Prep Sports Notebook: Hermantown starts fast, holds off Cloquet for fourth straight section final berth

Hermantown delivered the fast start Mike Zagelmeyer wanted, then withstood enough trouble to make its fourth consecutive trip to a section championship game anything but routine.

Martin Sleen rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns, and Sawyer Senst added three rushing scores as the Hawks held off Cloquet 34-31 in a Section 7, Class 4A football semifinal Saturday night at Centricity Stadium.

The victory sends Hermantown into Friday’s championship game against top-seeded Grand Rapids, the defending section champion, at 7 p.m. at Duluth Denfeld. The Hawks earned that opportunity after scoring 20 first-quarter points and building a 28-7 halftime lead against a Cloquet team that kept coming.

“I thought we came out of the gates and set the tone defensively. I think our defense took it to heart a little when Cloquet won the toss and elected to receive,” Zagelmeyer said. “It was huge for us to start quick and we did.... our MO has always been that we are a slow starting team, but I think we got them on their heels a little when we got ahead 14-0. I really liked how we played in the 1st quarter.”

Sleen carried 28 times and added 93 yards on two punt returns, including an 84-yard return, finishing with 236 yards between his rushing and punt returns. Owen Simonson supplied another 54 rushing yards on six carries, while Senst scored three times on seven carries for 17 yards. Bryson Eischen added 23 yards on five attempts.

The ground game produced all five Hermantown touchdowns, but Cloquet countered with the explosive plays that helped turn a comfortable halftime margin into a three-point finish. The Lumberjacks outscored the Hawks 16-6 in the third quarter and 8-6 in the fourth.

“We did allow Cloquet two big plays that hurt us, one was on a reverse and the other on a long pass,” Zagelmeyer said. “Those two plays go to show you need to have 11 players doing their job on defense, and we had a couple of individual breakdowns on those two instances. We also turned the ball over once on a fumble and that came back to haunt us as well.”

Davis Snesrud scored on a 52-yard run on his only rushing attempt for Cloquet, and Quinn Waters caught four passes for 124 yards, including a 75-yard reception. Jack Horvat rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, while Keith Diver III ran for two touchdowns and completed six of 10 passes for 150 yards without an interception.

“Take those three plays away and the score might have looked a little different,” Zagelmeyer said. “With that being said, give Cloquet credit, they capitalized on our mistakes and went after us when we were most vulnerable. They are a very well coached team and there are many reasons why they are winning games over there.”

Hermantown needed little passing production to advance. Senst completed three of five attempts for 14 yards, with Sam Witty catching two passes for 10 yards and Kole Lendzyk adding a 4-yard reception. The Hawks converted two of seven third-down opportunities and one of three fourth-down attempts.

For Zagelmeyer, the return to the section final also offered an opportunity to address a description of his team that he said has frustrated his players. Sleen’s production has been substantial, but the coach emphasized the work behind it throughout a 56-player roster.

“As for us as a team, I think our guys have gotten a little frustrated with people calling us a one man show,” Zagelmeyer said. “Football is a team game and there are guys that have been in this program since 3rd grade that have worked their tail off to get to this point. This will be our 4th consecutive section final and while Martin has been a big part of it, he will be the first to tell you that his success, and the team's success, has a lot to do with the 56 guys on the roster.”

That roster includes 18 seniors, 18 juniors and 20 sophomores, a group Zagelmeyer credited with sustaining the program’s postseason success. He placed particular importance on the seniors as Hermantown prepares for another championship opportunity.

“We don't get to this point without the 18 seniors, the 18 juniors and the 20 sophomores that have bought into what we are doing. But especially our seniors, seasons are defined by your senior class and their ability to lead,” Zagelmeyer said. “We have been blessed to have great classes come through our program recently, and this group is no different and a great example of just that.”

Grand Rapids now stands between the Hawks and a section title. After watching his team establish an early advantage and survive Cloquet’s response, Zagelmeyer said the next assignment will demand more: “With all this being said, we are going to need to get ourselves focused and mentally ready to knock off the defending section champs. It will take our best effort, it will take us being physical, we will need to make plays, and we will need to make our own breaks to come out on top... the coaches know that, the players know that, but we have put ourselves in this position for just this golden opportunity. We are excited to strap it up on Friday.”