Jordian Leahy scored a career-high 33 points plus a 20-point performance as the Spring Grove girls closed the regular season with a pair of satisfying road wins at Southland, 55-37, and at Lyle/Pacelli, 74-63. The Lions the Section 1A Tournament with the No. 11 seed among 19 teams and open postseason play at No. 6 Rushford-Peterson. It will be a rematch with the Trojans having taken a 61-19 holiday win against Spring Grove back in late December.
The girls had one of their three best shooting nights from the field at Southland on Feb. 14 and four nights later at Lyle, shot a season-best 82% from the free throw line while scoring a season-best 74 points versus L/P. The Lions, who have consistently been outrebounded this season, won the backboard battle in both games last week.
Spring Grove seized control early at Southland. But in a game of major momentum swings, the outcome was in doubt well into the second half against Lyle/Pacelli. The Lions prevailed with free throws, greatly due to Leahy sinking 18 of 21.
The trip to Adams was a non-conference venture as the Lions had won the SEC contest versus Southland, 54-45, back in mid-December. The all-time series is now tied with nine wins for each team.
The win in Lyle wrapped up the conference campaign, as well as the regular season, for both teams. Spring Grove (10-16, 7-6 SEC) finished third in the five-team SEC East Division race – behind Lanesboro and Houston while ahead of Mabel-Canton and Schaeffer Academy. It was the 14th loss for Southland, which closed the week at 8-16 (6-7 SEC), placing third in the SEC West, where Lyle/Pacelli (5-21, 2-11 SEC) finished in the cellar, tied for fourth and fifth places. The Rebels received the No. 12 section seed with the Athletics seeded at No. 14.
The B-team Lions (12-11) closed with a winning record after taking their last four games. Last week’s wins came with double-digit margins, a 48-38 decision at Southland and a 44-20 rout of Lyle/Pacelli. Eighth grade guard Carlie Halverson scored 13 points against the Rebels while freshman forward Kendal VanMinsel put in 18 points versus the Athletics.
SG 55, Southland 37
Rebounding and ball-handling statistics were close, but it came down to shooting. The Rebels attempted the most shots, but the Lions hit the most, outshooting the home team, 40% to 24%, from the field and 55% to 21% from the foul line. Neither team was effective from 3-point land, but the Lions still had one of their best shooting games of the year while knocking down several really tough shots. There were not a lot of uncontested lay-ups with only 17 points scored in transition (SG 8, Southland 9).
The home team slipped out of contention in the first half, trailing 27-10 after going 5 for 31 from the field and missing their first seven free throws. It was 30-16 at halftime. The Rebels got back within single digits at 36-27, but Addyson McHugh hit three straight shots as Spring Grove scored the next seven points on the way to the 18-point win.
Leahy hit 8 of 13 shots from the field and 4 of 6 from the foul line; 16 of her 20 points came while the Lions roared away in the first half. McHugh finished with 18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a blocked shot. Katelyn Kraus (6 points) was great beneath the glass with 12 rebounds. Lydia Solum rebounded 8 times. On the downside, freshman guard Emerson Ingvalson left the game with an injury
The Rebels relied greatly on a pair of players, who accounted for most of their rebounds and 33 of their 37 points. Senior Bailey Johnson finished with an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double while junior Bria Nelson double-doubled with 15 points and 11 boards.
SG 74, Lyle/Pacelli 63
Spring Grove led by as many as 17 points in the first half and then fell behind in the second half before re-establishing another 17-point advantage. Not only did the Lions have a season-best free throw percentage, but they did it while attempting their most free throws of the season, going 31 for 38 (82%) at the foul line. In the decisive second half, more than half of the Lions’ 33 points came with an extraordinary 17 for 19 free throw performance. SG was also productive from afar with exceptional 43% shooting beyond the 3-point arc (9 for 21). Leahy drilled 5 of 8 treys, McHugh 3 of 8 and Kylie Hammel 1 of 2.
Despite the Lions’ strong 3-point performance, L/P used post-entry passes and fast breaks to outshoot SG from the field, 45% to 31%, and outscore SG by 10 points from the field. But the Grove girls won with an amazing 21-point margin at the foul line.
