This is the week everything seems to collide in Hawk Country — the roar of a packed gym, the smell of turf in the cold night air, and the sense that something big is about to happen.
Wednesday night at Centricity Stadium, it very well might. Hermantown hosts North Branch in what’s being billed — and rightfully so — as one of the biggest football games in school history.
The build-up starts Tuesday afternoon with a flurry of home and road action. The boys cross-country team heads to the Proctor Golf Course for a 4 p.m. dual, their final tune-up before the postseason.
Over at Hermantown High, the volleyball program plays host to Cloquet in a tripleheader — the C-team and JV both opening at 5:45 p.m., followed by the varsity at 7 p.m. on Court 1. It’s a matchup that feels much like October: packed gym, high stakes, loud parents, and that familiar hum of playoff urgency.
Meanwhile, the Hermantown girls soccer team — the lone remaining soccer squad still alive — travels to Grand Rapids for a 7 p.m. Section 7AA championship showdown. The Hawks advanced after a gritty 1-0 semifinal win over top-seeded Cloquet-Carlton, and they’ve been defending like their season depends on it — because it does. Grand Rapids has been rolling, but this Hermantown group has grit, chemistry, and belief, making them dangerous.
Then comes Wednesday night, the main event, the one people will be talking about for years. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Corey Veech Field, and if you don’t have plans, you might want to cancel them. Expect a crowd. Expect noise. Expect college scouts, notepads in hand, lining the railings and talking quietly about the two kids wearing navy and gold who might redefine what Hermantown football looks like.
Junior halfback Martin Sleen returns after sitting out last Friday’s win at Rock Ridge with soreness — a smart decision by head coach Mike Zagelmeyer and his staff, who understand the long game. Sure, it may have cost him a few carries and yards in the state rushing race, but he’s still firmly in contention for the crown.
Healthy, rested, and with a spotlight the size of Lake Superior on him, Sleen could go off in front of a home crowd that’s been buzzing about him all season. You’re watching a Hawks legend in the making — one who runs angry, finishes every play, and makes it look effortless.
And then there’s Sawyer Senst, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound junior quarterback who looks like he was built in a quarterback factory somewhere between Friday Night Lights and a Norman Rockwell painting. He throws darts, moves better than a kid his size should, and has a calmness that makes you think he’s been doing this for years.
Scouts will come for Sleen, sure, but they’ll leave talking about Senst — the diamond in the rough, the kid with the big arm, soft touch, and even bigger ceiling.
Senst and Sleen are football poetry — one the conductor, the other the crescendo. Together, they’ve turned a good Hermantown team into a legitimate contender. Wednesday’s matchup against North Branch isn’t just another regular-season tilt — it’s a potential Section Final preview, a measuring stick, and a stage.
There’s something different about this team. The body language. The belief. The way they take the field with purpose. You can feel it in the stands, too — a quiet pride building all season.
So bundle up, bring a blanket, and get there early. The parking lot will fill fast, the concession stand will run out of hot chocolate, and you’ll be elbow-to-elbow with half the town.
Because on this cold October night, you’ll want to say you were there — when the lights came on, the scouts took notes, and two Hermantown football legends in the making delivered the best performances of their young careers.