The Spring Grove boys battled but could not quite upend one of the state’s top-ranked teams on a Friday night/Saturday afternoon western excursion. Undefeated Martin County West (13-0), ranked No. 1 in the Class A computer poll and No. 4 in the press poll, used a seven-point, second-half run to turn away the Lions, 41-33, as both teams were held to their fewest points of the season. Early the next afternoon, Spring Grove again limited an opponent to its lowest-scoring output of the season while subduing Madelia, 53-23. Spring Grove returned home at 12-3 (7-0 SEC). There were no B-team games on this Jan. 21-22 overnight road trip.
The Friday night game was played at Trimont, which along with Sherburn and Welcome, are part of the Martin County West School District. Martin County borders Iowa, five counties west of Houston County. Madelia is a few miles north of there and southwest of Mankato.
SG 33, Martin County West 41
The Lions led 26-22 in the second half, but they would add only seven more points (2 baskets, 2 free throws) during the final 11 and half minutes. The Mavericks scored the next 10 points while Spring Grove suffered through seven scoreless possessions. Defenses dominated; the Lions shot season-lows from both 3-point territory (22%) and 2-point range (28%).
MCW was also chilly from afar with only 23% success beyond the 3-point arc. But the Mavs hit more than half of their 2-point attempts and outshot SG overall, 41% to 26%. MCW, averaging 58 points per game, won with a season-low 41 points. The final eight-point spread was the closest anyone had come to the Mavericks, who own four wins against Class AA competition.
Spring Grove, which had been outrebounded only twice (by one rebound each time) in the previous 13 games, lost the backboard battle by a wide 32-18 margin. Tysen Grinde had 7 of those Lion boards while also leading the team with 15 points and 6 steals. However, the Lions were the better ball-handlers with 9 turnovers to the home team’s 14. Elijah Solum distributed 4 assists with only a single turnover. The Mavericks’ 6-foot-6 junior guard Zach Anderson earned game honors 17 points and 8 rebounds. He and 6-3 senior Tanner Sinn (14 points) accounted for 31 of their team’s 41 points.
MCW scored first, but Spring Grove tied it four times before a 10-point Lion run provided a 21-16 lead. Grove led 21-18 at halftime. There would be three lead changes in the second half before the home team hit 5 of 6 shots from the field and 4 of 4 free throws on the way to a 40-31 advantage.
SG 53, Madelia 23
Carson Gerard posted a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Jaxon Strinmoen tallied 12 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Averaging 53 points a game, Spring Grove netted 53 points. But for the first six minutes, no one scored. Following four made free throws by Gerard, the game’s first field goal finally came after 10 minutes of play. And then, the Lions – who had missed their first 11 shots from the field – drilled six shots in a row, including three treys. Meanwhile, the Blackhawks – who had missed their first eight shots – connected on 3 of 4. It was 23-6 at halftime. Madelia (3-4) would not never challenge the lead. The Hawks finished with fewer than half of their average 61 points.
Against the stingy Spring Grove defense, the Blackhawks often had to settle for 3-point shots, and were limited to very few free throws. Madelia hit only 1 of 13 trey attempts, a season-low 8% for a Lion opponent. While the Lions went 12 for 18 at the foul line, the Blackhawks hit 4 of only 5 free throws – all coming late in the game. And Madelia did not shoot all that often with 17 turnovers and only one offensive rebound. Despite Madelia’s 6-8 and 6-7 centers, the Lions controlled the glass, 29 rebounds to 16. Spring Grove’s 16 offensive boards (7 by Gerard) led to 14 second-chance points. JaSean Glover, a 6-5 senior guard, grabbed 9 of Madelia’s 16 rebounds and scored 14 of the 23 points.
It was another defensive half-court contest, and the Lions also fired away beyond the 3-point arc, where their 41% success (7 for 17) was their second-best percentage of the season. Caleb Griffin nailed both of his 3-ball shots, and Jacob Olerud went 2 for 3 from deep. Strinmoen and Isaac Nerstad each went 1 for 1. It was the second meeting between the two programs with the Lions having also won in 2015.
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LIONS vs. MCW
>>SCORE by HALVES
>>SG 21 + 18 = 33
>>MCW 18 + 23 = 41
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 26% (11-43), MCW 41% (14-34)
2-pt FG: SG 28% (7-25), MCW 52% (11-21)
3-pt FG: SG 22% (4-18), MCW 23% (3-13)
Free throws: SG 64% (7-11), MCW 67% (10-15); Rebounds: SG 18, MCW 32; Turnovers: SG 9, MCW 14; 2nd Chance points: SG 4, MCW 6; Fast break points: SG 7, MCW 2; Points in paint: SG 19, MCW 25; Greatest lead: SG 4, MCW 9; Fouls: SG 17, MCW 8; Fouled out: SG: Gerard
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. *starter. Caleb Griffin 2R; *Tysen Grinde 15P, 7R, 1A, 6S; *Hunter Holland 1R; Logan Brumm 1R; Jacob Olerud 6P, 1R, 2S; *Carson Gerard 4P, 3R, 2A, 1S, 1B; *Jaxon Strinmoen 6P, 3R, 2A, 1S, 1B; *Elijah Solum 2P, 4A
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LIONS vs. MADELIA
>>SCORE by HALVES
>>SG 23 + 30 = 53
>>Mad 6 + 17 = 23
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 39% (17-44), Mad 30% (9-30)
2-pt FG: SG 37% (10-27), Mad 47% (8-17)
3-pt FG: SG 41% (7-17), Mad 8% (1-13)
Free throws: SG 67% (12-18), Mad 80% (4-5); Rebounds: SG 29, Mad 16; Turnovers: SG 11, Mad 17; 2nd Chance points: SG 14, Mad 0; Fast break points: SG 9, Mad 4; Points in paint: SG 32, Mad 14; Greatest lead: SG 30, Mad 0; Fouls: SG 12, Mad 15
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. *starter. Caleb Griffin 7P; Nathan Crouch out injured; Isaac Nerstad 3P; *Tysen Grinde 2P, 3R, 5A, 6S; *Hunter Holland 1R, 1S; Josh Newgaard no stats; Ethan Crouch 1S; Logan Brumm 1A; Jacob Olerud 8P, 1R, 3A; Bryce Berns 1R; *Carson Gerard 14P, 10R, 1S; *Jaxon Strinmoen 12P, 7R, 3A; *Elijah Solum 7P, 6R, 4A
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SEC Boys BB
EAST DIVISION
Spring Grove 7-0 SEC (12-3 season)
Lanesboro 3-4 SEC (7-5 season)
Schaeffer Aca. 3-4 SEC (3-9 season
Mabel-Canton 2-5 SEC (6-9 season)
Houston 0-6 SEC (0-12 season)
WEST DIVISION
Lyle/Pacelli 6-0 SEC (11-2 season)
Southland 7-1 SEC (8-2 season)
LeRoy-Ostrander 5-3 SEC (9-4 season)
Kingsland 3-4 SEC (6-8 season)
Grand Meadow 2-5 SEC (6-8 season)
Glenville-Emmons 0-6 SEC (0-11 season)
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Spring Grove Boys Basketball 2021-’22 (*conference game)
12-3 (7-0 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
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*
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 7-4 (6-2 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
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Freshmen Boys Basketball (1-0)
W at La Crescent-Hokah 36-20
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8th Grade Boys Basketball (4-1)
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
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7th Grade Boys Basketball (8-0)
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
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