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, Mick Martalock scored the game-winner, and Kole Lendzyk put the lid on it with a shorthanded, unassisted strike. That’s a top-two team in Class A acting like one.
Hibbing/Chisholm had no patience for drama at the Heritage Center, burying Denfeld 9-3 behind a first-period hat trick from Tate Swanson. The Bluejackets stacked points all night and improved to 4-0-0, while Matthew Smith kept the score from getting even worse with 55 stops for the Hunters.
Grand Rapids made its point quickly at Proctor by allowing five shots. Total. The Thunderhawks rolled 6-0, with two early goals from Dylan Clayton setting the tone. Proctor’s William Pocrnich faced 43 shots.
North Shore edged Ely 1-0 on a goal from Nox Peterson and 29 saves from Dax Krech.
In girls hockey, North Shore clippe CEC 2-1 in Cloquet after falling behind early. Power-play goals from Reese Costley and Berkley Hoff turned the game, and Emmy Bentler closed it out with 21 saves. Grand Rapids/Greenway hammered Rock Ridge 8-1, with Kylie DeBay picking up another hat trick and GRG looking every bit like a team settling in for the long haul.
Hibbing/Chisholm squeezed by Chisago Lakes 2-1 thanks to a late winner from Brynn Babich and 37 saves from Bryjah Schnipkoweit — a goalie stealing a game the old-fashioned way.
Cloquet opened its boys basketball season with an 82-81 win over North Branch, getting 25 points from Max Jazdzewski, including the deciding free throw in the final minute. Solid way to start the Joe Seymour era. Esko held off Rock Ridge behind 28 from Braxdyn Male, who spent most of the night scoring in bunches.
Cromwell-Wright opened with an 85-26 rout at Floodwood — not much mystery there — while Barnum methodically pulled away from McGregor behind a 20-point night from Brock Hurst.
Proctor overpowered Denfeld 87-37 in girls basketball with 69 points in the first half alone. That’s a program flexing early. Peyton Walker led with 17. Barnum beat North Woods behind a balanced night from Ingrid Lund and Mia Hurst, and Moose Lake/Willow River got past Two Harbors with three players in double figures.