Junior running back Martin Sleen continued his electric season Friday night, powering Hermantown into the Section 7, Class 4A championship game with 270 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a 35-28 semifinal win over North Branch at Corey Veech Field at Centricity Stadium.
Sleen’s 55-yard burst midway through the second quarter flipped momentum after Hermantown fell behind 8-0. The run sparked a 28-point surge.
“It was another physical North Branch–Hermantown matchup — pretty much everything we thought it would be,” said Hermantown head coach Mike Zagelmeyer. “Their game plan is always to hold on to the ball, control the clock and eventually score. We finally got possession with 2:15 left in the first quarter.”
Once Hermantown finally touched the football, the Hawks made it count. Quarterback Sawyer Senst threw two touchdown passes to Grant Johnson, who made “his signature big play,” Zagelmeyer said, on one of them. Senst also rushed for 31 yards as the Hawks averaged a blistering 11.0 yards per carry and never punted.
Zagelmeyer admitted the Hawks “came out a little flat in the first quarter, which is really not excusable in a playoff game.” But he credited his team for regrouping quickly. “We didn’t panic when we got behind,” he said. “We struck quickly once we were able to get on offense.”
Hermantown led 14-8 at halftime and 28-16 entering the fourth quarter before Sleen’s third touchdown extended the margin to 35-20. North Branch (6-3) tacked on a late score, but the Hawks’ perfect 5-for-5 effort on third down proved decisive.
“I’ve officially run out of adjectives for how Martin runs,” Zagelmeyer said. “Just another tremendous performance. He has to be in the conversation for being the best back in the state of Minnesota.”
There were other milestones, too. Bode Madill broke the all-time state record for extra points in a career, while linebacker Fletcher Wrazidlo racked up 22 tackles. On the defensive front, Zagelmeyer praised Neo Carlson, Nate Haedrich, Jack McCaffrey and Joe Bergquist for their unheralded but essential work.
“They just get after it and play physical football,” he said of the foursome. “Without them, we are not successful. Joe has, by far, the dirtiest jersey every single week when I do the wash.”
The victory sends Hermantown’s senior class to its third straight section championship game, a streak Zagelmeyer said “really says something about this group.”
“Just a special group of seniors,” he said. “Friday night, Halloween, we’ll play Rapids. They’re a high-powered team playing with a chip on their shoulder and probably their best ball of the season right now. It’ll take everything we have to go get that section championship title.”
Hermantown faces top-seeded Grand Rapids at 7 p.m. Friday at Duluth Public Schools Stadium, with a state-tournament berth on the line.