Hunters Will Rely On Experience, Trust This Upcoming Season

Duluth Denfeld have higher expectations for the 2018 season.

DULUTH, Minn. – High school athletics is all about turnover. Kids are graduating every year so it’s hard to predict what teams are going to be good. That’s what Duluth Denfeld is banking on this upcoming season.

The Hunters won just a single game last season. However, they bring back one of the most experienced teams in the Northland. But to improve on last year’s disappointment, the team knows they have to put in the work before each game kicks off.

“I think practice is just working your hardest. You can say all you want about during the game. But if you’re not working hard in practice, you’re not going to get anywhere in the game,” said tackle Dane Herold.

“In the second week you find out what kind of football players you have because you can start hitting. That’s when you separate kids that you think are good football players and people who actually are good football players,” head coach Frank Huie said.

And with that experience, the team has gained something else through those tough times: trust amongst each other.

“It’s really important. I play center so it’s nice to know my guard is going to be helping me so if I need to double-team, he’s going to be right there helping me. It’s good to know,” center Sam Michelizzi said.

“I have, out of the 15, 11 of them played or started at some point last year. We do have quite a bit of experience and some kids that we trust and so far, it’s been fun,” said Huie.

Duluth Denfeld opens their season Thursday, August 30th at Two Harbors.