The Spring Grove boys embark on the 2022 basketball season as an experienced but still young squad with aspirations of winning another regular-season championship and winning a postseason playoff game. “Last year we were “very young”, this year we are just “young,” said veteran coach Wade Grinde. “We will play only one senior again this season with all (others) sophomores and juniors.”
Six of seven letter winners return, including one of the two all-conference selections and another who received honorable mention. But not all who are coming back are back yet. After late-season football injuries, Jaxon Strinmoen, a 6-foot-4 sophomore guard, and Carson Gerard, a 6-4 senior forward, both began preseason workouts observing rather than playing. Strinmoen is expected back before Gerard. Gerard is the only senior on the roster and also a returning All-Conference selection as well as last year’s leading rebounder (6.2 rpg). Of the returning cagers, Gerard brings back the highest averages in points (10.6) and steals (2.2) as well as rebounds.
Elijah Solum (6’1” soph. G), who received Honorable Mention All-SEC, led the Lions in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.54) and three-point accuracy (33%), was the third leading scorer while averaging 9.8 points per game. Solum had lettered as an eighth grader before earning a starting role as a freshman. Two other guards started last year as sophomores – 6-3 junior Tysen Grinde (8.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.8 spg, 1.8 apg ) and 5-9 junior Hunter Holland (4.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.4 spg, 1.3 apg).
Last winter, Strinmoen saw action as a reserve in 16 of the 17 games. He was the team’s most accurate shooter from the field (62%) and the free throw line (85%). The other letter winner is 5-9 junior guard Caleb Griffin who saw action in 11 varsity contests. Other key contributions are expected from 6-3 sophomore center Ethan Crouch and 5-11 junior guard Logan Brumm. Also returning with some varsity-game experience are sophomore guards, 5-11 Isaac Nerstad and 6-0 Jacob Olerud, along with sophomore center 6-5 Josh Newgaard.
Most numerous are the 10 freshmen, including Nathan Crouch (6-3 guard) and Bryce Berns (5-10 guard) who have been working out with the varsity. Other candidates are 6-2 Ben Udstuen, 6-0 Gavin Ostern, 5-9 Kohl Betcher, 5-10 Caleb Eiken, 5-10 Ezra Griffin, 6-3 Shawn Crouch, 6-0 Zach Brumm and 5-9 Troy Reinhardt.
Also critical is who is not coming back. Lost to graduation and currently part of the program at Upper Iowa University, Caden Grinde was the Conference Player of the Year, the conference’s steals leader and second leading scorer (20.2 ppg) who was also First Team All-Journal. The three-time All-SEC selection and two-time Lion Most Valuable Player, led Spring Grove in seven categories: scoring, assists, steals, made free throws, 3-point field goals, hustle points and efficiency rating. He was the second-leading rebounder. His departure changes things in more ways than just replacing his statistics. This year, the Lions likely will face more traditional defenses rather than those primarily designed to double-team or contain Caden Grinde.
Spring Grove is coming off a 23rd consecutive non-losing season (22 winning records, one break-even). In last year’s pandemic-abbreviated campaign, the Lions went 13-4 (12-2 SEC) and won the Southeast Conference East Division championship for the 10th time in eleven years with a three-game margin over runner-up Randolph. But they did lose to West Division champion Lyle/Pacelli and for the second straight season, dropped their first playoff game.
In this year’s conference race, Randolph has departed, leaving five teams in each division. The Lions will play twice against East Division rivals that they handled by comfortable margins last year: Houston, Lanesboro, Mabel-Canton and Schaefer Academy. Those clubs are expected to be improved, but Grove remains the favorite until someone proves otherwise. The West again may prove to be stronger overall. The Lions will play once against defending champ Lyle/Pacelli, section runner-up Southland and third-place Grand Meadow as well as LeRoy-Ostrander, Kingsland and Glenville-Emmons. Eight of the 10 SEC teams return an all-Conference player.
The Lions may also encounter former SEC rival Randolph. In a holiday tournament at Rushford-Peterson, Spring Grove plays the host Trojans on Dec. 28 and the following night either Randolph or Class AA Dover-Eyota. Other familiar non-conference foes are Fillmore Central, Class AA La Crescent-Hokah and Iowa Class AA Waukon. Class AA St. Charles is back on the schedule for the first time in many years.
