Prep report: Gilbertson scores second-half winner for Hermantown girls

A 65th-minute goal from Hermantown's Karlee Gilbertson broke a scoreless deadlock and held up as a game-winner for the Hawks in a Section 7AA quarterfinal vs. North Branch.

The fourth-seeded Hawks and fifth-seeded Vikings found themselves locked in a nearly-even battle, with both goalkeepers (Cambriia Thomas for Hermantown, Dylan Lifto for North Branch) called on to make four saves.

The win, only the Hawks' second in their last 12 games, nets Hermantown a date at top-seeded Grand Rapids (which had a bye) on Thursday night.

The Hunters kicked off their postseason run by dismissing Hibbing/Chisholm at Public Schools Stadium.

Denfeld's Karin Hill scored a brace, with Jordyn Sershon, Alyssa Doyle and Luci Chastey getting their names on the scoresheet. Caddy Taylor pitched in a pair of assists.

Cayley Larsen made two saves for third-seeded Denfeld, which will play at second-seeded Cloquet-Carlton in Thursday's semifinals. The Lumberjacks breezed past Mesabi East 13-1 on Tuesday.

Nathan Hill notched a hat trick as the Hawks bounced the Giants in a Section 7AA quarterfinal on Tuesday night.

Kade Kohanski had a big hand in Hill's success, assisting on his second and third goals, in the 20th and 50th minutes.

Vincent Trok opened the scoring for Hermantown five minutes in, and Sterling Trok made three saves for the third-seeded Hawks (11-6).

The second-seeded Hunters pounced on their prey early, getting all the scoring they needed in a nine-minute stretch of the first half.

Brayden Rock made it 1-0 in the 23rd minute, and was followed seconds later by Parker Chastey. Matt Eklund assisted on that one, then scored in his own right about eight minutes later.

Camden Rask had the clean sheet with three saves for Denfeld (11-5-1), which pumped 18 shots on the Vikings' goal.

Denfeld and Hermantown will meet Thursday at Public Schools Stadium.

Grant Chandler bent a free kick in by the near post of the Hibbing/Chisholm goal to give the fourth-seeded Thunderhawks an overtime victory in their Section 7AA quarterfinal.

Dylan Henrichsen had the other goal for Rapids, which plays at top-seeded Cloquet-Esko-Carlton on Thursday.

Riley Panger's seven kills got the Greyhounds going in a 25-23, 25-14, 25-18 sweep of their cross-town rivals on Tuesday night.

Panger added 11 digs, while Brooke Schmidt had 15. Ola Okoro dished out 11 assists.

The Bluejackets ended a lengthy losing streak by outlasting the Hilltoppers 15-13 in the fifth set.

Brooke Siekkinen led Hibbing with 13 kills and Ava Weyrauch added 12, some of them from Bevie Fink's 26 assists.

Jenna Sacco-LaMusga led the defense with 17 digs.

Ava Carlson put up 13 kills as the Lumberjacks rolled to a sweep at home against Princeton.

Lexi Niemi led the defense with 15 digs.

The Tigers overcame a narrow loss of the first set to take the next three.

Kayla Paulsen had a big night on both ends of the court, posting 16 kills and 15 digs.

Brynn Hessel had an even more dominant all-around performance of 13 kills, 12 digs, five blocks and five aces.

Paulsen and Hessel, both seniors, were two of four Tigers with double digit digs in Northwestern's last home match of the season.