Cloquet will not need a new set of opponents to measure its progress in 2026. The Lumberjacks face the same eight regular-season opponents, in the same order, that produced a 3-5 record last fall. The locations are reversed, beginning with a Sept. 3 trip to Grand Rapids and ending Oct. 21 at Duluth Denfeld.
The first four games should provide an immediate indication of whether Cloquet is ready to improve on last year’s 3-6 overall finish. The Lumberjacks opened 2025 with losses to Grand Rapids, Esko, North Branch and Hermantown, getting outscored 138-65 during an 0-4 start. Grand Rapids won 46-8, North Branch defeated Cloquet 30-16 and Hermantown earned a 41-21 victory. The Lumberjacks’ 21-20 loss at Esko was decided by one point.
Cloquet recovered from that difficult opening stretch by defeating Mora 26-14, Rock Ridge 46-6 and Duluth East 21-20. The Lumberjacks outscored those three opponents 93-40 before closing with two losses to Denfeld. The Hunters won 25-7 in the regular-season finale and eliminated Cloquet 18-12 in the Section 7-4A quarterfinals.
The Lumberjacks return considerable experience at quarterback and receiver, but replacing their leading rusher will be the primary offensive question.
Cloquet averaged 178.7 rushing yards and 60.1 passing yards per game last season. Aiden Nelson, who has graduated, led the offense with 683 yards and 10 touchdowns on 113 carries. Nashton Johanson, another senior, added 229 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 9.2 yards per attempt.
Together, Nelson and Johanson accounted for 912 of Cloquet’s 1,608 rushing yards and 14 of its 21 rushing touchdowns.
Jack Horvat and Ade Banjo are the leading candidates to carry a larger share of the ground game. Horvat, who was a junior last season, rushed for 282 yards and three touchdowns on 50 attempts. Banjo produced 308 yards and three touchdowns on 50 carries as a sophomore. They combined for 590 yards while averaging 5.9 yards per attempt.
Jacob Parks, Milo Wilson and quarterback Keith Diver also are eligible to return. Parks rushed for 51 yards, caught three passes for 26 yards and led the return game with 332 yards and a touchdown on 16 kick returns. Wilson gained 42 yards on 18 carries.
Diver handled nearly all of the passing responsibilities as a sophomore. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound quarterback completed 42 of 86 passes for 534 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. His experience gives Cloquet continuity at the position, but the Lumberjacks will need greater production from a passing game that averaged slightly more than 60 yards.
Max Jazdzewski gives Diver an established target. Jazdzewski, listed at 6-4 and 185 pounds last season, caught 21 passes for 295 yards and one touchdown. He accounted for more than half of Cloquet’s receiving yardage while averaging 14 yards per catch.
Several other receivers are eligible to return, including Jayce Laine, Parks, Davis Snesrud, Connor Etter and Cavan Fjeld. Laine caught three passes for 27 yards, Snesrud had five receptions for 25 yards and Etter caught two passes for 13 yards and a touchdown. Cloquet returns players responsible for 393 of its 541 receiving yards.
The defensive roster also has an experienced group eligible to return. Horvat recorded 39 tackles in four games included in the submitted statistics. Snesrud and Etter each finished with 28 tackles, while Parks had 22, Banjo 21 and Caden Larsen 20.
Fjeld intercepted two passes as a junior, and Easton Peterson had one as a sophomore. Those were Cloquet’s three reported interceptions.
The Lumberjacks lost several senior linemen, including Ben Frerich, Carter Kalli, Joe Kalm, Hank Nelson, Connor Tibbets and Damion Newcomb, but they have size eligible to return. Carter Oswald was listed at 5-11 and 340 pounds last season, Jaimie Petite at 5-10 and 250, and Lucas Hyry at 6-1 and 240. All three were juniors.
Cloquet also had several large sophomore linemen on last year’s roster, including 6-4, 260-pound Casius Sather, 6-foot, 320-pound Evan Hartwig, 5-7, 260-pound Wyatt Hansen and 6-foot, 250-pound Nathan Nynas. Their development could determine whether the Lumberjacks can continue relying on the running game while improving defensively.
The schedule offers Cloquet four home games and four road games. Esko, North Branch, Mora and Duluth East visit Cloquet. The Lumberjacks travel to Grand Rapids, Hermantown, Rock Ridge and Denfeld.
There is little mystery surrounding Cloquet’s path to improvement. The Lumberjacks must replace more than half of last season’s rushing production, develop a more productive passing game and avoid another slow start. With Diver, Jazdzewski, Horvat, Banjo and several experienced defenders eligible to return, Cloquet has a foundation around which to build.
Cloquet 2026 schedule
Sept. 3 — at Grand Rapids, 7 p.m.
Sept. 11 — Esko, 7 p.m.
Sept. 18 — North Branch, 7 p.m.
Sept. 25 — at Hermantown, 7 p.m.
Oct. 2 — Mora, 7 p.m.
Oct. 9 — at Rock Ridge, 7 p.m.
Oct. 14 — Duluth East, 7 p.m.
Oct. 21 — at Duluth Denfeld, 6 p.m.
Cloquet 2025 results
Grand Rapids 46, Cloquet 8
Esko 21, Cloquet 20
North Branch 30, Cloquet 16
Hermantown 41, Cloquet 21
Cloquet 26, Mora 14
Cloquet 46, Rock Ridge 6
Cloquet 21, Duluth East 20
Duluth Denfeld 25, Cloquet 7
Section quarterfinal: Duluth Denfeld 18, Cloquet 12
