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Hermantown girls soccer turns section final disappointment into early-season motivation
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Hermantown’s girls soccer team opens its season Thursday at home against North Branch with a rebuilt defense, an experienced group of attackers and the lingering memory of an overtime loss that ended last season one victory short of the state tournament.
The Hawks finished 7-9-2 last fall but reached the Section 7AA championship for the second consecutive season. Seeded fifth, they defeated North Branch 3-1 in the quarterfinals and upset top-seeded Cloquet-Esko-Carlton 1-0 before losing 1-0 in overtime at Grand Rapids. The playoff run established Hermantown as a postseason threat despite its uneven regular-season record, and coach Nathan Hanson said that disappointment has carried directly into preseason practice.
“The opening week of practices has been very competitive and the girls have really been pushing each other to get ready to compete,” Hanson said. “We finished our preseason scrimmages this weekend with a lot of positives.”
Senior midfielder Vienna Kolenda is expected to become one of the Hawks’ most important players after recording three goals and a team-high six assists last season. Her ability to organize possession and connect Hermantown’s midfield with its forwards will be particularly important as the Hawks replace several experienced seniors.
“Vienna has elevated her game and is ready to lead the midfield,” Hanson said. “The girls will look to her for a lot of leadership on the field.”
Hermantown graduated a substantial group that included Avea Harriman, Brooke Wiese, Cambriia Thomas, Danika Bolf, Claire Niksich, Gianna Schinigoi and Mya Gunderson. Harriman, Wiese and Thomas were first-team Lake Superior Conference selections last season, while Bolf earned second-team recognition. Their departures removed proven players from the midfield, back line and goalkeeper positions.
“Defensively we graduated a lot of minutes,” Hanson said.
Senior Riley Holmgren is the only returning center back with significant experience in the middle of the Hawks’ defensive alignment. Hanson expects Holmgren and Audrina Daniels to stabilize a back line that must develop quickly against an opening schedule featuring several familiar section and conference opponents.
“We will rely heavily on Riley and Audrina Daniels at center back to anchor the defense,” Hanson said.
Goalkeeper Lucy Critchley gives Hermantown another experienced option behind that developing defensive group. Critchley shared the position with Thomas last season and made eight second-half saves during the Hawks’ 1-0 section semifinal victory over Cloquet-Esko-Carlton.
The offensive outlook is more established. Senior Bryden Giesen scored six goals last season and delivered the winning goal against Cloquet-Esko-Carlton. Giesen also received all-conference honorable mention, giving Hermantown a proven finisher entering her final high school season.
She will be joined up front by junior Kaija Markovich, who is returning from an injury, and sophomore Harper Nelson. The combination gives Hanson three attackers capable of stretching opposing defenses while creating opportunities for Kolenda and the Hawks’ other midfielders.
“I’m excited for our returning forwards of Bryden Giesen, Kaija Markovich who returns from injury and Harper Nelson,” Hanson said. “This trio of forwards has a lot of speed and strength and I think they are going to be a problem for other teams to contain.”
Eilee Gunderson, McKenna Johnson and Payton Holt also return, giving Hermantown additional experience as it works through the loss of last year’s senior class. Johnson, Kolenda, Holmgren and Giesen all gained significant varsity experience before this season, providing the Hawks with returning players across multiple positions.
The opener against North Branch is scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday at Hermantown. The matchup immediately revisits last season’s section quarterfinal, when the Hawks defeated the Vikings 3-1 to begin their run to the championship game.
“North Branch is always very solid and are hard to break down so it should be a highly competitive game,” Hanson said. “Playing a section opponent in your season opener always adds some additional pressure.”
Hermantown follows the opener with a noon home match against Big Lake on Saturday before traveling to Duluth Marshall at 4 p.m. Aug. 31. The Hawks return home to face Proctor at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 3, giving their rebuilt lineup four matches in the opening eight days of the season.
A demanding September includes consecutive home matches against Coon Rapids at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 9 and Hibbing at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 10. Hermantown visits Cloquet at 4 p.m. Sept. 12, hosts Duluth Denfeld at 6 p.m. Sept. 15 and travels to Esko for a 7 p.m. match Sept. 17.
The Hawks host Benilde-St. Margaret’s at 3 p.m. Sept. 19 before their most anticipated rematch arrives Sept. 22, when Grand Rapids visits at 6:30 p.m. The Thunderhawks ended Hermantown’s season in last year’s section championship, making the meeting an early indication of whether the Hawks have closed the gap.
Hermantown visits Duluth Denfeld at noon Sept. 26 and Two Harbors at 6 p.m. Oct. 1 before hosting Cloquet at 11 a.m. Oct. 3. The Hawks finish the regular season with a 6:30 p.m. match at Proctor on Oct. 6 and a 5 p.m. home game against Duluth East on Oct. 7.
For a team replacing several established starters, the 16-game schedule provides little opportunity for a gradual transition. But Hanson believes the combination of returning offensive talent, Kolenda’s leadership and last season’s unfinished postseason business gives the Hawks a clear identity entering Thursday’s opener.
“The girls are excited and ready to set themselves up for success early on as the section finals loss in Grand Rapids continues to motivate them at practices and will be a motivating factor in games,” Hanson said.