Skip to content
Duluth Weather --° Loading conditions Feels like --° · Humidity --% · Wind -- National Weather Service

The Best UMD Men's Hockey Daily Coverage On This Planet

Today's Column: These Bulldogs have championship talent. They have not earned the comparison yet.
Sign In Subscribe
Howie Sports — Hermantown Football — Hermantown Volleyball — Hermantown Softball — Grand Rapids Football

Way-too-early 2023-24 high school sports rankings

,   and  Howie
1 Minute Read
Head coach Mike Zagelmeyer has built a dominating program at Hermantown. Howie / Duluth Times

Table of Contents

Hermantown will again field elite teams Lake Superior Conference boys and girls sports in 2023-24, the Duluth Times opines with a great deal of knowledge and confidence.

The mighty Hawks boys will be conference preseason favorites in football, hockey, boys basketball and baseball next season. Hermantown will also again field conference-contending teams in volleyball and softball, and the Proctor-Hermantown Mirage will continue to be the dominate team in regional girls hockey.

Grand Rapids will contend for LSC championships in most sports, including again in boys hockey and baseball

Here's our LSC preseason rankings and players to watch for the various sports:

FOOTBALL

  1. Hermantown. The Hawks finished 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the conference (tie 2nd, behind Grand Rapids) and were upset by North Branch 28-20 in a Section 7AAAA semifinal at Corey Veech Field a year ago. Hermantown returns starting junior quarterback Alex Schott, a Duluth Times 2023 All-Preseason First Team selection. Junior RB/LB River Freeman is another All-Preseason First Team pick. WR/DB Brody Summers, a senior and returning impact starter, is elite player to watch.
  2. Grand Rapids. Finished 8-1, 6-0 (1st), and suffered a major Section 7AAAA semifinal home loss against Cloquet, 42-15.
  3. North Branch. Finished 8-3, 4-2 (tie 2nd), defeating Cloquet 34-6 in the 7AAAA final
  4. Cloquet. Finished 7-4, 3-3 (3rd).
  5. Duluth Denfeld. Finished 3-6, 2-3 (tie 4th)
  6. Rock Ridge. Finished 1-8 and 0-6 (last).
  7. Duluth East. Finished 4-6 and 2-4 (tie 4th).

VOLLEYBALL

  1. Hermantown
  2. Cloquet
  3. Grand Rapids
  4. Rock Ridge
  5. Duluth Denfeld
  6. Duluth East

BOYS SOCCER

  1. Duluth Denfeld
  2. Duluth East
  3. Grand Rapids
  4. Cloquet
  5. Rock Ridge
  6. Hermantown
  7. Duluth Marshall

GIRLS SOCCER

  1. Hermantown
  2. Cloquet
  3. Duluth Marshall
  4. Cloquet
  5. Rock Ridge
  6. Grand Rapids
  7. Duluth East

BOYS HOCKEY

  1. Hermantown
  2. Grand Rapids
  3. Hibbing
  4. Rock Ridge
  5. Cloquet
  6. Duluth East
  7. Duluth Marshall
  8. Duluth Denfeld

GIRLS HOCKEY

  1. Proctor-Hermantown
  2. Grand Rapids
  3. Duluth Marshall
  4. Cloquet
  5. Rock Ridge
  6. Hibbing
  7. Duluth

BOYS BASKETBALL

  1. Hermantown
  2. Grand Rapids
  3. Duluth Denfeld
  4. Superior
  5. Duluth East
  6. Cloquet
  7. Rock Ridge
  8. Hibbing
  9. Duluth Marshall

GIRLS BASKETBALL

  1. Grand Rapids
  2. Superior
  3. Rock Ridge
  4. Cloquet
  5. Duluth East
  6. Duluth Denfeld
  7. Duluth Marshall
  8. Hibbing

 

Comments

Related

Howie Sports

Monsters to host Beaumont with final AF1 playoff berth at stake

The Minnesota Monsters will host the Beaumont Renegades in the Arena Football One regular-season finale at 6 p.m. Saturday at Amsoil Arena. Minnesota (7-4) has secured the No. 3 seed and will host a first-round playoff game the following weekend. The Monsters’ opponent will be either

1 Minute Read
Members Public
Howie Sports

Hermantown star Senst attacks rehabilitation, targets football opener

Senst is the athlete younger Hawks can watch and emulate, the teammate coaches can trust and the quarterback willing to accept responsibility. He is already one of Hermantown High School’s finest athletes. His senior year could add another memorable chapter, but it will not define him.

5 Minute Read
Members Public

Latest

Media

KQDS to broadcast Milwaukee Bucks games in Duluth-Superior market

KQDS FOX21 will broadcast Milwaukee Bucks games in the Duluth-Superior market during the 2026-27 NBA season under an agreement announced Thursday by the station and Coastal TV Broadcasting Group. KQDS will carry Bucks regular-season games made available for local television distribution. Most games will air on KQDS

1 Minute Read
Members Public
Advertising

Swim Creative marks 20 years in Duluth

Swim is entering its third decade with an updated brand and an increased use of emerging technology. The agency serves local, national and international clients.

1 Minute Read
Members Public
Hermantown

Kolenda’s hat trick powers Hermantown past North Branch 6-0

Vienna Kolenda scored three goals, including two during a decisive second-half stretch, as Hermantown shut out North Branch 6-0 in nonconference girls soccer. Kolenda opened the scoring in the ninth minute, converting a pass from Bryden Giesen. Kaitlyn Patterson extended the lead to 2-0 in the 28th

1 Minute Read
Members Public
Imagine Downtown shifts from planning to action, targets 1,500 new homes
Imagine Duluth Community Update. Screenshot
City of Duluth

Imagine Downtown shifts from planning to action, targets 1,500 new homes

Thursday’s update revealed a broad community vision and made clear that its success will now depend on whether the participating organizations can establish the development corporation, finance housing and service expansions and turn conceptual public improvements into completed projects.

3 Minute Read
Members Public