Luke Runka

Former Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year and Orono alum Nolan Groves has entered the transfer portal after his freshman season at Texas Tech. Check out his 44-point state quarterfinal scoring performance at Williams Arena. Could we see Groves back at the Barn?

Congratulations to these Spartan student-athletes who signed this afternoon to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. This brings our total to 22 seniors who have signed this year to continue their sport at the next level, an incredible accomplishment.

@NolanGroves4 Let’s Goooo!!!!

Orono Boys Basketball Season Ends with Section Championship Loss The Orono boys’ basketball team saw its season come to an end with an 87-58 loss to Richfield in the 6AAA Section Championship. Richfield proved to be too much for Orono, using sustained scoring runs and control of the game’s tempo to secure the sectional title. Orono showed flashes of strong offensive play, particularly with profound penetration, but was unable to close the gap against a deep and balanced Richfield team. At halftime, Richfield held a 31-20 advantage, setting the tone for the second half. The game featured four lead changes and was tied twice, with Orono’s largest lead reaching four points. Richfield, however, built its lead as high as 32 points during the game. Richfield’s momentum was fueled by a longest scoring run of 13 points, while Orono’s best stretch was a six-point run. Despite the final score, Orono continued to compete throughout the game and battled until the final buzzer. Grant Hansen led Orono by scoring with 19 points, followed by Brennan Doherty with 12. Finn Dyvik added eight points, while Cole Wendeling and Adrian Licursi each contributed four. Dane Kanwischer finished with three points, and Gavin Doherty, John Kelly, Alex Pilakowski, and Griffin Mauer chipped in two points apiece. The loss marked the final game for Orono’s senior class, which includes John Kelly, Dane Skime, Adrian Licursi, Brennan Doherty, Dane Kanwischer, Cole Wendeling, Gavin McGuirk, and Griffin Mauer. Their contributions helped shape the program and will leave a lasting impact as Orono looks ahead to the future. @CBjorgaard15901 @oronomensball @BoysOrono @CoachRunka @OronoSpartans @spartan_speaks @BreakdownUSA @barry_wohler @stribvarsity @PrepRedzoneMN @spartan_speaks @OronoSpartans

Less than 100 tickets remain ⤵️ gofan.co/event/6311344

Game Time! #Orono #SpartanNation #BringtheJuice🔋🧃

We are two days away from the Boys Basketball Section 6AAA Title Game! Thursday, March 12 No. 2 Orono vs. No. 1 Richfield 7:00 PM – Richfield High School Due to limited capacity at Richfield, the game will likely sell out by the end of today. Tickets: gofan.co/app/school/MN9…

Boys Basketball takes down BSM to advance to the Section 6AAA Championship. Spartans will play at No. 1 seed Richfield on Thursday at 7:00 PM with a trip to the State Tournament on the line.

Win or go home! #Orono #SpartanNation #BringtheJuice🔋🧃

Orono Advances to Section Championship with Win Over Benilde‑St. Margaret The Orono boys’ basketball team punched its ticket to the Class 6AAA Section championship with a hard fought 77-72 victory over Benilde‑St. Margaret in Saturday afternoon’s sectional semifinal. The matchup lived up to its billing as a back‑and‑forth battle from start to finish. Benilde‑St. Margaret opened the game with strong energy and held a slim early advantage, but Orono stayed within reach throughout the first half. The teams went into the locker room, tied 39-39 after 18 minutes of fast paced play. The intensity only increased after halftime as both teams continued to trade baskets and momentum. The game featured 16 lead changes and eight ties, underscoring how evenly matched the teams were. Benilde‑St. Margaret’s largest lead reached five points, while Orono managed to build a game high 10 point advantage during the second half. Despite a late push by Benilde‑St. Margaret, Orono remained composed down the stretch, executing at both ends of the floor to preserve the five point win. Grant Hansen led Orono with 28 points, while Finn Dyvik added 19. Gavin Doherty finished with 10 points, and Adrian Licursi and Gavin McGuirk chipped in six points apiece. Dane Kanwischer scored five points, and Alex Pilakowski added three. With the victory, Orono advances to the sectional championship game, where the Spartans will face Richfield on Thursday evening with a section title on the line. @CBjorgaard15901 @oronomensball @BoysOrono @CoachRunka @OronoSpartans @spartan_speaks @BreakdownUSA @barry_wohler @stribvarsity @PrepRedzoneMN @spartan_speaks @OronoSpartans

Good luck to Boys Basketball in today’s Section 6AAA Semifinal! No. 2 Orono vs. No. 3 BSM 2:00 PM - Orono High Schiol Tickets: gofan.co/event/6268749 Stream ($): nspn.tv/MSHSL/GameStre…

