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Hermantown’s offense looked like it was on fast-forward again Wednesday night, racing past North Branch 56-26 in a home Senior Night finale that felt more like a fireworks show than a Northeast Red football game.
Senior running back Martin Sleen ran like a man possessed — or maybe like a man trying to make up for the last three winters of shoveling — finishing with 242 yards and four touchdowns on just 12 carries, a ridiculous 20.2 yards per carry.
Quarterback Sawyer Senst added another dimension, throwing 6-of-9 for 143 yards and a touchdown, plus a score on the ground. Hermantown scored 22 points in the first quarter and never looked back, unloading 456 yards of offense on just 34 plays — a blistering 13.5 yards per snap.
North Branch wasn’t terrible; they just couldn’t keep up. The Vikings piled up 405 rushing yards on 54 carries, including 123 yards from quarterback Logan Hammel, 83 from Nolan Bahr, and 78 from Logan Raine. But Hermantown’s defense bent without breaking, forcing two fumbles and intercepting a pass to stop potential momentum swings.
Sleen’s runs looked almost unfair. One went 66 yards untouched up the right sideline. Another, a 45-yarder, came on a counter that left two North Branch defenders grasping air. His final touchdown — a simple blast up the middle — made it 56-20 midway through the third quarter, effectively closing the book.
Sophomore Bode Madill was Senst’s favorite target, catching two passes for 57 yards including a 49-yard touchdown strike down the seam. Grant Johnson added two catches for 57 more, while Bryson Eischen contributed 56 rushing yards and a score on just five touches.
The Hawks — now flying toward the Section 7AAAA playoffs — looked like a team hitting stride at just the right time.
