It did not follow the script as might have been expected, but the state-ranked No. 12 Spring Grove boys persevered to avoid a determined upset bid by visiting Lanesboro, 48-37, in the Section 1A Tournament Round of 16. It was not the usual blowout of the No. 15 seed by the No. 2 seed and a stark departure from the Lions’ 34 and 24-point runaway wins over the Burros in their two conference meetings earlier this season. In front a large playoff crowd, Spring Grove scored its fewest points of the season and did not establish the final double-digit, 11-point margin until the final 11 seconds when the Burros were forced to foul.
Photo by Lee Epps
Spring Grove (25-3) shot a season-worst 8% from 3-point range (2 for 24) and a season-worst 25% from the field overall. But it was frustration on both ends of the floor as Lanesboro (8-20) shot only 25% as well. The Lions won the turnover battle, 11 to 17, and prevailed with fewer fouls and more trips to the free throw line where they hit more charity shots (18 for 23, 78%) than the Burros attempted (8-12, 67%). That resulted in a 10-point advantage at the free throw line in an 11-point victory.
Elijah Solum netted 7 of 10 free throws on the way to a game-high 20 points. Ben Udstuen hit 6 of 7 charity tosses while scoring 12 points along with 9 rebounds. Jaxon Strinmoen went 5 for 5 at the stripe as part of an effective stat line with 11 points, 8 rebounds, 6 steals and 5 blocked shots. Jacob Olerud’s 8 rebounds contributed to the Lions’ 40-to-35 rebounding margin.
For Lanesboro, sophomore David Harvey collected a game-high 13 rebounds (10 before halftime). The Burros received balanced scoring with 9 points each from Will Harvey and Mason Howard along with 8 from Kaden Stettler. With 3 assists, Stettler set a new Burro single-season assist record (76).
Spring Grove scored the first six points and never trailed but could never enjoy a comfortable lead. The Lions looked good good at 22-12, but the Burros quickly sliced that margin in half just before halftime (23-18).
After intermission, Lion leads vacillated between two and seven points until Lanesboro was forced to foul. In the final 66 seconds, Strinmoen and Solum went to the free throw line to extend a five-point lead into the final 11-point margin. Neither team scored from the field during the last five minutes. The Grove guys missed their final 10 shots from the field, and the visitors went only 1 for 11 along with four late turnovers.
Lanesboro had to earn this rematch, defeating No. 18 seed Hayfield, 63-48 in a play-in game. The Burros closed at 8-20 (6-14 SEC). With this 23rd consecutive victory against Lanesboro, state-ranked Spring Grove improved to 25-3 to move on for a quarterfinal rematch with No. 7 seed Fillmore Central. The Lions defeated the Falcons, 51-42, in late January.
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SG 48, Lanesboro 37
SCORE by HALVES
SG 23+25=48
LHS 18+19=37
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TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 25% (14-57), LHS 25% (13-52)
2-pt FG: SG 36% (12-33), LHS 26% (10-38)
3-pt FG: SG 8% (2-24), LHS 21% (3-14)
Free throws: SG 78% (18-23), LHS 67% (8-12)
Rebounds: SG 40, LHS 35
Turnovers: SG 11, LHS 17
2nd Chance pts: SG 11, LHS 5
Fast break pts: SG 5, LHS 4
Pts. in paint: SG 29, LHS 17
Greatest lead: SG 10, LHS 0
Fouls: SG 14, LHS 21
SG INDIVIDUALS: * starter. P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number
Troy Reinhardt – played, no stats
*Ben Udstuen 12P, 9R, 1A, 2S, 1B
Isaac Nerstad 3P, 4R, 1S
Zach Brumm 1R
Josh Newgaard – played, no stats
*Ethan Crouch 4R, 4A, 3S, 1B
Devon Williams – played, no stats
*Jacob Olerud 2P, 8R, 1S
Bryce Berns 1R
*Jaxon Strinmoen 11P, 8R, 1A, 6S, 5B
*Elijah Solum 20P, 5R, 4A, 2S
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Spring Grove Varsity Boys (25-3, 18-2 SEC)
W at Schaeffer Academy 68-36
W at La Crescent-Hokah 60-57
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 54-17
W vs. Glenville-Emmons 66-27
W vs. Lanesboro 64-30
W at Lyle/Pacelli 59-38
L vs. Southland 49-58
W vs. Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 64-58
W at Grand Meadow 82-8
01/12 Mabel-Canton, ppd
W at Houston 82-34
W at Kingsland 60-40
W at Lanesboro 54-30
W vs. Kingsland 52-39
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 67-44
W at Fillmore Central 51-42
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 74-34
W at Glenville-Emmons 82-40
W vs. Lyle/Pacelli 79-26
W vs. Mabel-Canton 80-38
L at Southland 50-52
L at Rushford-Peterson 79-82 (4 OT)
W vs. Rochester STEM 95-36
W vs. Grand Meadow 85-24
W vs. Martin County West 66-32
W at Mabel-Canton 65-50
W vs. Houston 64-38
W vs. Nevis 58-50
SECTION 1A – #2 seed
W vs. #15 Lanesboro 48-37
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Spring Grove B-team (19-4)
W at La Crescent-Hokah 41-32
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 66-16
W vs. Lanesboro 53-24
W at Lyle/Pacelli 55-33
L vs. Southland 40-67
L vs. Cannon Falls 44-55
W at Grand Meadow 83-15
W at Houston 75-12
W at Kingsland 57-32
W at Lanesboro 33-27
W vs. Kingsland 43-26
W at Fillmore Central 69-55
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 56-19
W vs. Lyle/Pacelli 75-21
W vs. Mabel-Canton 49-32
L at Southland 26-43
L at Rushford-Peterson 25-65
W vs. Rochester STEM 54-34
W vs. Grand Meadow 57-37
W vs. Martin County West 65-27
W at Mabel-Canton 42-28
W vs. Houston 66-27
W vs. Nevis 60-57
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Spring Grove 8th Grade (11-12)
W at Schaeffer Academy 29-10
W at La Crescent 42-33
L vs. Caledonia 24-39
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 59-31
L vs. Lanesboro 32-43
W vs. Southland 33-31
L vs. Mabel-Canton 24-25
W vs. Houston 40-37
W vs. Kingsland 34-13
L vs. Lanesboro 35-47
W vs. Grand Meadow 52-10
W vs. Kingsland 47-9
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 35-23
L vs. Fillmore Central 45-55
L vs. Chatfield
L vs. Houston
W vs. Lewiston-Altura
L vs. Caledonia 46-48
W vs. Southland 37-33
L at Rushford-Peterson 30-55
L at Mabel-Canton 40-45
L vs. Kee 44-48
L vs. Houston 39-40
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Spring Grove 7th Grade (13-11)
L at La Crescent-Hokah 32-34 (OT)
L vs. Caledonia 38-39
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 49-26
L vs. Lanesboro 38-65
L vs. Southland 20-21
W vs. Mabel-Canton
W vs. Houston 56-29
W vs. Kingsland 44-34
L vs. Lanesboro 41-46
W vs. Grand Meadow 40-19
L vs. Kingsland
W vs. Fillmore Central 8-16
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 51-9
W vs. Grand Meadow 32-14
W vs. Chatfield 41-31
L vs. Dover-Eyota 33-41
W vs. Houston 46-44 OT
L vs. Caledonia 26-43
L vs. Southland 36-40
L at Rushford-Peterson 31-54
W vs. Grand Meadow 48-22
W at Mabel-Canton 45-43
L vs. Kee 28-43
W vs. Houston
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