Table of Contents
HERMANTOWN — Martin Sleen rushed for 212 yards and five touchdowns and returned a kickoff for another score Friday night, accounting for six touchdowns in Hermantown’s 48-27 Northeast Red victory over Duluth East.
Sleen averaged 14.1 yards on 15 carries, broke loose for a 45-yard gain and scored five of Hermantown’s six rushing touchdowns. His kickoff return gave him 36 points as the Hawks used their explosive running game to overcome an East offense that controlled the ball for more than 28 minutes.
Hermantown finished with 309 rushing yards on 29 attempts, an average of 10.7 yards per carry. The Hawks generated 343 total yards and seven touchdowns on only 35 offensive plays.
The Hawks led 7-0 after the first quarter before the teams combined for five touchdowns in the second. Hermantown scored three times in the period to take a 28-14 halftime lead.
East scored the only touchdown of the third quarter to pull within 34-21, but Hermantown responded with two touchdowns in the fourth to put the game away. The Greyhounds scored once more in the final period but could not slow Sleen or match the Hawks’ big-play production.
Hermantown quarterback Sawyer Senst completed 3 of 7 passes for 34 yards and rushed four times for 17 yards and a touchdown. Owen Simonson added 36 yards on six attempts, Bryson Eischen rushed for 33 yards on three carries and Sawyer Johnson gained 11 yards on his only attempt.
Kole Lendzyk caught one pass for 19 yards, and Sam Witty had two receptions for 15 yards.
Sleen also contributed 57 yards on three punt returns, including a 48-yard return. Between his rushing production and work in the return game, he consistently gave the Hawks favorable field position and supplied the decisive scoring difference.
Duluth East finished with 270 total yards and ran 58 plays, 23 more than Hermantown. The Greyhounds collected 17 first downs to the Hawks’ 13 and converted five of six fourth-down attempts, but Hermantown’s ability to create touchdowns quickly prevented East from controlling the game.
Greyhounds quarterback Issac Emerson completed 19 of 32 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted twice and sacked twice. Emerson also led East with 67 rushing yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
Dane Ahrens rushed 10 times for 40 yards and a touchdown. Ty Schingen caught four passes for 49 yards and a score, Joe Sylvester had two receptions for 18 yards and a touchdown, and Kaden Meyer finished with five catches for 48 yards. Andrew Evanson added six receptions for 33 yards.
East converted only 2 of 13 third downs, while Hermantown went 0-for-5. The Hawks compensated by converting all three of their fourth-down attempts and averaging nearly a first down every time they ran the football.
Hermantown committed five penalties for 55 yards but did not turn over the ball. East also avoided a fumble but lost two possessions on interceptions.
Hermantown (3-0) will host Cloquet (2-1) at 7 p.m. Friday.
