Skip to content

Sports Notebook: This Week's Prep Football Openers

Northeast Red favorite Hermantown will open the 2024 season Friday night at home against neighborhood rival Proctor, in the annual Hammer Game.

Hermantown vs. Duluth Denfeld, 2023. Howie / HowieHanson.com

Note: Sports Notebook is powered by Perrault Construction, the trusted roofing, siding and window company in Duluth.

Thursday

Duluth East at Esko, 6 p.m.

Cook County at Mountain Iron-Buhl, 6 p.m.

Barnum at Moose Lake-Willow River, 7 p.m.

Chisholm at Aitkin, 7 p.m.

Rock Ridge at Hibbing, 7 p.m.

Grand Rapids at Pine City, 7 p.m.

Mesabi East at South Ridge, 7 p.m.

Carlton-Wrenshall at Verndale, 7 p.m.

Duluth Denfeld at Mora, 7 p.m.

Friday

Ely at International Falls, 6 p.m.

Proctor at Hermantown, 7 p.m.

Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin at Mille Lacs, 7 p.m.

Bigford at Littlefork-Big Falls, 7 p.m.

Two Harbors at Cloquet, 7 p.m.

McGregor at Cromwell-Wright, 7 p.m.

Today's Prep Events

Girls Soccer

Hermantown at Duluth Marshall, 4 p.m. Match Notes: The Hawks (0-1-1) tied visiting North Branch 1-1 on Thursday and lost 3-2 at Zimmerman Friday. Junior Cambriia Thomas has been sensational in goal for Hermantown. The Hilltoppers are 1-1-0.

Boys Soccer

Duluth Marshall at Hermantown, 4 p.m. Match Notes: The Hawks lost their 2024 season opener at Benilde-St. Margaret’s, 3-2, Thursday. The Hilltoppers are 1-1-0, with an 8-0, season-opening home victory against Spectrum on Friday and a 6-0 home loss to Two Rivers Saturday.

"I like our squad," said Hermantown head coach David Thompson. "We are pretty balanced in all areas of the field. Owen Landrigan is getting lots of offensive chances up top as an attacker. Our back line is solid, anchored by Gabe Wiita at center back. Our inside midfield is talented and hard-working featuring Evan OgstonGraff Mellin and Hunter Nelson. And we have a young but athletic and intelligent goalkeeper in sophomore Ethan Aysta. This week we play two conference games against Marshall and Proctor. I am excited to see how we perform in these important matches." 

Volleyball

Esko at Hermantown, 7 p.m. Match Notes: The Hawks defeated host Duluth Marshall 3-0 in both team’s season opener Thursday. Esko (1-0) defeated visiting Hibbing 3-0 Friday.

Comments

Latest

Howie: Indoor Football League Notebook

Howie is editor & publisher of 50-Yard Football The Indoor Football League, founded in 2009, enters its 18th consecutive season in 2026 as the longest continuously operating indoor football league in the United States and the sport’s de facto major league. With 14 teams across eight top-50 media markets,

Members Public

Howie: IFL Notebook

Arizona makes its season debut behind quarterback Max Meylor, the league’s reigning MVP. The offense includes receivers Arland Bruce, Isaiah Huston and Corey Reed Jr., with Ron Brown Jr. at running back.

Members Public

Howie: The 10 most important people in arena football right now

If arena football stabilizes, history will trace it back to whether Jerry Kurz succeeds. Kurz understands the league’s past because he lived it. His challenge is preventing nostalgia from becoming policy. Expansion discipline, ownership vetting and media credibility all run through his office.

Members Public