Hermantown’s football team narrowly missed out on winning their region championship last season, but that’s just another incentive for the Hawks to hit the ground running this year.

“Last year it was pretty disappointing to lose the sectional final, but every team is different,” Hawks head coach Mike Zagelmeyer said. “We lost 15 guys last year and these guys are ready to make a statement. The group of seniors we have and the juniors that are going to help us and maybe even a couple sophomores… Last year is last year. This is a new year and that’s how they approach it, but it still leaves a bitter taste to lose that sectional final game.”

It also doesn’t hurt to have an experienced quarterback like Alex Schott, as he knows how to navigate the section.

“We’re ready to go,” Schott said. “We can’t wait to get to the first game. The Hammer Game is a big game and I think for us it’s step by step. We know we have to think about the playoffs, but it’s just the beginning of the year. We’ve got one game at a time and it’s just good to be back out here and I think everyone is excited. Put the pads back on, start hitting people and get back into the swing of things.”

The Hawks’ first game is the “Hammer Game” against Proctor on August 30th at 7 p.m.