The Spring Grove boys (2-seed, 26-1) advanced into the Section 1A basketball championship game with a 39-24 low-scoring quarterfinal win versus Randolph (7-seed, 16-10), followed by a 57-46 semifinal decision over two-time defending state champion Hayfield (3-seed, 23-6). The quarterfinal was a grind with no offensive rhythm as the Lions and Rockets combined to score only 63 … [Read more...]

The 2023 Spring Grove girls, with the fewest turnovers in 11 years, won a dozen basketball games, their most in six years. Under first-year head coach and former Lion standout Taylor Elton, the Lions continued to hold their own against similar Class A competition. At 12-15 overall, the girls were 12-12 versus other Minnesota Class A squads and Iowa small-school Lansing Kee, … [Read more...]

Superior ball-handling, great defense, steady free-throw shooting and hot 3-point shooting propelled the Spring Grove boys into the Section 1A Tournament championship game. On March 11 at Rochester, the 57-46 semi-final decision over two-time defending state champion Hayfield was not only a clash between the No. 2 and No. 3 section seeds was also a high-level state-ranked … [Read more...]

The Spring Grove boys, with the No. 2 section seed, eliminated No. 7 Randolph, 39-24, in a low-scoring March 7 quarterfinal at Rochester. The defenses were stout and stingy as each offense was limited to the fewest points of the season. The two cold-shooting squads combined for only 63 points, the fewest in a Spring Grove boys’ game in 73 years. Nevertheless, the state-ranked … [Read more...]

The Spring Grove boys, with the No. 2 section seed, took quick control of the March 2 section clash with No. 15 Mabel-Canton. The 71-33 decision began with a 26-2 opening Spring Grove salvo on the way to a 45-21 halftime count. Jaxon Strinmoen scored 16 points before halftime on the way to his 18-point, 10-rebound double along with 4 steals, 2 blocked shots and 5 assists … [Read more...]

The 2023 basketball season ended for the Spring Grove girls with a third loss to Kingsland, 64-49, in the Section 1A opener for both teams on Feb. 23 at Spring Valley. With the No. 5 seed, the Knights (21-6) prevailed again over the No. 12 Lions (12-15), but this rematch followed a far different script. During the two regular-season contests, Kingsland had things well under … [Read more...]

The regular season closed with a state-ranked conference rematch as Class A No. 7 Spring Grove completed a sweep of visiting No. 9 Lyle/Pacelli, 53-38. In front of a huge crowd, some having to stand throughout, the Lions wrapped up their second-ever 25-win regular season and their 11th undefeated Southeast Conference campaign in the last 19 years while extending their … [Read more...]

The Spring Grove boys poured in a season-high dozen 3-point field goals during a 77-36 rout at Houston. The Lions (24-1, 19-0 SEC) enjoyed hot 52% shooting on the road the next game after their worst shooting night of the season on their home floor (29%). Tysen Grinde scored his 1,000th career point, joining both older brothers in marking that milestone (Chase 2,336; Caden … [Read more...]

It was a “grinder” with both teams struggling to get the ball into the basket. The No. 8 state-ranked Spring Grove boys claimed a 27th consecutive win over next-door neighbor Mabel-Canton, 49-34, on Feb. 20, but there was little similarity to the Lions’ 49-point road rout (85-36) in mid-January. The Grove guys improved to 23-1 (18-0 SEC) while the Cougars left at 10-15 (7-12 … [Read more...]

The Spring Grove girls came up one point short after trailing by 18 points in the second half. Down by seven with a minute remaining, the Lions scored three times within 45 seconds before visiting Houston escaped with a 49-48 win as the regular closed on Feb. 16. Addyson McHugh had a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double in her last appearance on the home court. She was one … [Read more...]

It had been six years since the Spring Grove girls had shot as well as they did during a 60-22 road win at Mabel-Canton on Feb. 15. Their 48% from the field was their best in the last 156 games, dating back to the 2017 season. And it was not that the Lions were shooting lay-ups; they scored two-thirds (40) of their 60 points from the perimeter, including a season-high 10 … [Read more...]

The Spring Grove girls won 66-52, rallying from a 15-point deficit to win by 14 at LeRoy-Ostrander on Feb. 13. The Cardinals hit 6 of 7 early shots and 6 of 7 free throws to take a 19-4 lead before the Lions changed defenses. Full-court pressure led to a season-high 19 steals for Spring Grove, which contributed to 33 Cardinal turnovers. the most of any Lion opponent this … [Read more...]

The state-ranked No. 8 Spring Grove boys rolled to a 64-24 rematch win over visiting Grand Meadow on Feb. 17, scoring exactly 64 points versus the Superlarks for the second time this season. Including that earlier 64-27 road result, the Lions extended their winning streak against GM to 47 games and lead all-time, 56 wins to 13. Wade Grinde’s guys improved to 22-1 (17-0 … [Read more...]

The Spring Grove boys buried Kingsland, 59-23, to nail down a third straight SEC East Division championship - their 12th league title in the last 13 seasons and 23rd conference crown all-time. Jaxon Strinmoen had a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double along with a game-high 5 steals while Jacob Olerud put in 14 points and Elijah Solum netted 13 to complete a balanced-scoring … [Read more...]

The Spring Grove girls were doomed by turnovers against an aggressive, pressure defense during a 57-23 home loss to Rushford-Peterson on Feb. 1. Six of the Lions’ 24 lost possessions came while the Trojans (15-9) took control with a 13-to-1 scoring stretch during the first half. The Grove girls (10-13) then rallied with a 9-to-2 run of their own and sliced a 16-point deficit … [Read more...]