Down 21 points in the third quarter, Hermantown mounted an epic comeback to defeat top-seeded North Branch 35-28 in the Class 4A, Section 7 prep football championship game on Friday night at Marv Heikkinen Field in West Duluth.
Hawks defeat North Branch, advance to state 4A prep football quarterfinals
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Howie: Arena football battles history and perception as new and old leagues try to chart a stable future
Note: This is the second column in six-part series on the state of arena football — from the sport’s bruised past to its uncertain future — with a sharp focus on AF1, the upstart league the Duluth-based Minnesota Monsters will join when they relaunch in Spring 2026.
Prep Report, Tuesday Scoreboard
Hermantown spotted Rock Ridge a lead in boys hockey Tuesday night in Virginia and then did what the Hawks usually do — finished the game on their terms. Down 1-0 entering the third, the Hermantown ripped off three straight and walked out with a 3-1 win. Bode Madill got them even,
Howie: AF1 is trying to rewrite the rules of arena football survival — one cautious step at a time
AF1 is trying to prove that there’s still room for stable, professional arena football in mid-sized American markets — if the game is built more deliberately, more honestly and more humbly than the leagues that came before it.
Hawks showed grit in a season-opening loss at Princeton
“The most encouraging thing, in my eyes, was the fact that no matter which five guys we had on the floor, no matter the score, they were playing their hearts out.” -- Hermantown boys basketball coach Andy Fenske
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Howie: Arena football battles history and perception as new and old leagues try to chart a stable future
Note: This is the second column in six-part series on the state of arena football — from the sport’s bruised past to its uncertain future — with a sharp focus on AF1, the upstart league the Duluth-based Minnesota Monsters will join when they relaunch in Spring 2026.
Prep Report, Tuesday Scoreboard
Hermantown spotted Rock Ridge a lead in boys hockey Tuesday night in Virginia and then did what the Hawks usually do — finished the game on their terms. Down 1-0 entering the third, the Hermantown ripped off three straight and walked out with a 3-1 win. Bode Madill got them even,
Monsters sign two defenders, release DB Mason
Arena Football One saw steady roster movement this week, as Minnesota continued reshaping its defense, Oregon added an SEC-tested defensive back and Beaumont released an offensive lineman. Minnesota signed linebacker/defensive lineman Robert Fuentes, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound product of Central Oklahoma, along with defensive back Jalen Hicks, a 5-9, 175-pound
Obit: Teresa Niven
Teresa C. Niven, 62, of Duluth, passed away unexpectedly at home on November 21, 2025. Our mom was the most kindhearted, gentle, loving soul you would ever meet. She was rarely ever seen without a smile and always people watching wherever she was. She was always down for an adventure!