The Spring Grove boys successfully defended their Southeast Conference East Division championship with wins over winless Glenville-Emmons, 91-34, and second-place Lanesboro, 54-40. It is the Lions’ 11th conference crown in the last 12 seasons. The Feb. 3 home game was the only matchup of the year with the West Division Wolverines; the Feb. 4 road victory was much more competitive than the Lions’ earlier 36-point decision against the Burros. The Grove guys took care of the ball with only six turnovers in each contest, making five straight games with single-digit turnovers. Spring Grove improved to 17-3 (11-0 SEC), while Lanesboro left the floor at 10-7 (4-5 SEC). G-E remained winless at 0-16 (0-10 SEC) and would fall again the next night.
Photo by Lee Epps
The B-team Lions (11-5) coasted past G-E, 58-25, but were unable to defeat the Burros again. Lanesboro earned a season split, 51-47. Against the Wolverines, Josh Newgaard hit 8 of 13 shots while scoring 16 points. Ethan Crouch put in 13 points and Isaac Nerstad 11 versus the Burros.
SG 91, Glenville-Emmons 34
Al1 12 Lions scored and 10 rebounded. Spring Grove sprinted out to a 22-3 lead and had a half-hundred plus two at halftime, 52-23. With 24 steals leading to 36 fast-break points, the Lions scored 70 points close to the basket. Five Grove guys contributed to the team’s seven 3-point field goals (7 for 24, 29%).
Elijah Solum had 17 points, 4 steals and 6 assists with no turnovers. Carson Gerard, Jaxon Strinmoen and Tysen Grinde each had 12 points and 4 thefts. Strinmoen and Gerard also had 7 rebounds each. Caleb Griffin added 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 blocked shots and a career-best 5 assists with no turnovers.
The Wolverines employed mostly seniors and juniors but relied on a freshman point guard. It was the Lions’ 15th straight win versus G-E. The next night, the Wolverines would to fall at Southland, 91-23, giving up exactly 91 points for a third time in the last four games.
SG 54, Lanesboro 40
Grinde matched the career-high 25 points he scored in the earlier win versus the Burros. Lanesboro, however, shot better and had fewer turnovers in this rematch than in the first matchup back in December. With their first four baskets being 3-pointers, the Burros led 12-11 before five straight Spring Grove steals helped the Lions score the next six points on the way to a 10-point lead.
LHS was back within six points at intermission (29-23), but Grinde scored all 10 points as the Lions opened the second half with a 10-to-2 run (SG 39, LHS 25). The Burros did not handle the ball as well after falling further behind. Eleven of their 18 turnovers came in the second half.
Both teams shot reasonably well from the field (SG 44%, LHS 46%), but the Lions had an 11-point advantage at the foul line in a 14-point victory. For the first time in five years, the Lion defense did not allow an opponent to attempt any free throws. And the Burros, while denied access into the lane, had to depend too often on perimeter shots to counteract the Lions’ 33 points from dribble penetration and post-entry passes. Two-time all-conference point guard John Prestemon led LHS with 10 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds.
Three Lions scored in double figures. In addition to Grinde’s 25 points and 6 rebounds, Solum had 14 points while distributing 5 assists. Gerard hit 4 of 5 shots from both the field and the free throw line for 12 points. That trio each had 4 steals. The Lions got their hands on a lot of Burro passes; their 16 steals accounted for most of the 18 Lanesboro turnovers.
It was the 18th straight win for SG in the series with Lanesboro – a series which the Lions lead by 18 games (since 1949).
