Hermantown and Cloquet are co-favorites to win a Northeast Red high school football championship this fall, based on a deep-dive into the returning rosters of the seven league teams.
Defending champion North Branch and always-competitive Grand Rapids also figure to make a strong push for a league title in 2022.
Last season, Hermantown fell to Grand Rapids 19-7 in a Section 7AAAA semifinal at Corey Veech Field at Centricity Stadium, and finished 5-4 overall.
In the regular season, the Hawks defeated Grand Rapids 35-14, Duluth East 28-25, Duluth Denfeld 24-24, Aitkin 28-6 and Rock Ridge 55-0, and lost to Moose Lake-Willow River 28-21, Cloquet 14-7 and North Branch 50-42.
North Branch won the conference title with a 6-0 mark.
“Cloquet is a team to watch this fall,” said fifth-year Hermantown coach Mike Zagelmeyer, while seeking to downplay the Hawks’ experienced and talented roster.
However, there will be no hiding for Hermantown, which has reached the Section 7AAAA finals in three of the last four years and last advanced to state in 2018.
“Our strength is in the offense line, where we return most of our starters from a year ago,” said Zagelmeyer, the DuluthTimes.com’s unanimous choice for 2022 Section 7AAAA Coach of the Year. “We don’t have the high-powered playmakers that we had a year ago, and senior halfback Rocco Ericksen and senior fullback Josh Muehlbauer will shoulder most of the running load. We haven’t anointed a quarterback, where senior Bruce Slyth is being pushed by junior Abe Soumis and Alex Schott, a sophomore transfer from Colorado who has the best mechanics of the group.
“Middle linebacker Ryder Wrazidlo played a lot as a sophomore. We have a lot of potential, a workhorse team that will drive the field offensively, but potential doesn’t pay the bills.”
Ericksen is a punishing linebacker, and Muehlbauer a run-stopping nose tackle.
Junior halfback-linebacker Zach Thorsten is another potential all-conference player.
Ditto burly senior tackles Ethan Deters and Austin Wunner (6-5, 259), who will anchor the Hawks’ offensive line and “make our offensive work,” Zagelmeyer said.
Senior wide receiver Keaton Christianson also needs to have a big year for Hermantown, which expects to compete for a conference and section championship.
“We’re a quiet group, tough to read,” said Zagelmeyer. “I like their energy and commitment, but we must keep the high energy going. Offensively, we’ll be a workhorse team -- five to six yards per play, driving the field -- and will be strong defensively as always. We’ve got a big freshman class and good numbers overall.”
The Hawks will scrimmage at Esko on Saturday and open Sept. 1 at nonconference Moose Lake-Willow River.
“The first three games are all toughies -- at Moose Lake, at Grand Rapids and finally at home against Duluth East,” said Zagelmeyer. “Moose Lake nipped us with excellent special teams play last season. We like to open against them because they’re always a great team, led by a great coach, and we always learn a lot about ourselves in that game.”