Photo by Lee Epps
The Spring Grove ground attack was again ineffective, and the passing effort was under constant duress. The successful runs came on four Tysen Grinde quarterback scrambles for a total 38 yards, but there were also 25 yards lost with quarterback sacks. An errant punt snap lost another 28 yards for a safety, leaving the Lions with a net rushing total of 4 yards. Meanwhile under constant pressure, Grinde completed 9 of 21 passes (1 interception) for 105 yards.
The only Spring Grove score came on a 90-yard kickoff return by Bjerke that made it a one-score deficit (13-6). That was as close as the Lions would come, and it did not last long. On the next play from scrimmage, Cardinal quarterback Chase Johnson hit Tristan Lewison with a 60-yard touchdown pass. Johnson ran in the conversion, and it was 21-6 late in the first quarter.
It had been a quick 13-0 hole for the Lions, who lost 31 yards on the first three plays from scrimmage. Grinde became his own pass receiver when the ball was batted out of the air back into his grasp for a 14-yard loss. That was preceded by a 5-yard rushing loss and followed by a 7-yard sack. After a penalty and freshman Gavin Ostern’s ensuing pressure-packed, but effective punt out of the end zone, the Lions would trail 13-0 before snapping the ball again.
The Grove defense forced the Cards to run 10 plays before covering the 37 yards for their first score, which was aided by a mysterious fourth-down pass interference flag in the end zone. But after recovering a Spring Grove fumble on the kickoff at the Lion 12 yard-line, L-O needed only two plays to make it 13-0. Bjerke took the next kickoff 90 yards, but the Lion offense would not be able to add any other points.
There were only a few offensive highlights. Bjerke’s 51-yard, deep pass reception was the longest gainer, but the drive ran out of downs at the L-O 30. Jaxon Strinmoen had splendid 25 and 27-yard receptions, the latter leading to the deepest penetration to the 19 yard-line. That threat ended with an interception.
Johnson picked off that Lion pass, and the reigning sub-district Player of the Year passed for 170 yards and three touchdowns (no interceptions) while rushing for 101 yards and another TD (28 yards). Lewison caught six passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns (60 and 40 yards). Layne Bird completed a halfback pass to Lewison for 42 yards down to the one yard-line. Gavin Sweeney had a 10-yard TD catch, kicked three extra points plus a 23-yard field goal. Morgan Jasper had two scoring runs of 12 and 5 yards. L-O outgained the Lions 246 yards to 4 on the ground and 212 yards to 107 in the air.
The Grove defenders forced only one turnover and one punt, but they three times halted L-O drives on downs. Defensive deliveries included a pair of point-after kicks being blocked by Carson Gerard and Logan Brumm. Elijah Solum had a team-high 16 tackles, including a forced fumble that was recovered by Ostern. Strinmoen contributed to eight tackles with Grinde and Noah Blackburn in on seven stops apiece.
It was the Cardinals’ third straight, explosive-scoring win in a series they now lead 15 wins to 13.
