Dawson-Boyd overcame 19 turnovers with sizzling shooting. The Spring Grove boys shot well at 44%, but D-B shot better – 58% overall, including an astounding 81% from 2-point range. The Blackjacks (with jackrabbit logo) handed the Lions their first loss, 66-57, at the annual holiday double headers at Rushford-Peterson on Dec. 27. The next afternoon, the Section 3, Class A program crushed R-P, 68-35 and returned home (over four hours northwest) with a 4-2 record.
Photo by Lee Epps
Spring Grove (2-1) never led and trailed by nine points at the end of each half. The Lions rallied from 13-point deficits in both halves with a 10-point first half run and a 9-to-2-point second-half surge. The Grove defense came away with 10 late steals on 13 Blackjack possessions, but the Lions could get no closer than 61-55 with 3:06 to play.
Three athletic Blackjacks, two of them sophomores, did most of the damage, combining to score 55 of the Blackjacks’ 66 points. Six-foot-7 sophomore Brayson Boike poured in 27 points along with 7 rebounds while 6-6 sophomore Drem Hjelmeland added 12 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists. Senior point guard Keegon Wicht hit four 3-point baskets on the way to 16 points.
Spring Grove countered with Elijah Solum scoring 18 points along with 5 steals, Tysen Grinde adding 15 points and Jaxon Strinmoen responsible for 11 points and 7 steals.
Each team scored 15 fast-break points and scored 39 points in the paint. Each team hit a half-dozen 3-balls, but Dawson-Boyd also added a trio of perimeter 2-point baskets. The Blackjacks also had twice as many assists (22 to 11) and twice as many rebounds (32-16). Free throws were of little consequence, since neither team attempted very many – SG 3 for 7 and Dawson-Boyd 0 for 6.
The Lion B-team (3-0) broke a tie score with 2:09 remaining with the first of three straight Bryce Berns baskets to defeat Dawson-Boyd, 34-30. SG prevailed greatly due to 14 steals and 13 offensive rebounds. Nathan Crouch secured 11 rebounds (7 offensive) and Gavin Ostern had 6 thefts.
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Varsity: SG 57, DB 66
SCORE by HALVES
SG 32+25=57
DB 41+25=66
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 44% (24-55), DB 58% (28-48)
2-pt FG: SG 50% (18-36), DB 81% (22-27)
3-pt FG: SG 32% (6-19), DB 29% (6-21)
Free throws: SG 43% (3-7), DB 0% (0-6)
Rebounds: SG 16, DB 32; Turnovers: SG 14, DB 19; 2nd Chance pts: SG 8, DB 11; Fast break pts: SG 15, DB 15; Pts. in paint: SG 39, DB 39; Greatest lead: SG 0, DB 17; Fouls: SG 14. DB 8
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. * starter. Caleb Griffin 2P, 1A; Nathan Crouch no stats; Isaac Nerstad 3P; *Tysen Grinde 15P, 3R, 2A, 1S, 1B; Hunter Holland 2P; Josh Newgaard no stats; *Ethan Crouch 3P, 3R, 2A, 2S; Logan Brumm out injured; *Jacob Olerud 3P, 1R, 1A, 2S; Bryce Berns no stats; Dane Edgington 1R; *Jaxon Strinmoen 11P, 4R, 2A, 7S; *Elijah Solum 18P, 4R, 3A, 5S
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Spring Grove Boys BB 2023
* SEC game, home games in bold
2 wins, 1 loss (2-0 SEC)
W at Lanesboro* 71-52
W at Glenville-Emmons* 75-27
L vs. Dawson-Boyd 57-66
Wed. 12-28 Higher Ground (at R-P, 5 p.m.)
Tues. 01-03 Lyle/Pacelli*
Thur. 01-05 at Southland*
Sat. 01-07 Mankato Loyola, 2 p.m. (Breakdown Classic at Byron)\
Tues. 01-10 Grand Meadow
Fri. 01-13 at Mabel-Canton*
Mon. 01-16 at Schaeffer Academy*
Tues. 01-17 Houston*
Thur. 01-19 Lanesboro*
Mon. 01-23 at Kingsland*
Tues. 01-24 La Crescent-Hokah
Thu. 01-26 Schaeffer Academy*
Tues. 01-31 at LeRoy-Ostrander*
Thur. 02-02 Glenville-Emmons*
Fri. 02-03 at Lyle/Pacelli*(Lyle)
Mon. 02-06 Fillmore Central
Thur. 02-09 Southland*
Sat. 02-11 Rushford-Peterson 5:45 pm
Mon. 02-13 Kingsland*
Tues. 02-14 LeRoy-Ostrander
Fri. 02-17 at Grand Meadow*
Mon. 02-20 Mabel-Canton*
Fri. 02-24 at Houston*
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Spring Grove B-team
3 wins, 0 losses
W at Lanesboro 45-20
W at Glenville-Emmons 53-31
W vs. Dawson-Boyd 34-30
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Spring Grove 8th Grade
1 win, 1 loss
W at Lanesboro 48-24
L at Caledonia 29-37
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Spring Grove 7th Grade
0 wins, 2 losses
W at Lanesboro 48-24
L a Caledonia 23-26