Sawyer Senst is already one of Hermantown High School’s finest athletes, an imposing 6-foot-5, 225-pound presence who starts at quarterback, contributes along the defensive front and ranks among the Northland’s elite power forwards. He does not need a senior-year breakthrough to establish his standing. His performance in two sports, along with his work ethic, character and leadership, already has done that.
What remains uncertain is how soon Senst will have another opportunity to add to that resume.
Senst is recovering from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his knee. He is slightly more than halfway through a demanding rehabilitation process and hopes to return for Hermantown’s football season opener at Duluth Denfeld on Sept. 4.
“I’m not back to full strength yet, but I’m attacking rehabilitation,” Senst said. “I’m doing physical therapy twice a week and working out three days a week. I’m starting to run and jump again, and I hope to be back for opening week.”
The summer Senst envisioned was supposed to include AAU basketball tournaments, college football camps and offseason workouts with his Hermantown teammates. Instead, it has become a demanding cycle of physical therapy, strength training and carefully monitored progress as he rebuilds stability and confidence in the repaired knee.
There is no self-pity in his voice and no attempt to make the situation sound more dramatic than it is. That is Senst’s nature. He is poised, unfailingly polite and thoughtful, carrying himself with a maturity that extends far beyond the football field or basketball court.
Senst’s knee trouble began during Hermantown’s Christmas basketball tournament at Minnesota Duluth. He twisted the knee, continued playing and experienced several additional episodes before suffering the ACL and meniscus tears in the Hawks’ final game of the season.
The physical demands of rehabilitation are difficult, but the separation from competition may be even harder. Senst is accustomed to moving directly from one sport into the next, trading basketball shoes for football cleats without much time between seasons. He should be playing AAU basketball, demonstrating his ability at football camps and preparing Hermantown’s offense for another championship run.
Instead, he has been forced to watch.
Senst has attempted to make the most of the interruption.
“My dad and I have gone fishing, and that has been good,” Senst said. “Everybody is working with me and supporting me. I feel like I’m ready to go, but I know I still have work to do.”
Nobody outworks Senst. Nobody.
That is not an empty piece of praise handed to a prominent high school athlete. His commitment is visible in the way he has approached two demanding sports, accepted the responsibility of playing quarterback and responded to a major injury that eliminated nearly his entire summer competition schedule. He cannot control how quickly the knee heals, but he can control how faithfully he completes the work required to return.
Senst’s high character is just as important as his physical ability. He is respectful without sounding rehearsed, confident without becoming boastful and competitive without making every conversation about himself. He is a born leader, on the field and away from it, because teammates recognize that his standards are genuine. He does not ask others to make sacrifices he is unwilling to make himself.
Hermantown has plenty riding on Senst’s recovery. During his first full season as the Hawks’ starting quarterback, he completed 45 of 83 passes for 709 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions. He also rushed for more than 120 yards and six touchdowns, giving Hermantown another powerful option in short-yardage situations and near the goal line.
Those numbers do not fully describe the problems Senst creates for a defense. His big frame allows him to stand tall in the pocket, see over the offensive line and drive the football downfield. When a play breaks down, he is strong enough to run through arm tackles and athletic enough to extend the possession.
“My size helps, no doubt,” Senst said. “I’m a big body, I throw a tight spiral and I can see over the linemen. I’m willing to take a hit, and when I run, I’m not afraid to run through somebody. I think my vision and the run-pass option fit what we do.”
Senst acknowledged that it took time to become comfortable as the Hawks’ starting quarterback. Playing the position required more than arm strength. He had to read defenses, manage the huddle, protect the football and remain composed after a difficult play. His command of the offense improved as the season progressed.
“I thought I did well stepping in at quarterback,” Senst said. “It took me some time to become comfortable, but once I settled in, I felt good running the offense. We have a lot of talent coming back, and I think we can make a run.”
Hermantown finished 8-2 but lost twice to Grand Rapids, including a season-ending defeat in the Section 7, Class 4A championship game. Those losses left the Hawks with unfinished business and a clear understanding of what separates a good football team from a championship team.
Hermantown will open at Denfeld before visiting Proctor on Sept. 11. The Hawks’ home schedule begins against Duluth East on Sept. 18 and continues against Cloquet on Sept. 25, Esko on Oct. 9 and Rock Ridge on Oct. 14.
The most important road test arrives Oct. 2 at defending section champion Grand Rapids. Hermantown completes its regular season at North Branch on Oct. 21.
The offense will again be built around Martin Sleen, who rushed for 1,908 yards and 29 touchdowns as a junior. Owen Simonson provides another option in the backfield, giving Hermantown the personnel to combine its traditional power running game with play-action passes and run-pass options.
“It’s crazy to watch Martin,” Senst said. “You hand him the ball and think he’s going to be tackled, and then he’s running 50 or 60 yards downfield. He’s fun to watch. His speed and strength are like nothing I’ve seen before. He can do anything you ask of him.”
Even while discussing his own comeback and college opportunities, Senst instinctively redirects attention toward a teammate. That is another indication of his leadership. Leadership is not always delivered through a fiery speech or a loud voice in the huddle. Sometimes it is demonstrated by knowing when someone else deserves the credit.
Senst is also expected to contribute at defensive tackle, adding another significant responsibility to his senior season. Burly linebacker Fletcher Wrazidlo returns after recording more than 100 tackles, giving the Hawks an experienced defensive leader behind Senst.
Grand Rapids remains the section standard, and North Branch should also contend. Senst believes Hermantown has the returning talent, experience and motivation to challenge both.
“Grand Rapids and North Branch will be strong, but I think we’ll make a run,” Senst said.
College football programs have begun recognizing Senst’s potential. He visited Bethel University and received his first scholarship offer from Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana. Some programs are evaluating him as a quarterback, while others see the frame, hands and athletic background of a potential tight end.
“I’ve gotten looks for football, which would be amazing,” Senst said. “It’s exciting to see those opportunities starting to come.”
Football may be generating more recruiting attention, but Senst is also one of the area’s premier basketball players. He averaged 15.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and one blocked shot per game as a junior, using his strength, soft hands and court awareness to control possessions around the basket.
“We were OK, but we were better than the year before,” Senst said of Hermantown’s 2025-26 basketball season. “We had a lot of freshmen playing up.”
Missing the AAU summer basketball season cost Senst valuable recruiting exposure and development time. It did not diminish what he already has accomplished or change the qualities that made him an elite power forward. His ability has been established. His senior basketball season will provide another opportunity to demonstrate it.
First comes football and the final stages of rehabilitation.
The knee injury temporarily took away Senst’s opportunity to compete. It did not change who he is. He remains an exceptional athlete with uncommon versatility and the potential to play college football at several positions. More importantly, he remains a young man of high character whose poise, politeness and leadership are every bit as noticeable as his imposing size.
Senst is the athlete younger Hawks can watch and emulate, the teammate coaches can trust and the quarterback willing to accept responsibility. He is already one of Hermantown High School’s finest athletes. His senior year could add another memorable chapter, but it will not define him.
His work ethic, character and leadership already have.
