Sports - Hastings Journal

The Hastings defense swarms a Bloomington Jefferson ball carrier, with No. 2 wrapping up his legs while Marlowe Strain, No. 89, winds up trying to knock the ball loose. The fumble did not come on this play, but the Raiders later recovered two Jefferson fumbles in the 35-7 victory.

Hastings football rolls past Bloomington Jefferson, improves to 2-0

The Hastings Raiders took control early and carried a four-touchdown lead into halftime Friday, rolling to a 35-7 varsity football victory over Bloomington Jefferson at McNamara Stadium/Todd Field. … more

By Bruce Karnick | 9/26/26

Hastings junior Benjamin Schwanke competes during the Metro East Conference Preview on Tuesday, Sept. 15, at St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park. Schwanke was the Raiders’ second finisher, placing 29th overall in 19:06.6.

Raiders cross country races through busy two-meet week

Hastings cross country runners faced two very different tests during the week, racing against Metro East Conference competition Tuesday before joining large fields at the Roy Griak Invitational … more

By Bruce Karnick | 9/26/26

In the game against Two Rivers at Todd Field, it seemed like, no matter what the Raiders did, nothing went their way. This image really sums up the sheer simplicity of the struggles the Raiders had on the field. A simple, easy stop gets lightly poked past Michael Wenisch for a goal. Odd penalties, a red card and other basic miscues led to a long day for Hastings before they rebounded with two straight hard fought wins.

Hastings boys soccer closes week with back-to-back victories

Hastings boys soccer bounced back from a conference loss with two straight victories last week, including a three-goal second half against Chanhassen on Saturday. The Raiders opened the week Tuesday, … more

By Bruce Karnick | 9/26/26

Hastings football survives Chaska rally for 24-20 win

Hastings took control early, then held off a second-half Chaska rally to remain unbeaten with a 24-20 road victory Friday, Sept. 18. The Raiders scored on three of their first four meaningful … more

By Bruce Karnick | 9/25/26

Hastings cross country girls take fourth, boys fifth at Dewey Minnaert invite

Hastings cross country runners turned in a pair of solid varsity performances Thursday, Sept. 10, at the Dewey Minnaert Cross Country Invitational at St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park, with the Raider … more

By Bruce Karnick | 9/15/26

Hastings’ Maelyn Kirk returns a shot during her No. 2 singles match at Simley on Sept. 8. Kirk fell to Isla Feldman 6-4, 6-2 as the Raiders came up just short in a 4-3 loss.

Hastings girls tennis rebounds with back-to-back dual victories

Hastings girls tennis put together its strongest stretch of the season last week, bouncing back from losses to South St. Paul and Simley with consecutive victories over Farmington and North St. Paul. … more

By Bruce Karnick | 9/15/26

Hastings senior Siena Sanchez scores her second goal of the game early in the second half against Tartan Thursday, Sept. 10. Sanchez scored three times in the Raiders’ 4-2 victory, including two goals less than two minutes apart to open the second half.

Hastings girls soccer beats Tartan for first conference win

Hastings girls soccer picked up its first Metro East Conference victory of the season Thursday, then faced one of its toughest tests of the year two days later as the Raiders split a pair of games … more

By Bruce Karnick | 9/15/26

The scuffs, stains and creases in this Wilson George Brett A2124 are not imperfections that need to be erased. They are reminders of summers spent playing baseball, of a glove shaped with my dad when I was a kid, and of a life that has happened in the decades since. At 52, neither the glove nor its owner needs to look new again, we just need to take care of what needs taking care of, accept the wear we've earned, and see what we've still got

I ain’t dead yet

"I ain't dead yet." That was Dad's way of saying yes before he passed September 10. 2024. It wasn't morbid. Quite the opposite. It meant, let's go. Let's have some fun. Let's do something. We're here today and there is no guarantee about tomorrow, so why would we sit around waiting for life to happen? more

By Bruce Karnick | 9/10/26

UWRF AD earns Nike Executive of the Year by Women Leaders in Sports

RIVER FALLS — University of Wisconsin-River Falls Athletic Director Crystal Lanning received a massive honor over the summer, being named the Nike Executive of the Year by Women Leaders in Sports. … more

By Andrew Harrington | 9/9/26

Hastings tennis to begin busy stretch after being blanked by South St. Paul

The Hastings girls tennis team fell 7-0 to South St. Paul on Thursday, Sept. 3, at Roosevelt Tennis Courts. South St. Paul claimed each of the four singles matches in straight sets. Annie Spreigl … more

By Bruce Karnick | 9/9/26

Ev Rhyner, Kert Boie, Bob Arimura, and LeRoy Wellman.

Golf Fun League Week 16

With the temperature in the 60-70s, the sky partly cloudy and just a slight breeze, 14 eager golfers showed up at Meadowview Golf Course for the weekly Tuesday Golf Fun League. The course as always … more

By Dennis Kieser | 9/6/26

Lila Salzman swims the freestyle leg of Hastings’ winning 400 medley relay during the Metro East Conference Relays Aug. 27 at The Grove in Inver Grove Heights. The Raiders finished in 4:22.20.

Raiders turn depth into first place finish

The Hastings Raiders girls swimming and diving team opened the 2026 season with plenty of depth, then turned that depth into a first-place finish at the Metro East Conference Relays on Thursday, Aug. … more

By Bruce Karnick | 9/4/26

Sophia Johnson and Samantha Seaman compete at No. 1 doubles against Eagan on Aug. 25. The Hastings pair fell to Katherine Poppinga and Marin King 6-1, 6-2.

Raider girls tennis tops Park during busy opening week

Hastings girls tennis picked up its first dual victory of the season during a busy opening week that included four matches in four days. The Raiders opened the week Tuesday, Aug. 25, with a 7-0 … more

By Bruce Karnick | 9/4/26

New coach, returning leaders guide Hastings girls soccer into 2026

The Hastings Raiders girls soccer team enters the 2026 season with a new head coach, a new group taking on larger roles and a difficult act to follow. Hastings reached the Section 3AA championship … more

By Bruce Karnick | 9/3/26

Team-first approach guides new-look Hastings tennis lineup

The Hastings Raiders girls tennis team begins the 2026 season without two names that have been fixtures at the top of the lineup for years, but head coach Marissa Welch does not want the focus to … more

By Bruce Karnick | 9/3/26

Baseball 365 knocks two-time champion Miesville from state tournament

For nearly four months, whenever Minnesota’s Class A amateur baseball voters were asked which team belonged at the top, they kept coming back to the same answer, the Miesville Mudhens. That run … more

By Bruce Karnick | 9/3/26

Hastings soccer squads look ahead after 0-2 starts

Hastings opened the 2026 boys and girls soccer seasons with a pair of non-conference matches for each team, with both Raider squads starting the year 0-2 after games against Eastview and Bloomington … more

By Bruce Karnick | 9/3/26

Fall Sports began this week

What do the Dakota County Fair, the Minnesota State Fair, trees beginning to lose their leaves and Hastings Raiders athletics starting practices all have in common? They all signal that summer is … more

By Bruce Karnick | 8/20/26

Thirty years of golf, wrestling and community

There were no singlets, headgear or takedowns involved Friday, Aug. 7, but the Hastings wrestling community still found a way to get together for a little competition. The 30th Annual Hastings … more

8/16/26

Hastings teams will see changes from new MSHSL decisions

Hastings High School athletes, coaches and fans will see several changes from the Minnesota State High School League during the 2026-27 school year, beginning with a new home for one of Minnesota’s … more

By Bruce Karnick | 8/16/26