State-ranked No. 2 Spring Grove roared down the field on the game’s first possession for a 7-0 lead. However, that score held into the fourth quarter as the undefeated Lions (4-0, 3-0 district) held off winless, 0-3 Lanesboro, 13-8. The Burros also appeared potent on their first possession, surging to the one yard-line before a 15-yard penalty on the bench made it third down and goal from the 16, instead of the one. Two incomplete passes later, Spring Grove took the ball on downs. With most of the game played in Lion territory, the Burros never punted and had their first five possessions and six of their total eight possessions end on downs.
Photo by Lee Epps
That first Lion scoring possession featured a 26-yard reverse scamper by Braedon Solie and a leaping, 19-yard touchdown reception by Zach Brumm in the back of the end zone. Bryce Berns completed 7 of 15 passes with no interceptions for 83 yards and a touchdown. Following a 26-yard interception return by Brumm, Berns would score on a four-yard run for a 13-0 lead with 8:23 to play.
That breathing room would be short lived. Just four plays later, Lanesboro finally came up with a big play when Mason Howard hit a wide-open Cole Sass with a 35-yard pass. On the next play Sass ran across the goal line from four yards out and then hit Sass with a two-point pass to make it 13-8 with 6:33 on the clock.
The Lions came right back with Jacob Olerud taking a handoff for 27 yards and then gaining 26 yards on a short pass. But at the eight yard-line, Grove fumbled away the opportunity to put the game away. With another chance, Lanesboro used 10-plays to earn two first downs before running out of downs again with 2:47 to pay. Grove then earned a pair of first downs to run out the clock.
Lanesboro controlled the clock with 62 offensive plays to only 46 for Spring Grove, but the Lions held a 242 to 216 edge in total yardage. The Burros came up with only that one big pass play and a 55-yard kickoff return by Sass to start the second half.
Howard faced a consistent pass rush while completing 8 of 26 passes for 101 yards. Kaden Stettler caught six passes (58 yards) and recovered both Lion fumbles. Defending mostly in their own end of the field, the Lions stopped 8 of 12 Burro third downs and 6 of 8 fourth downs. Olerud had 14 tackles, Jaxon Strinmoen 11.
Although Lanesboro came in winless, the Burros had been competitive in both games against quality opposition. The defense gave up 21 points to both Southland (21-6) and Hills-Beaver Creek (21-14) before holding Spring Grove to 13. The Burros thus far have not been able to cross the goal line often enough to win. The Lions have now taken the last three games versus Lanesboro and since 1949, lead the competitive series 30 wins to 22 with 3 ties.
The Lion B-team overwhelmed the Burros, 44-0, but Lanesboro won the junior high game, 26-19.
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YARDAGE: Team total (rush+pass) SG 242 (159+83); LHS 216 (115+101)
RUSHING: att.-yards (avg.): SG 31-159, TD (5.1); LHS 36-115, TD (3.2)
PASSES: comp-att-int, yds. (TD): SG 7-15-0, 83 yds., TD; LHS 8-26-1, 101 yds.
Sacks allowed: SG 1, LHS 0
TD: SG – 1 rush, 1 pass; LHS – 1 rush
PAT: SG 1-2 (kick 1-2); LHS 1-1 (pass 1-1)
TOTAL PLAYS: SG 46 LHS 62
AVG. yards per play: SG 5.3, LHS 3.5
FUMBLES – LOST: SG 2-2, LHS 2-0
TURNOVERS: SG 2, LHS 1
PENALTIES: SG 4-34, LHS 4-45
3rd downs: SG 2 for 8, LHS 4 for 12
4th downs: SG 1 for 1, LHS 2 for 8
Red zone: SG 1 for 3, LHS 1 for 4
First downs: SG 13, LHS 15
Plays of 20+ yards: SG 3, LHS
INDIVIDUALS: RUSHING 31-159, TD: Jacob Olerud 12-77; Bryce Berns 12-55, TD; Braedon Solie 1-26; Jaxon Strinmoen 2-3; Zach Brumm 1-1; Team 3- (-3). PASSING: Bryce Berns 7-15-0, 83 yds. TD. RECEIVING: Zach Brumm 3-39, TD; Jacob Olerud 2-29; Jaxon Strinmoen 1-9; Braedon Solie 1-6. SCORING: Zach Brumm 6, Bryce Berns 6, Ben Udstuen 1. PUNTING: Ben Udstuen 3-97 (32.3 avg.). INTERCEPTIONS: Zach Brumm 1-26 yds. PASS BREAKUPS: Jaxon Strinmoen 2, Caden Gerard 1, Dash Ranzenberger 1, Troy Reinhardt 1, Zach Brumm 1. FUMBLE RECOVERIES: none. FUMBLES FORCED: none. SACKS: none. TACKLES for LOSS (incl. sacks): Ethan Crouch 1.5; Jaxon Strinmoen 0.5; Jacob Olerud 0.5; Dash Ranzenberger 0.5. TACKLES (solo+assists): Jacob Olerud 14 (5+9); Jaxon Strinmoen 11 (5+6); Ethan Crouch 8 (4+4); Zach Brumm 7 (4+3); Troy Reinhardt 6 (4+2); Shawn Crouch 6 (2+4); Brandon Jahnke 4 (1+3); Caden Gerard 3 (2+1); Jacob Solum 1 (1+0); Braedon Solie 1 (1+0); Bryce Berns 1 (1+0); Dash Ranzenberger 3 (1+2). KICKOFF RETURNS: Zach Brumm 2-26. PUNT RETURNS: none
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Lanesboro INDIVIDUALS. RUSHING 36-115: Mason Howard 19-76; Cole Sass 6-20, TD; Boston Wright 11-19. PASSING: Mason Howard 8-26-1, 101 yds. + PAT. RECEIVING 8-101: Kaden Stettler 6-58; Michael Rein 1-35; Boston Wright 1-8; Cole Sass (PAT). SCORING: Cole Sass 8. PUNTING: none. INTERCEPTIONS: none. FUMBLE RECOVERIES: Kaden Stettler 2. SACKS: Cole Sass 1. KICKOFF RETURNS: Cole Sass 1-55, Boston Wright 1-19, Reuben Swartzentruber 1-11. PUNT RETURNS: Boston Wright 3-22
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Spring Grove Varsity Football 2023
4-0 (3-0 East Sub-District)
W at Mountain Lake Area 28-7
W vs. Southland 13-12
W vs. Grand Meadow 34-12
W at Lanesboro 13-8
09/23 Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons (SG is 1-0 versus the combined program)
09/29 at Mabel-Canton (SG has won the last 18, but M-C leads all-time)
10/06 open
10/13 Kingsland (SG has won all four games against the Knights)
19/18 at Houston (SG has won their last 18 meetings)
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Spring Grove B-team Football 2023
W at Kingsland 14-6
W vs. Lanesboro 44-0
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Spring Grove Junior High Football 2023
W at Kingsland 33-13
L vs. Lanesboro 19-26
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