The Grand Meadow girls broke a tie score in the final minute and sealed the deal at the free throw line for a home win over league-leading Spring Grove, 59-56. It was the first conference loss for the Lions (20-4, 14-1 SEC), who already assured a share of the loop title, were not yet able to nail down the outright championship. The Lion loss kept Houston alive in the SEC championship race.
File photo by Lee Epps
Siri Konkel led Lion scoring with 19 points along with 5 assists. Kylie Hammel added 12 points, 5 rebounds and a career-high 6 assists with only one turnover. Kinley Soiney contributed 9 points and a team-high 6 rebounds. Reserves, freshman Izabel Kaufmann and sophomore Carlie Halverson, helped with 8 points and 6 points, respectively.
For the Superlarks (17-8, 11-4 SEC), Lexy Foster had a 14-point, 17-rebound double-double while Lauren Queensland poured in a game-high 22 points. Gracie Foster added 16 points, 6 assists.
Lexy laid in the tie-breaking basket after taking a backdoor pass from Gracie with 52 seconds to play. Lexy and Queensland added free throws to put GM up 55-51 with a half-minute remaining. Konkel kept hopes alive with two acrobatic driving baskets and a free throw, but Queensland went 4 for 4 at the free throw line, the final two with only six seconds remaining.
During the back-and-forth, always-close second half, the score was tied six times, which was a departure from the first half when the teams traded scoring runs. The game began with three 3-point baskets helping the Superlarks take a 13-2 lead. The Lions scored the next 13 points at the start of a 22-4 run for a 20-15 lead. Spring Grove soon scored nine straight points to take what appeared to be a commanding 13-point lead, 34-21. But The Larks scored the next and final 11 points of the half, and it was only a 34-32 Lion advantage at intermission.
The Lions did not shoot as well from the field (35% to 43%), but with 10 fewer turnovers (10-20), they shot more often and held a four-point scoring edge from the field. But with only eight Superlark fouls, the Grove girls attempted only three free throws (3 for3), their fewest this season. Grand Meadow (10 for 14) finished with a seven-point advantage at the foul line in a three-point victory.
The teams split their SEC games with the Lions having won at home by four points (51-47) and falling on the road by three. It has been a close all-time series with Spring Grove leading 37 wins to 34.
The Lion B-team did complete a season sweep with a 36-22 win. The Superlark eighth graders achieved a season split, 27-22, while the Spring Grove seventh graders completed a season sweep game, 29-20.
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SG 56, Grand Meadow 59
SCORE by HALVES
SG 34+22=56
GM 32+27=59
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 35% (23-66), GM 43% (22-51)
2-pt FG: SG 40% (16-40), GM 49% (17-35)
3-pt FG: SG 27% (7-26), GM 31% (5-16)
Free throws: SG 100% (3-3), GM 71% (10-14)
Rebounds: SG 24, GM 36
Turnovers: SG 10, GM 20
2nd Chance pts: SG 2, GM 4
Fast break pts: SG 9, GM 6
Pts. in paint: SG 31, GM 34
Greatest lead: SG 13, GM 11
Fouls: SG 18, GM 8
SG INDIVIDUALS: * starter, P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number
*Siri Konkel 19P, 4R, 5A, 2S
Layla Kittleson played, no stats
*Kendal VanMinsel 3R
Brinley Middendorf 1A
Izabel Kaufmann 8P, 1R
Carlie Halverson 6P, 2R, 2A, 1S
*Kylie Hammel 12P, 5R, 6A, 4S, 2B
*Emerson Ingvalson 2P, 3R, 1A, 2S, 1B
*Kinley Soiney 9P, 6R, 2A, 5S, 1B
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Spring Grove Varsity Girls (20-4, 14-1 SEC)
W at Lanesboro 67-34
L at Waukon 63-66
W vs. Kingsland 52-44
W vs. Postville 63-18
W at Schaeffer Academy 42-38
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 70-51
W vs. Wabasha-Kellogg 63-43
W at St. Charles 63-27
W vs. Kenyon-Wanamingo 60-40
L at Hayfield 52-60
W vs. Lyle/Pacelli 64-18
W at Southland 63-48
W vs. Houston 65-44
W vs. Grand Meadow 51-47
W vs. Lanesboro 62-46
W at Kingsland 59-43
W at Turkey Valley 48-40
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 55-33
W vs. Fillmore Central 47-46
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 67-45
L vs. Lansing Kee 44-50
W at Lyle/Pacelli 50-39
W at Southland 73-41
L at Grand Meadow 56-59
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02/10 at Rushford-Peterson
02/16 at Houston
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B-team Lions
W at Lanesboro 42-14
L at Waukon 23-37
W vs. Kingsland 36-22
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 40-9
W at St. Charles 39-32
W vs. Lyle/Pacelli 45-17
W at Southland
W vs. Houston 45-25
W vs. Grand Meadow 44-21
W vs. Lanesboro 53-34
___ at Kingsland
___ at Turkey Valley
___ vs. Fillmore Central
L vs. Kee 14-16 (played only one half)
W vs. Lyle/Pacelli 46-29
W at Southland 35-27
W at Grand Meadow 36-22