Top seed Spring Grove remained undefeated at 10-0 while storming into the 9-man section title game for the first time in four years with a season-sweeping, 47-6 semi-final win over No. 4 seed Grand Meadow on Oct. 29 at Blayne Onsgard Memorial Field. It set up another rematch versus No. 2 seed Lanesboro (9-1) in the Section 1 championship game.
Photos by Lee Epps
The Lion defense dominated after giving up an early touchdown. The offense again achieved balance with 225 rushing yards and 186 passing yards while outgaining GM overall, 411 yards to 137. Elijah Solum hit Caleb Griffin with a 75-yard touchdown pass only eight seconds into the game. The Superlarks (6-4) countered with a 56-yard, fake-punt touchdown pass from Corbin Ludemann to Jace Kraft, one of only two GM plays that went for double-digit yardage. That 7-6 Lion lead ballooned to 40-6 by halftime en route to the 47-6 final.
Solum (186 yards passing) attempted a season-low 10 passes, but completed four for touchdowns (one interception). After Griffin’s 75-yard opening grab, Jaxon Strinmoen scored with two of his three receptions (56 yards, 17 yards). Ethan Crouch scored with an 8-yard toss. There were three rushing TDs: a 25-yarder for Solum (5 carries, 55 yards rushing), a 44-yard sprint for Hunter Holland, who again surpassed 100 yards (8-103 yards), plus a 5-yard plunge by Bryce Berns (4-22 yards rushing). Griffin kicked five extra points.
Spring Grove did not punt until all the scoring was in the books, but there were back-to-back turnovers in the first quarter. After scoring quickly (6 plays total) on their first three possessions, the Lions lost a first-down fumble at the GM 41 yard-line. Then after forcing a Superlark punt, the Lions reached midfield before being thwarted by an interception by Isaac Harmening. But the Grove guys then scored on their next three possessions heading into halftime.
After their fake-punt touchdown, the Superlarks would punt six times in addition to four turnovers. Tysen Grinde and Griffin each picked off a pass. Nathan Crouch, Bryce Berns and Zach Brumm each forced a fumble with two recoveries by Jacob Olerud and Berns. Olerud finished with a team-high nine tackles while Logan Brumm and Ethan Crouch were each in on seven stops.
Adding to Superlark misery were injuries to key players, including starting quarterback/punter Corbin Ludemann. GM closed at 6-4 with three losses to state-ranked teams. Spring Grove had won the regular-season game, 47-16, making a pair of 47-point performances against the Superlarks this season. However. Grand Meadow still dominates the all-time series, 35 wins to 12.
Team totals
YARDAGE (rush + pass): SG 411 (225+186); GM 137 (62+75)
RUSHING: att.-yards (avg.): SG 30-225 (7.5) 3 TD; GM 40-62 (1.6)
PASSES: comp-att-int, yds. (TD): SG 6-10-1, 186 (4 TD); GM 6-15-2, 75 (TD)
Sacks allowed: SG 0, GM 0
TD: SG 7 (rush 3, pass 4), GM 1 (pass 1)
PAT: SG 5-7 (kick 5-7); GM 0-1 pass 0-1)
TOTAL PLAYS: SG 40, GM 55
AVG. yards per play: SG 10.3, GM 2.5
FUMBLES – LOST: SG 2-1, GM 4-2
TURNOVERS: SG 1, GM 4
PENALTIES: SG 1-5, GM 1-5
3rd downs: SG 2-5, GM 3-15
4th downs: SG 0-0, GM 5-5
Red zone: SG 3-3, GM 0-0
First downs: SG 16, GM 8
Plays of 20+ yards: SG 5, GM 1
LION INDIVIDUALS:
RUSHING 30-225, 3 TD: Hunter Holland 8-103, TD; Elijah Solum 5-55, TD; Zach Brumm 10-45; Bryce Berns 4-22, TD; Brandon Jahnke 1-2; team 2-(-2)
PASSING: Elijah Solum 6-10-1, 186; 4 TD
RECEIVING 6-186, 4 TD: Jaxon Strinmoen 3-95, 2 TD; Caleb Griffin 2-83, TD; Ethan Crouch 1-8, TD
XP KICKING: Caleb Griffin 5-7
KICKOFF RETURNS: Tysen Grinde 2-14
PUNT RETURNS: Tysen Grinde 1-1
SCORING 47: Jaxon Strinmoen 12, Caleb Griffin 11, Ethan Crouch 6, Elijah Solum 6, Hunter Holland 6, Bryce Berns 6
PUNTING: Jacob Solum 1-43
INTERCEPTIONS: Tysen Grinde 1-23 yards, Caleb Griffin 1-11 yards
PASS BREAKUPS: Logan Brumm 1
FUMBLES FORCED 3: Nathan Crouch 1, Bryce Berns 1, Zach Brumm 1
FUMBLE RECOVERIES: Bryce Berns 1, Jacob Olerud 1
SACKS: none
TACKLES for LOSS (incl. sacks): Ethan Crouch 2.0, Logan Brumm 1.5, Jacob Olerud 1.0, Elijah Solum 1.0, Noah Blackburn 0.5
TACKLES (solo + assists): Jacob Olerud 9 (3+6), Caleb Griffin 6 (5+1), Elijah Solum 6 (3+3), Ethan Crouch 7 (3+4); Logan Brumm 7 (1+6), Emmet Engeldinger 5 (1+4), Bryce Berns 4 (2+2), Dash Ranzenberger 3 (1+2), Noah Heppner 3 (0+3), Noah Blackburn 3 (0+3), Zach Brumm 2 (2+0); Nathan Crouch 2 (2+0); Troy Reinhardt 2 (1+1); Brandon Jahnke 2 (1+1); Josh Newgaard 2 (1+1), Ty Cleven 2 (0+2), Hunter Holland 1 (1+0), Cooper Olson 1 (1+0), Tysen Grinde 1 (0+1)
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Spring Grove football 2021
>>10 wins, 0 losses (8-0 sub-district champion)
W vs. Houston 60-30
W at Lyle/Pacelli 48-20
W vs. Mabel-Canton 56-14
W at Grand Meadow 47-16
W at Southland (Adams) 33-14
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 50-21
W at Kingsland 41-20
W vs. Lanesboro 28-6
SECTION
W vs. Houston 48-16
W vs. Grand Meadow 47-6
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