Hermantown's pursuit of a Section 7AAAA high school football championship could receive a significant boost with the potential return of standout halfback Martin Sleen, who is reportedly day-to-day with an ankle injury.
Sleen, among Minnesota's leading rushers and touchdown producers earlier this season, would give the second-seeded Hawks (6-2) another explosive offensive weapon as they prepare for a postseason in which undefeated Grand Rapids looms as the team to beat.
Hermantown has earned a first-round bye and will host either No. 3 Cloquet (6-2) or No. 6 Rock Ridge (2-6) in a section semifinal Saturday, Oct. 31, at 6 p.m. The additional recovery time could prove valuable for Sleen, although his availability remains uncertain.
The Hawks have remained productive offensively without their featured halfback, thanks in part to Owen Simonson, who rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries in a 21-20 victory over Esko, including a 69-yard scoring run.
A healthy Sleen alongside Simonson would give Hermantown a formidable rushing combination, reduce the burden on quarterback Sawyer Senst and provide additional flexibility against the section's strongest defenses.
Hermantown opened the season with convincing victories over Duluth Denfeld, 48-13; Proctor, 50-8; and Duluth East, 48-27. The Hawks also defeated Cloquet 35-6 and Rock Ridge 42-12, establishing themselves as one of northeastern Minnesota's strongest teams.
Their two defeats, however, underscore the challenges ahead.
Hermantown lost 24-15 at Grand Rapids on Oct. 2 and closed the regular season Wednesday with a 32-16 loss at North Branch. Both games demonstrated the importance of offensive consistency against physical opponents capable of controlling the line of scrimmage.
Top-seeded Grand Rapids (8-0) completed an unbeaten regular season and will host the winner of Tuesday's quarterfinal between No. 5 Duluth Denfeld (1-7) and No. 4 North Branch (4-4) in an Oct. 31 semifinal.
The possibility of a Hermantown-Grand Rapids rematch provides considerable intrigue, particularly after the Thunderhawks won the regular-season meeting. But the Hawks must first defeat the winner of Tuesday's Cloquet-Rock Ridge quarterfinal.
Cloquet closed its regular season with a 47-21 victory over Duluth Denfeld and would welcome another opportunity against Hermantown after its lopsided loss earlier this fall. Rock Ridge enters the playoffs at 2-6, having surrendered 42 points to the Hawks in their regular-season meeting.
Although Hermantown would carry a substantial psychological advantage against either opponent, postseason football offers little protection against turnovers, injuries or one poorly executed quarter.
The Hawks have demonstrated considerable offensive balance. In their victory over Rock Ridge, they produced 396 total yards, including 259 rushing and 137 passing. Senst's ability to direct the passing game has complemented a rushing attack capable of generating explosive plays.
The challenge now is translating that production into victories against the section's best competition.
Hermantown's first-round bye provides additional preparation time, while the home semifinal offers another advantage. The Hawks have already defeated both potential opponents and would need only two postseason victories to advance to the Class AAAA state tournament.
But the postseason will demand sharper execution, particularly against a Grand Rapids team that has yet to lose.
Hermantown has the personnel, experience and offensive firepower to challenge for a section championship. Sleen's potential return would strengthen that position, but the Hawks must demonstrate they can protect the football, establish their running game and finish drives against championship-caliber defenses.