Grove appeared in control after an early 22-to-5 run, but L/P soon revived with a 23-to-7 scoring splurge. The Lions led 41-40 after a high-scoring first half and scored the first six points after the break. But the Athletics tallied the next eight points and led, 48-47. SG answered with an 11-point run and would not be caught again.
While Leahy amassed a career-high 33 points, Kraus was highly efficient with a 15-point, 13-rebound double-double along with 5 steals. McHugh added 14 points, 8 rebounds and 8 steals. Eighth grade point guard Siri Konkel had 7 points and 7 assists. Eighth grader Kylie Hammel had 5 points and 8 rebounds while Solum secured 6 boards. The girls outrebounded L/P, 38 to 23, their best ricochet margin of the season.
All-conference senior Alana Rogne led L/P with 18 points while freshman Kirsten Koopal had 15. The Lions have won the last two games against the Athletics, who had taken the previous 10. Spring Grove leads all-time, 26 wins to 11.
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VARSITY vs. SOUTHLAND
>>SCORE by HALVES
>>SG 30 + 25 = 55
>>SHS 16 + 21 = 37
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 40% (23-58), SHS 24% (16-66)
2-pt FG: SG 49% (20-41), SHS 27% (14-51)
3-pt FG: SG 18% (3-17), SHS 13% (2-15)
Free throws: SG 55% (6-11), SHS 21% (3-14); Rebounds: SG 41, SHS 39; Turnovers: SG 16, SHS 17; 2nd Chance points: SG 13, SHS 8; Fast break points: SG 8, SHS 9; Points in paint: SG 37, SHS 29; Greatest lead: SG 18, SHS 4; Fouls: SG 14, SHS 15
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. *starter. *Siri Konkel 6P, 3R, 2A, 1S; *Lydia Solum 3P, 6R, 2S, 2B; Sydney Holland no stats; Addison Halverson no stats; Ava Olerud 1R; Kendal Van Minsel 2P, 1R; Kati Klug no stats; *Addyson McHugh 18P, 6R, 3A, 2S, 1B; Kylie Hammel 3R, 1A, 1S; Carlie Halverson no stats; *Jordian Leahy 20P, 5R, 1A, 2S; Emerson Ingvalson 2R; *Katelyn Kraus 6P, 12R, 1S, 2B
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VARSITY vs. LYLE/PACELLI
>>SCORE by HALVES
>>SG 41 + 33 = 74
>>L/P 40 + 23 = 63
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 31% (17-53), L/P 45% (25-56)
2-pt FG: SG 25% (8-32), L/P 48% (22-46)
3-pt FG: SG 43% (9-21), L/P 30% (3-10)
Free throws: SG 82% (31-38), L/P 48% (10-21); Rebounds: SG 38, L/P 23;’ Turnovers: SG 23, L/P 21; 2nd Chance points: SG 9, L/P 11; Fast break points: SG 13, L/P 22; Points in paint: SG 38, L/P 50; Greatest lead: SG 17, L/P 2; Fouls: SG 18, L/P 23
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. *starter. *Siri Konkel 7P, 2R, 7A; *Lydia Solum 6R, 1A, 1S; Ava Olerud no stats; *Addyson McHugh 14P, 8R, 1A, 8S, 1B; Kylie Hammel 5P, 8R, 1A, 1S, 1B; *Jordian Leahy 33P, 1R, 3A, 3S; Emerson Ingvalson out injured; *Katelyn Kraus 15P, 13R, 2A, 5S
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B-TEAM vs. SOUTHLAND
SG 20 + 18 = 38
SHS 15 + 13 = 28
B-TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 16, SHS 11
2-pt FG: SG 15, SHS 11
3-pt FG: SG 1, SHS 0
Free throws: SG 5-9, SHS 6-17
Fouls: SG 21, SHS 15
INDIVIDUAL SCORING: Carlie Halverson 13, Siri Konkel 6, Kendal Van Minsel 6, Sydney Holland 4, Kylie Hammel 4, Elle Berns 2, Hailie Kittleson 2, Katie Klug 1
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B-TEAM vs. LYLE/PACELLI
SG 21 + 23 = 44
L/P 16 + 4 = 20