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VARSITY vs. GLENVILLE-EMMONS
>>SCORE by HALVES
>>SG 52 + 39 = 91
>>GE 23 + 11 = 34
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 59% (38-68), GE 30% (12-40)
2-pt FG: SG 70% (31-44), GE 40% (10-25)
3-pt FG: SG 29% (7-24), GE 13% (2-15)
Free throws: SG 57% (8-14), GE 67% (8-12); Rebounds: SG 31, GE 24; Turnovers: SG 6, GE 31; 2nd Chance points: SG 22, GE 4; Fast break points: SG 36, GE 8; Points in paint: SG 70, GE 27; Greatest lead: SG 59, GE 0; Fouls: SG 15, GE 14
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. *starter. Caleb Griffin 7P, 4R, 5A, 1S, 3B; Nathan Crouch out injured; Isaac Nerstad 6P, 2R, 1A, 1S; *Tysen Grinde 12P, 3R, 3A, 4S, 1B; *Hunter Holland 6P, 1R, 3A, 1S; Josh Newgaard 4P; Ethan Crouch 2P, 1R, 2A, 1B; Logan Brumm 5P, 2A, 2S; Jacob Olerud 6P, 2R, 4A, 2S, 1B; Bryce Berns 2P, 1R; *Carson Gerard 12P, 7R, 4S; *Jaxon Strinmoen 12P, 7R, 1A, 4S; *Elijah Solum 17P, 3R, 6A, 4S, 2B
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VARSITY vs. LANESBORO
>>SCORE by HALVES
>>SG 29 + 25 = 54
>>LHS 23 + 17 = 40
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 44% (20-45), LHS 46% (17-37); 2-pt FG: SG 53% (17-31), LHS 50% (11-22); 3-pt FG: SG 21% (3-14, LHS 40% (6-15); Free throws: SG 85% (11-13), LHS (0-0); Rebounds: SG 22, LHS 18; Turnovers: SG 6, LHS 18; 2nd Chance points: SG 6, LHS 2; Fast break points: SG 10, LHS 4; Points in paint: SG 44, LHS 16; Greatest lead: SG 17, LHS 1; Fouls: SG 8, LHS 12
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. *starter. Caleb Griffin 1P, 1A; *Tysen Grinde 25P, 6R, 4S, 1B; *Hunter Holland 2R, 1A; Logan Brumm 1R; Jacob Olerud 1R, 1A, 2S; *Carson Gerard 12P, 4R 4S, 1B; *Jaxon Strinmoen 2P, 6R, 2A, 2S; *Elijah Solum 14P, 2R, 5A, 4S
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B-TEAM vs. G-E
SG 29 + 29 = 58
GE 5 + 20 = 25
B-TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 39% (25-64), GE 24% (8-33)
2-pt FG: SG 41% (21-51), GE 20% (5-25)
3-pt FG: SG 31% (4-13), GE 38% (3-8)
Free throws: SG 25% (4-12), GE 75% (6-8); Rebounds: SG 41, GE 22; Turnovers: SG 8, GE 24; Fouls: SG 13, GE 11
B-TEAM INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. * starter. Caleb Eiken 3P, 1R, 2A, 1S; Nathan Crouch out injured; Kohl Betcher no stats; *Isaac Nerstad 5P, 5R, 2S, 2B; *Ethan Crouch 3P, 1R, 4B; Ben Udstuen 2P, 2R, 3A, 1S; Troy Reinhardt 2P, 4S; *Josh Newgaard 16P, 6R, 1S; Zach Brumm 3P, 6R, 3A, 1S; *Jacob Olerud 5P, 5R, 5A, 3S; *Bryce Berns 3P, 3R, 4S; Ezra Griffin 4P, 3R; Gavin Ostern 6P, 5R, 1S, 2B; Shawn Crouch 6P, 4R, 1B
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B-TEAM vs. LANESBORO
>>SG 20 + 27 = 47
>>LHS 27 + 24 = 51
B-TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 20, LHS 22
2-pt FG: SG 15, LHS 18
3-pt FG: SG 5, LHS 4
Free throws: SG 25% (2-8), LHS 100% (3-3)
Fouls: SG 10, LHS 7
B-TEAM INDIVIDUAL SCORING:
Ethan Crouch 13, Isaac Nerstad 11, Josh Newgaard 8, Ben Udstuen 5, Bryce Berns 5, Jacob Olerud 3, Troy Reinhardt 2
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SEC Boys BB
>>EAST DIVISION
Spring Grove 11-0 SEC (17-3 season)
Lanesboro 4-5 SEC (10-7 season)
Schaeffer Aca. 4-5 SEC (7-10 season
Mabel-Canton 2-7 SEC (6-13 season)
Houston 1-7 SEC (1-15 season)
>>WEST DIVISION
Lyle/Pacelli 9-1 SEC (15-3 season)
Southland 10-2 SEC (12-3 season)
LeRoy-Ostrander 6-4 SEC (12-6 season)
Grand Meadow 5-6 SEC (9-9 season)
Kingsland 3-7 SEC (6-12 season)
Glenville-Emmons 0-11 SEC (0-17 season)
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Spring Grove Boys Basketball 2021-’22 (*conference game)
17-3 (11-0 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
W at Kingsland*63-38
W vs. Waukon 55-52
W vs. Mabel-Canton*87-22
W vs. Glenville-Emmons*91-34
W at Lanesboro*54-40
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 11-5 (9-3 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
W at Kingsland 48-36
W vs. Waukon 51-29
W vs. Mabel-Canton 39-35
W vs. Glenville-Emmons 58-25
L at Lanesboro 47-51
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Freshmen Boys Basketball (2-0-1)
W at La Crescent-Hokah 36-20
T at Kingsland 36-36
W vs. Mabel-Canton 29-19 (played only one half)
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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 (9-0)
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
W vs. Kingsland 39-26