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Stung by a 4-3 Lake Superior Conference boys hockey road loss at Proctor — the kind of result that can linger in a high school locker room — Class 1A top-ranked Hermantown snapped back with the composure of a team that expects to be playing deep into March.
The Hawks followed that setback with a 2-1 road victory at St. Cloud Cathedral and then a gritty 3-3 overtime tie against third-ranked Warroad on Saturday afternoon at NorthStar Ford Arena.
That response told a louder story than the loss ever could.
Against Warroad, the Hermantown leaned on their most reliable weapon. Super-junior forward Micklain Martalock scored twice in the first period, staking the Hawks to an early lead against one of the state’s most dangerous offenses. Martalock continues to anchor Hermantown's attack, leading the team with 16 goals and 25 points as the Hawks steady themselves for the stretch run.
That resilience will be tested again on Tuesday night.
Hermantown hosts No. 2-ranked Hibbing-Chisholm at 7 p.m. The Bluejackets, the defending Section 7A champions, enter with a 13-1-1 record and one of the state’s most dangerous scoring duos.
Tate Swanson leads Hibbing-Chisholm with 16 goals and 37 points, while Cole Swanson has matched his brother in goals with 16 and added 16 assists for 32 points. Together, they drive a Bluejackets offense that punishes hesitation and thrives in transition.
The Hawks’ rebound was not limited to the offensive end.
Senior goaltender Bryce Francisco has given Hermantown stability through the turbulence of a demanding schedule. Francisco owns a 2.97 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage, numbers that reflect both the workload he faces and the calm he brings when games tighten.
Hermantown’s 12-1-3 record speaks to consistency, but it is the way the Hawks handled adversity that may define this season more than any single result. Teams with championship ambitions are judged not by perfection, but by how quickly they recover when perfection slips away.
For Hermantown, the week ahead offers another chance to turn a moment of adversity into momentum.
The Hawks already showed who they are after the Proctor loss — composed on the road, dangerous against elite competition and anchored by leadership at both ends of the ice. That combination is why Hermantown remains where it belongs, at the top of the Class 1A picture, with the belief that its best hockey is still ahead.
Johnson, Marshall edge Stevens Point
Chloe Johnson poured in a career-high 45 points as Duluth Marshall edged Stevens Point 69-68 on Saturday, surviving a furious late push to hand the visitors a one-point loss in a tightly played nonconference high school girls basketball game.
Johnson, the nation’s top-ranked Class of 2028 guard, was nearly unstoppable from all three levels, shooting 17 of 24 from the field and 8 of 9 at the free-throw line while also pulling down 13 rebounds to lead the Hilltoppers.
Marshall trailed 38-35 at halftime but began chipping away in the third behind Johnson’s slashing drives and pull-up jumpers. The Hilltoppers finally moved in front midway through the fourth and never led by more than four points the rest of the way.
Stevens Point had a chance to steal the game in the final seconds, but its last look came up short as Marshall secured the rebound to preserve the nonconference victory.
Morgan Lucero and Anna Saari each added nine points for Marshall, combining to knock down six 3-pointers that helped stretch the Stevens Point defense and create driving lanes for Johnson. Lucero hit three triples, while Saari went 3 of 6 from long range.
Angel Adu-Bobi added seven rebounds and Melanie Carlson chipped in two points and two boards for the Hilltoppers.
Candice Ndomb had six rebounds and two steals, helping Marshall survive a rough shooting night from its supporting cast.
Stevens Point led 38-35 at the break and 68-66 in the final minute before Johnson converted inside and then hit a pair of free throws to give Marshall the final margin.
Marshall finished 24 of 46 from the field and 9 of 24 from 3-point range.