B-TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 19, L/P 6
2-pt FG: SG 17, L/P 6
3-pt FG: SG 2, L/P 0
Free throws: SG 4-10, L/P 8-22
Fouls: SG 19, L/P 12
INDIVIDUAL SCORING: Kendal Van Minsel 18, Sydney Holland 7, Elle Berns 4, Hailey Normann 4, Kylie Hammel 4, Carlie Halverson 3; Siri Konkel 2, Addison Halverson 2
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SEC Girls BB (end of regular season)
>>EAST DIVISION
Lanesboro* 10-3 SEC (17-8 season)
Houston 9-4 SEC (15-11 season)
Spring Grove 7-6 SEC (10-16 season)
Mabel-Canton 5-8 SEC (8-18 season)
Schaeffer Aca. 0-13 SEC (3-23 season
*division champions
>>WEST DIVISION
Kingsland* 13-0 SEC (17-8 season)
Grand Meadow 11-2 SEC (20-6 season)
Southland 6-7 SEC (8-16 season)
Lyle/Pacelli 2-11 SEC (5-21 season)
LeRoy-Ostrander 2-11 SEC (4-2 season)
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Spring Grove Girls Basketball 2021-’22 (approximate 7:15 tipoff unless noted) *conference game
>>>10 wins, 16 losses (7-6 SEC, 3rd place)
W at Schaeffer Academy* 60-27
L vs. Decorah, Iowa 14-69
L vs. New Hampton, Iowa 38-57
L at Triton 38-70
L at Houston* 32-58
W vs. Mabel-Canton*43-38
W vs. Southland*54-45
L St. Charles 39-48
L at Lanesboro* 35-58
>>>Rushford-Peterson Christmas Invite
L at Rushford-Peterson 19-61
L vs. Dover-Eyota 37-77
W vs. Schaeffer Academy* 49-42
L at Grand Meadow*21-66
L vs. Houston*55-58
W at LeRoy-Ostrander (non-conference) 58-33
Lat Waukon, Iowa 55-71
L vs. Kingsland* 34-63
L at Mabel-Canton* 30-35
L vs. Lewiston-Altura 38-62
W vs. Lanesboro*44-36
L at Plainview-Elgin-Millville 47-72
L vs. Fillmore Central 36-78
W vs. Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons 68-38
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander* 60-42
W at Southland (non-conference) 55-37
W at Lyle/Pacelli* 74-63
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Spring Grove B-team Girls (12-11)
L vs. Decorah 17-36
W at Triton 40-33
L at Houston 32-40
W vs. Mabel-Canton 34-20
L vs. Southland 28-36
W vs. St. Charles 35-27
W at Lanesboro 28-21
L at Rushford-Peterson 9-44
L vs. Dover-Eyota 9-59
L at Grand Meadow 21-29
W vs. Houston 34-31
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 34-15
L at Waukon 19-47
L vs. Kingsland 20-24
W vs. Mabel-Canton 32-29
L vs. Lewiston-Altura 25-48
W vs. Lanesboro 29-22
L at Plainview-Elgin-Millville 18-48
L vs. Fillmore Central 28-33
W vs. Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons 38-26
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 41-18
W at Southland 38-28
W vs. Lyle/Pacelli 44-20
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Spring Grove 8th Grade Girls (1-8)
L vs. Lansing Kee 18-46
L at Houston 25-36
L at South Winneshiek 19-23
L at Lanesboro 25-26
L vs. Houston 18-36
L vs. Kingsland 9-33
W vs. Lanesboro 14-12
L at P-E-M 21-41
L vs. Fillmore Central 15-24
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Spring Grove 7th Grade Girls (10-2)
L vs. Lansing Kee 22-31
W at Houston 46-18
W at South Winneshiek 25-13
W at Lanesboro 25-15
W at Grand Meadow 33-3
W vs. Houston 36-14
W at LeRoy-Ostrander 45-8
W vs. Kingsland 48-6
W vs. Lanesboro 35-11
L at P-E-M 27-32
W vs. Fillmore Central 26-10
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 43
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