1S, 2B; Ben Udstuen 5P, 1R, 1A, 1B; Troy Reinhardt 2P; *Josh Newgaard 8P, 1R, 1A, 1B; Zach Brumm 1R, 2A; *Jacob Olerud 3P, 2R, 2A; *Bryce Berns 5P, 3R, 2S; Gavin Ostern 1R, 3A, 1S, 1B
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SEC Boys BB
>>EAST DIVISION
Spring Grove* 12-0 SEC (19-3 season)
Lanesboro 6-5 SEC (12-8 season)
Schaeffer Aca. 5-5 SEC (8-11 season
Mabel-Canton 2-8 SEC (7-15 season)
Houston 1-9 SEC (1-19 season)
*division champion
>>WEST DIVISION
Lyle/Pacelli 11-1 SEC (18-3 season)
Southland 10-2 SEC (14-4 season)
LeRoy-Ostrander 7-5 SEC (13-8 season)
Grand Meadow 5-7 SEC (9-12 season)
Kingsland 4-8 SEC (7-14 season)
Glenville-Emmons 0-13 SEC (0-20 season)
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Spring Grove Boys Basketball 2021-’22 (*conference game)
19-3 (12-0 SEC)
W vs. New Hampton, Iowa 45-41
W vs. Houston* 71-22
Fri. 12/10 vs. Lyle/Pacelli* postponed to Feb. 18
L at North Linn, Iowa 36-69
W at Southland*59-37
W vs. Lanesboro* 70-34
>>>Rushford-Peterson Christmas Invite
L at Rushford-Peterson 41-53
W vs. Dover-Eyota 44-33
W at Mabel-Canton* 67-32
W at Schaeffer Academy*58-14
W vs. Kingsland (non-conference) 50-35
W vs. Grand Meadow* 44-40
Fri. 01/14 at Fillmore Central (Preston) ppd. to 2-25-22
W at Houston*72-24
W at La Crescent-Hokah 56-41
L at Martin County West 33-41
W at Madelia 53-23
W at Kingsland*63-38
W vs. Waukon 55-52
W vs. Mabel-Canton*87-22
W vs. Glenville-Emmons*91-34
W at Lanesboro*54-40
W vs. Southland (non-conference) 51-38
W at LeRoy-Ostrander*82-49
Mon. 02/14 St. Charles
Thur. 02/17 Schaeffer Academy*
Fri. 02/18 Lyle/Pacelli* postponed from Dec. 10
Fri. 02/25 at Fillmore Central (Preston) postponed from Jan. 14
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B-team Boys Basketball 12-6 (10-4 SEC)
W vs. Houston 45-14
L at Southland 34-51
W vs. Lanesboro 49-33
L at Rushford-Peterson 31-59
W vs. Dover-Eyota 44-33
W at Mabel-Canton 47-30
L at Schaeffer Academy 33-34 overtime
W vs. Kingsland 32-19
W vs. Grand Meadow 49-15
W at Houston 48-23
L at La Crescent-Hokah 39-43
W at Kingsland 48-36
W vs. Waukon 51-29
W vs. Mabel-Canton 39-35
W vs. Glenville-Emmons 58-25
L at Lanesboro 47-51
L vs. Southland 31-38
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 55-16
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Freshmen Boys Basketball (2-1-1)
W at La Crescent-Hokah 36-20
T at Kingsland 36-36
W vs. Mabel-Canton 29-19 (played only one half)
L vs. Southland 27-42
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8th Grade Boys Basketball (4-4)
W vs. Houston 27-23
W vs. Caledonia 30-20
L vs. Lanesboro 21-40
W at Mabel-Canton 54-41
W at Houston 34-21
L vs. Mabel-Canton 17-36
L at Lanesboro 31-49
L at Caledonia 31-43
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7th Grade Boys Basketball (11-1)
W vs. Houston 44-8
W vs. Caledonia 19-16
W vs. Lanesboro 39-16
W at Mabel-Canton 60-11
W at Schaefer Academy 43-2
W vs. Kingsland 42-18
W vs. Grand Meadow 44-11
W at Houston 51-9
W vs. Kingsland 39-26
W vs. Mabel-Canton 38-16
W at Lanesboro 35-20
L at Caledonia 33-34
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