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Last Friday was a historic night for Hermantown's legendary football program, when the second-seeded Hawks stormed back from a 21-point deficit in the third quarter to defeat top-seed North Branch 35-28 in an epic Class 4A, Section 7 championship game at Marv Heikkinen Field in West Duluth.
“I’m not sure I could have made up a story quite like how that game played out,” Hawks coach Mike Zagelmeyer said on Monday morning, after dissecting game film together with his stable of legendary assistant coaches Sunday afternoon.
“North Branch had us on the ropes but with a little luck and a little execution we were able to find a way,” added Zagelmeyer. “I'm really proud of the way our team did not give up and battled until the end.”
Senior quarterback Alex Schott rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another for the Hawks, and ultra-elite sophomore halfback Martin Sleen scored the winning touchdown on a seven-yard run. Hermantown recovered two onside kicks leading to touchdowns in the second half.
Zagelmeyer said he couldn’t believe how many parallels there were in that game to the Hawks’ 48-44 road loss to the Vikings in Week 3 of the regular season.
“Kind of the same scenario: North Branch had us down, we kept battling, got ahead only to have them complete a touchdown pass with three seconds left to win it,” said Zagelmeyer of his team’s only loss of the season, in 10 games. “I can remember saying how much that loss hurt at the time, how it was one of the toughest defeats as a coach I can remember. Then to have almost the exact same scenario play out until the end when we were able to intercept their pass in the endzone at the end of the game, it just a very ironic and different ending to the North Branch season story. Maybe there was a little serendipity in the loss to North Branch earlier in the season to reap the benefits of in the section final.”
Many players stepped up to secure one of Hermantown's biggest playoff victories.
“We benefitted by big plays from Alex, to Martin, to Landon (Burg), to Grant (Johnson), to Bode (Madill),” said Zagelmeyer. “Our line started to figure some things out in the second half, and it was just a complete and total team effort. It also goes to show how important special teams are in high school football – a third of the game – and to have Bode do what he does is such a valuable weapon.
“We watched kids grow up right in front of our eyes on Friday night. Sacrifices had to be made because when we were down 21 in the middle of the third quarter and Alex got dinged up. Things were definitely not looking great at that moment. But just never say never with this group and don't doubt them. Our coaching staff, who I view like brothers, coached their tails off. To see the commitment and love for this whole group – players to coaches and not just on Friday night, but all year – we are so lucky to have it and I feel blessed that I get to be a part of it.
“We, as a team, know and understand the importance of the life memories that were made on Friday night and that is what high school football is all about. We sure won't ever take it for granted.”
Hermantown (9-1) faces Orono (8-2) in a Class 4A state quarterfinal Thursday at 6 p.m. in Alexandria. It will be Hawks' first state appearance since 2018 and eighth overall.
“We watched the game film on Orono and are starting to finalize a game plan against them,” said Zagelmeyer. “When you get to this level, all teams are and expected to be good. We have to do our best as a team to flip the page on the story, because the story isn't finished yet. I think our team has done a nice job at treating each game this year as a season within a season. We have never seemed to ever look ahead a week, no matter how many people outside our locker room were asking us to do just that, and we are going to have to do it again. There will be a lifetime to look back at this season, but for now we still need to keep our focus on the present.”
“After the win on Friday we’re all feeling like we can do anything,” said Sleen by text Monday morning, responding to a reporter’s inquiry regarding the team’s approach leading to the state opener. “We’re all very excited and we’ve still got more to prove, so there’s no point in stopping now. I feel very blessed to start my varsity career with a trip to state.”
