When the going got tough, the Hawks got going in the second half of their Northeast Red high school football game at Cloquet on Friday night.
Down 14-7 late in the third quarter, Hermantown rallied for an impressive 28-14 victory at Rol Bromberg Field, improving to 3-2 and secured their second-straight conference win following an 0-2 start.
“Friday night's game was a game of big plays -- from stopping them at the goal line on their opening drive, to (Josh) Muehlbauer's big rumble for a TD, to (Peyton) Menzel's catch, shake and sprint down the sidelines, to (Joe) Perkins’ pass deflection resulting in (Brody) Summers’ big interception,” said Hermantown coach Mike Zagelmeyer.
Hermantown improved to 3-2 overall, clipping a talented Lumberjacks team that was hoping to improve to 3-1 in the conference.
“I thought our defense did a great job of bending but not breaking and really taking over in the second half,” said Zagelmeyer. “I also thought our players played their best football of the year in the second half, which is something that has been an issue for us. In both of our losses we gave up leads in the second half, and I thought Friday we played even more determined and found that something ‘extra’ to get momentum on our side as the game progressed.
“We challenged our lineman this past week and I thought they responded. I feel our offensive and defensive lineman controlled the line of scrimmage in the second half.”
Muehlbauer rushed for 128 yards – including a 60-yard touchdown late in the third quarter to ignite the comeback – and two scores for the Hawks. The burly fullback-linebacker has rushed for a team-high 474 yards and five touchdowns and has 21 tackles, tied for second on the team.
“Josh is becoming that next level type player for us and has grown as a leader and as a football player this year,” said Zagelmeyer. “We always believed he had it in him, so it is really enjoyable to see him embrace and grow into that role.”
Sophomore quarterback Alex Schott, who rushed for a pair of one-yard touchdowns and connected with wide receiver Menzel on a 38-yard catch-and-run touchdown against the Lumberjacks, has been one of the Hawks’ top young performers.
“Coach (Greg) Aker has put a lot on Alex’s plate, and I really like how he has handled it,” said Zagelmeyer. “He is mature beyond his years and is a football junkie. He understands what we are trying to do offensively and is growing quickly into a very nice football player for us.”
Hermantown (2-2 Northeast Red) will host Proctor (2-3, 2-2 Northeast White) at 7 p.m. Friday at Corey Veech Field at Centricity Stadium.
Hawks Notebook -- Hermantown's Kade Kohanski and Dallas Vieau each had a goal and an assist and Dane Callaway stopped 45 shots to power Kowalski's past Sanford Power 3-1 in an Upper Midwest High School Elite League Hockey game Sunday morning at New Hope Arena South.