Unfamiliar opponents include a Friday night/Saturday afternoon road trip to play Martin County West (Sherburn) and Madelia, both from Section 2A. The Lions will also travel to Coggon, Iowa, to take on North Linn.
The season begins at the annual Iowa-Minnesota Border Battle in Decorah, Iowa. Spring Grove will play Class AA New Hampton on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 10 a.m. at Decorah College. The Lions then return for the home opener versus Houston on Tues., Dec.7.
Last Saturday, Spring Grove traveled to Hayfield where they scrimmaged Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton and Southland. Head coach Wade Grinde said he was pleased with the play and effort of all 10 boys who made the trip, including two freshmen. But fatigue began to alter effectiveness later in the day.
“Our younger kids gained valuable experience last season,” added Coach Grinde, “and I expect us to be a contender as the season wears on.” Grinde says has seen improvement in the team’s passing. And last winter, the passing was good, averaging only 11 turnovers per game while the other guys lost possession 21 times per contest. Spring Grove always takes pride in defense and rebounding, a requirement for playing time. In 2021, the boys set program records for thefewest fouls committed and the fewest free throws allowed, contributing to the best scoring defense in the last 71 years (35.6 points per game).
The veteran mentor also expects the Lions to be a better shooting team. Last year, Spring Grove shot a pretty good 64% from the free throw line and a pretty good 46% from the field, both of which were better than the opponents. It was a stalemate from 3-point range where the Lions and the opposition both shot a so-so 28%. With an experienced lineup, Grinde says the offense will be more free-flowing with more freedom for everyone to score.
There is only one senior and four juniors with most of the roster younger with 10 freshmen and six sophomores. There is pretty good height for a Class A squad. And along with that game experience, Grinde said the players are “older, bigger and stronger.” Depth will be a challenge until Gerard and Strinmoen are off the injured list. And in December, there are some quality opponents.
Speaking of experience. Three Lion coaches have 95 seasons of combined coaching experience. In his 28th season at Spring Grove, Grinde heads the staff for a 27th season and is assisted again by Al Lochner for his 34th season at Spring Grove and Minnesota Hall of Fame coach Tom Vix in his fourth season at Spring Grove and 36th overall. The entire coaching staff is back. Aric Elton, the Lion boys’ career leader in both rebounds and made free throws and second all-time in both scoring and steals, will again lead the junior high program, assisted by Toby Leahy, Class of 2017. Former Lion athletes, Mike Solum and Todd Olerud will volunteer some time.
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Spring Grove Boys Basketball 2021-’22 (approximate 7:15 tipoff unless noted)
*conference game
Sat. 12/04 vs. New Hampton, Iowa (at Decorah) 10 am
Tues. 12/07 Houston*
Fri. 12/10 Lyle/Pacelli*
Sat. 12/11 at North Linn, Iowa (Coggon, IA) 2:30 pm
Fri. 12/17 at Southland* (Adams)
Tues. 12/21 Lanesboro*
>>>Rushford-Peterson Tournament
Tues. 12/28 at Rushford-Peterson, 7 pm
Wed. 12/29 vs. Randolph or Dover-Eyota (at Rushford) time TBD
Tues. 01/04 at Mabel-Canton*
Fri. 01/07 at Schaeffer Academy*
Mon. 01/10 Kingsland (non-conference)
Tues. 01/11 Grand Meadow*
Fri. 01/14 at Fillmore Central (Preston) 7:30 pm
Mon. 01/17 at Houston*
Tues. 01/18 at La Crescent-Hokah 7 pm
Fri. 01/21 at Martin County West (Sherburn) 7 pm
Sat. 01/22 at Madelia 1 pm
Tues. 01/25 at Kingsland*
Thur. 01.27 Waukon
Fri. 01/28 Mabel-Canton*
Thur. 02/03 Glenville-Emmons*
Fri. 02/04 at Lanesboro*
Mon. 02/07 Southland (non-conference)
Fri. 02/11 at LeRoy-Ostrander*
Mon. 02/14 St. Charles
Thur. 02/17 Schaeffer Academy*