Orono Girls’ Basketball Season Ends in Section Championship Loss The Orono girls’ basketball team saw its postseason run come to an end with a loss to Benilde–St. Margaret’s in the Section 6AAA Championship game. Despite having defeated Benilde–St. Margaret’s twice during the regular season, Orono was unable to complete the sweep when it mattered most. Benilde-St. Margaret’s secured a 77-66 victory, advancing from the section tournament. The winner of the matchup was widely considered a strong contender for the state championship. The loss closed the book on an impressive season for Orono, which finished the year with a 24-4 overall record. The game also marked the final appearance in an Orono uniform for the program’s departing seniors: Mya Moore, Brynn Leifgried, Lilah Rice, Evelyn Miller, and Amelia Schwendimann. Their contributions played a key role in the team’s successful season and deep playoff run. @oronomensball @BoysOrono @CoachRunka @OronoSpartans @spartan_speaks @BreakdownUSA @barry_wohler @stribvarsity @PrepRedzoneMN @spartan_speaks @OronoSpartans

Orono Boys Basketball Dominates Bloomington Jefferson in Section Quarterfinal The Orono boys basketball team delivered a commanding performance Tuesday night, defeating Bloomington Jefferson 88–49 in a Section quarterfinal matchup at home. Orono took control early and never looked back, racing to a 52–16 lead by halftime behind relentless defense and efficient scoring. Bloomington Jefferson showed improved energy in the second half, but the early deficit proved too large to overcome. The Spartans continued to control the tempo after the break, outscoring Bloomington Jefferson 36–33 in the second half. Orono’s lead ballooned to as many as 42 points during the game, highlighting the team’s dominance on both ends of the floor. Defensively, Orono forced 12 steals and limited Bloomington Jefferson’s scoring opportunities throughout the night. Orono also posted a game-high scoring run of 14 points, while Bloomington Jefferson’s longest run reached nine. Adrian Licuris led Orono with 22 points. Grant Hanson and Finn Dyvick each added 14 points, while Brennan Doherty and Alex Pilakowsk chipped in nine apiece. Dane Kanwischer scored seven points, Tommy Lundell and Gavin Doherty each had four, Gavin McGuirk added three, and Griffin Mauer finished with two. With the win, Orono advances to the Section semifinal round and will host Benilde–St. Margaret’s this Saturday afternoon. @CBjorgaard15901 @oronomensball @BoysOrono @CoachRunka @OronoSpartans @spartan_speaks @BreakdownUSA @barry_wohler @stribvarsity @PrepRedzoneMN @spartan_speaks @OronoSpartans

Good luck to Boys Basketball in tonight’s Section 6AAA Quarterfinal! No. 2 Orono vs. No. 7 Bloomington Kennedy 7:00 PM - Orono High School Reminder: Postseason games are ticketed events and no passes of any kind are accepted, per MSHSL guidelines.

Orono Boys Basketball Closes Regular Season with Senior Night Win Over St. Louis Park The Orono boys’ basketball team closed out its regular season on a high note, defeating St. Louis Park 74–70 on senior night. The win marked Orono’s second victory over St. Louis Park this season. The Spartans faced early adversity, getting off to a slow start and falling behind by as many as 12 points in the first half. Despite the early struggles, Orono began to build momentum late in the half, cutting into the deficit and eventually taking the lead before halftime. Orono maintained control throughout the second half, though St. Louis Park stayed within striking distance. The Spartans’ largest lead of the night was eight points, and the game remained competitive until the final minutes. Grant Hanson led all scorers with 23 points, pacing a balanced offensive effort. Gavin Doherty added 15 points, while Adrian Licursi contributed 11. Dane Kanwischer and Fin Dyvik each scored seven points, followed by Alex Pilakowski with six. Gavin McGuirk chipped in three points, and Griffin Mauer rounded out the scoring with two. The victory capped a memorable senior night for Orono and provided positive momentum heading into postseason play. The Spartans will host their first-round section playoff game next Wednesday night. @CBjorgaard15901 @oronomensball @BoysOrono @CoachRunka @OronoSpartans @spartan_speaks @BreakdownUSA @barry_wohler @stribvarsity @PrepRedzoneMN @spartan_speaks @OronoSpartans

Girls Basketball takes down Holy Angels to advance to the Section 6AAA Championship. Spartans will host BSM on Thursday at 7:00 PM with a trip to the State Tournament on the line.

Orono vs. SLP highlights. #Orono #SpartanNation #BringtheJuice🔋🧃

Let’s Go!

Good luck to Girls Basketball in tonight’s Section 6AAA Quarterfinal! No. 1 Orono vs. No. 8 Westonka 7:00 PM - OHS Gymnasium Reminder: Postseason games are ticketed events and no passes of any kind are accepted, per MSHSL guidelines.