Hermantown girls soccer opens the 2025 season Thursday at North Branch, carrying the memory of last year’s near-miss and the strength of a senior class that now spans every line of the field.
The Hawks finished 7-8-2 in 2024 but turned heads in the postseason. They beat Hibbing/Chisholm 4-0 in the Section 7AA quarterfinals, stunned Grand Rapids 2-1 in the semifinals, and pushed Cloquet-Carlton to a shootout in the championship before falling 2-1. The run underscored what Hermantown already knew — that despite an uneven regular season, the group had grown together, learned from close losses and was capable of standing toe-to-toe with the top of the section.
This fall, the schedule offers no soft landings. The Hawks open at North Branch, the same team they drew with in last year’s opener, before hosting Duluth Marshall on August 26. They travel to Proctor on August 28, then come home for an early-season measuring stick against Cloquet-Carlton on September 2. The schedule tightens quickly from there: Denfeld on September 9, Benilde-St. Margaret’s on September 12, and another conference tilt at Hibbing/Chisholm on September 16.
The Hawks host Denfeld again September 20, then close the season with matchups at Rock Ridge, at Zimmerman, and finally at Duluth East on October 1. A road date at Coon Rapids provides a nonconference test against a bigger-school opponent. It’s a schedule that will demand focus and squad depth from the start, particularly in the back-to-back stretch of Proctor, Cloquet and Denfeld to open September.
The leadership now rests with an eight-player senior class. Goalkeeper Cambriia Thomas is the anchor in net, experienced and calm under pressure. Defender Brooke Wiese organizes the back line, while Gianna Schinigoi adds strength and balance alongside her. Forwards Claire Niksich and Mya Gunderson provide pace and scoring threat up front, while midfielders Avea Harriman and Molly White bring creativity and work rate in the middle third. Versatile senior Danika Bolf fills gaps across positions, giving Hermantown a player who can shift roles seamlessly when injuries or matchups demand it.
The juniors represent the next wave of reliability. Midfielder Vienna Kolenda, forward Bryden Giesen, defender Riley Holmgren and midfielder McKenna Johnson each logged significant minutes last year and step into bigger roles now. Sophomores Kaija Markovich and Taylee Manion headline the younger group, both forwards who flashed promise as freshmen and will be expected to stretch defenses again this fall. Goalkeeper Lucy Critchley, also a sophomore, adds valuable depth behind Thomas.
Continuity is Hermantown’s calling card. Thirty players return from last fall, a bottomless pool that ensures sharp competition for playing time in training and gives the Hawks tactical options. The coaching staff can rotate fresh legs into midfield, push numbers higher in attack or sit deeper defensively, knowing there is trust across the roster.
Last year’s 7-8-2 mark could have read differently. The Hawks were a bounce or two away from flipping several one-goal losses, and their playoff run confirmed they had grown into a tougher, more resilient group by October. That resilience is the foundation for 2025. The seniors have lived through the sting of falling just short, and the underclass has tasted how quickly momentum can swing in section play.
The mission this fall is simple: finish the job. The Hawks want to win the matches they let slip a year ago, stay sharper in the defensive third, and be more clinical in front of goal. With experienced seniors at every level, a balanced midfield, and proven scoring options up top, Hermantown enters 2025 with as strong a roster as they’ve had in years.
The Lake Superior Conference schedule will be unforgiving, the nonconference opponents will test their ceiling, and the section will run again through Cloquet-Carlton. But the Hawks are equipped with depth, chemistry, and belief.
After coming within one shootout of state a year ago, Hermantown begins this season with the conviction that the next step is within reach.