Vikings Weekly: Volleyball wins tournament championship, football remains undefeated

Welcome to Vikings Weekly as we track the latest results for high school teams based in Cook County.

Cross Country

Both the boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams competed in the Hibbing Rotary Invitational. The boys’ race featured 20 schools, while 18 competed in the girls’ race. Teams traveled from communities including Duluth, Hermantown, Cloquet, Grand Rapids and International Falls.

The boys’ team tied Hermantown for third place, finishing behind Duluth East and Hibbing. Atley Beckstrand led the boys with a time of 17:14, placing 10th out of 154 runners. Sam Swartz wasn’t far behind, finishing 12th in 17:21.

The girls’ team finished ninth. Sierra Geatz placed sixth individually out of 137 runners. Elizabeth Swartz was Cook County’s second finisher, crossing the line in 21:36.

The team will compete in the Swain Invitational on Oct. 3 at Enger Park Golf Course in Duluth.

Volleyball

The girls’ volleyball team went on a winning streak this past week, winning both of its regular-season matches, including a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over the Silver Bay Mariners, before winning the On the Edge Volleyball Tournament in Bigfork.

The Vikings began the week against Silver Bay. The Mariners took the first set 28-26 and won the second to put Cook County in a 2-0 hole.

The Vikings battled back to win the third set before taking the fourth 26-24. Cook County completed the comeback with a 15-12 victory in the fifth set.

The Vikings carried that momentum into a 3-0 victory over the McGregor Mercuries on Thursday. Scarlett Higgins and Lauren Berglund each recorded seven kills, while Brooklyn Nelson added six.

The Vikings spent Saturday competing in the 20th annual On the Edge Volleyball Tournament in Bigfork. Cook County beat Northome-Kelliher and Hill City-Northland in three sets to advance to the championship match against the Blackduck Drakes.

The Vikings won the championship in two sets, 25-23 and 25-18.

Cook County will have a rematch with Silver Bay on Oct. 1 at 6:30 p.m. at William Kelley High School.

Football.

The Cook County Vikings football team continued its undefeated season against the Blackduck Drakes on Friday night, winning 48-8 to improve to 3-0. Cook County’s last regular-season loss came Sept. 13, 2024.

The Vikings jumped out to an early lead and were ahead 40-0 at halftime. Graham Oberholtzer kept drives alive as a dual-threat quarterback, using his legs to pick up first downs and scrambling to extend plays. The senior threw a 58-yard touchdown pass near the end of the first half.

The Vikings will host Northome-Kelliher at Lyle Anderson Field on Oct. 2 at 6 p.m.

Josh Hinke September 27, 2026