SG—6—–0 —0—0 = 6
LO—21—16—7—2 = 46
Team totals
YARDAGE (rush + pass): SG 111 (4+107); LO 458 (246+212)
RUSHING: att.-yards (avg.): SG 21-4 (0.2), LO 38-246 (6.5) 3 TD
PASSES: comp.-att.-int., yds. (TD) SG 10-24-2, 107 yds.; LO 12-22-0, 212 yds, (3 TD)
Sacks allowed: SG 3, LO 1
TD: SG 1 special teams, LO 3 rush, 3 pass
PAT: SG 0-1 (0-1 kick); LO 3-6 (3-5 kick, 1-1 run)
TOTAL PLAYS: SG 45, LO 60
AVG. yards per play: SG 2.5, LO 7.6)
FUMBLES – LOST: SG 6-2, LO 2-1
TURNOVERS: SG 4, LO 1
PENALTIES: SG 6-38, LO 9-70
3rd downs: SG 2 for 9, LO 3 for 10
4th downs: SG 0 for 3, LO 1 for 4
Red zone: SG 0 fo0r 1, LO 4 for 5
First downs: SG 7, LO 19
Plays of 20+ yards: SG 3, LO 6
LION INDIVIDUALS:
RUSHING 21-4: Tysen Grinde 11-22; Reid Bjerke 3-12; Hunter Holland 2-5; Zach Brumm 1-(-2); Elijah Solum 2-(-5); Team 2-(-28)
PASSING: Tysen Grinde 9-21-2, 105 yds.; Caleb Eiken 1-2-0, 2 yds.; Elijah Solum 0-1-0
RECEIVING 10-107: Reid Bjerke 2-54; Jaxon Strinmoen 2-52; Elijah Solum 1-9; Carson Gerard 1-4; Hunter Holland 1-1; Nate Crouch 1-2; Bryce Berns 1-(-1); Tysen Grinde 1-(-14)
SCORING: Reid Bjerke 6
PUNTING: Gavin Ostern 3-97 (32.3)
KICKOFF RETURNS: Tysen Grinde 4-55, Reid Bjerke 4-113
PUNT RETURNS: none
INTERCEPTIONS: none
PASS BREAKUPS 3: Caleb Griffin 1, Elijah Solum 1, Tysen Grinde 1
BLOCKED PUNTS: none
BLOCKED PATS 2: Carson Gerard 1, Logan Brumm 1
FUMBLE RECOVERIES: Gavin Ostern 1
FUMBLES FORCED: Elijah Solum 1
SACKS 1: Noah Blackburn 0.5, Carson Gerard 0.5
TACKLES for LOSS (incl. sacks) 6: Jacob Olerud 1.5; Jaxon Strinmoen 1.5; Emmet Engeldinger 0.5; Ethan Crouch 0.5; Logan Brumm 0.5; Noah Blackburn 0.5; Carson Gerard 0.5; Elijah Solum 0.5
TACKLES (solo + assists): Elijah Solum 16 (5+11), Jaxon Strinmoen 8 (6+2), Tysen Grinde 7 (2+5), Noah Blackburn 7 (0+7), Jacob Olerud 4 (3+1), Gavin Ostern 4 (2+2), Caleb Griffin 4 (1+3), Reid Bjerke 3 (2+1), Carson Gerard 3 (1+2), Camron Kraus 3 (1+2), Logan Brumm 3 (0+3), Hunter Holland 3 (0+3), Ethan Crouch 2 (1+1), Zach Brumm 1 (1+0), Bryce Berns 1 (0+1), Emmet Engeldinger 1 (0+1)
Spring Grove football 2021
2-3 (2-3 sub-district)
7:00 p.m. kickoff unless noted (series records go back to 1949)
W at Houston 14-0 (Lions lead series 43-30-2)
Sat. Sept. 11 Lyle/Pacelli, CANCELED (SG won last year 36-22; Lions have won last 14, lead series 17-2)
W 28-26 at Mabel-Canton (Lions have won last 17; Cougars lead series 36-26)
L vs. Grand Meadow 17-20 (GM has won the last four; GM leads series 35-10)
L vs. Southland 14-46 (Rebels lead series 11-3)
L at LeRoy-Ostrander 6-46 (Cardinals have won the last three, lead series 15-13)
Fr. Oct. 15 Kingsland (SG won last year 34-8; Lions lead series 2-0)
Wed. Oct. 20 at Lanesboro (Burros won last year 36-14; Lions lead series 27-22-3)
>>B-team football (2 wins, 1 loss)
at Mabel-Canton, canceled
at Kingsland, canceled
Mabel-Canton, canceled
W at Houston 20-12
W at Grand Meadow 32-6
L vs. Lanesboro 6-30
>>Junior high football (2 wins, 2 losses)
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 40-33
Mon. Sept. 13 at Kingsland, canceled
L vs. Mabel-Canton 25-32 (storm ended game in second half)
W at Houston 39-6
L vs. Lanesboro 13-20
Mon. Oct. 18 at Southland