With just the tiniest hint of fall in the afternoon air on Sunday. The MN North Mesabi Range Norse took the field in pads and helmets with the united goal of turning the page on a 2025 season that left them with a bitter taste in their mouths.
Norse Head Coach Tom Inforzato said that “We feel like we have a lot of talent coming in and some nice talent returning. Our expectations are very high this year after coming off a kind of disappointing 2025 after a state title run the year before. We came off a bad campaign, so I think the guys are excited to come out and get some retribution.” The Norse finished 2025 with a 3-and-6 record and a quarterfinal loss in the playoffs, following an almost Cinderella run in 2024 where, after a shaky season opening, the team caught fire and advanced to the state championship game.
Inforzato, when asked about the incoming squad and the 2026 recruiting class, was happy with the numbers, with 14 or 15 sophomores and about 40 incoming freshmen securing the ranks. “We really are trying to just take one day at a time, and honestly we’ve had the best opening to our fall camp in years.” “The players’ intensity and positivity have been very good, at least for the first three or four days of camp, and we as coaches really like this group.”
The returning sophomores have really stepped up, setting the tone for the incoming freshmen as they learn the culture and program at Mesabi Range.
Players are putting in the work on the practice field, noting they have only two weeks before the team travels to Duluth, where they will take on St. Scholastica in a full-contact scrimmage game. The preseason contest will be played like a traditional game, except that both coaching staffs will be able to stop the clock and address what they see on the field. Inforzato sees it as a great way to get the players accustomed to the college game before the season opener on September 5th in Mountain Iron.
Inforzato said that traditionally the Norse have been a pretty big team, but this year, “We’re not the biggest team; we’ve got a few guys that are pretty big, but We’re really going to predicate a lot of things on our speed and quickness this year, and that’s not a bad trade-off.”
“We’re returning two All-Americans as true freshmen, so we’re really excited to see what they can bring as sophomores.” Defensive lineman Nimo Young and running back Osten Jones both took home All-American honors, and after going through the off-season strength and conditioning programs, are ready to step up as team leaders.
The 2025 season saw the injury bug bite hard in the quarterback room, with the Norse using four quarterbacks and finishing the year in a wildcat situation, relying on running back Osten Jones to carry the load. That was a change from the two years before, when they had quarterback Jonathan Mosley, two-time Offensive Player of the Year and All-American.
While the starting quarterback role is still open, the team is seeing the return of quarterback Zeyshawn Martin, and he’s looking pretty impressive so far in this fall camp. “I think he definitely grew during his off-season. “
We have some new wide receivers who are pretty fast and pretty exciting, as well as some secondary guys. “We have some talent.” “I’m very optimistic about this group.
The team will feature some familiar faces this year, with players from Duluth Denfeld, Hibbing, Mountain Iron, and Chisholm.
Sunday evening practice featured a mix of tackling and route drills, along with one-on-one blocking workouts that built both intensity and camaraderie. The 2026 campaign promises a faster, more athletic game for fans.
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