The Hastings Raiders boys golf team wrapped up its season last week at the Section 3AAA Tournament, held May 28 and May 29. The two-day event opened at Loggers Trail Golf Course in Stillwater before concluding at Bunker Hills Golf Club. The tournament featured many of the top teams in the state, including St. Thomas Academy and Rosemount, with golfers battling for team and individual spots in the Class AAA State Tournament. The top five teams and the top 10 individual golfers not on those teams advanced from the first round to the final day of competition.
Entering the section tournament, Hastings was coming off a strong finish at the conference championship and carried confidence into the postseason. Head coach Matt Klein said the Raiders felt comfortable returning to a course where they had recently posted one of their best rounds of the season.
"We were just here a week and a day ago, kids had a great round and shot 303 which playing a par 73 it's really like a 299," Klein said before the tournament. "We have a lot of kids that can score, so it's always good to have that you're not relying on four individuals every week. We have six kids that could be the number today, and we're excited to see who they are."
Hastings opened the tournament at Loggers Trail on May 28 and delivered one of its strongest team performances of the season. The Raiders posted a 307-team score, finishing fourth among the teams advancing to the second day. St. Thomas Academy led the field with a 284, followed by Rosemount at 287 and Two Rivers at 309.
Junior David Bauer paced the Raiders with a stellar two-under-par 70, placing him among the tournament leaders after the opening round. Bauer's round gave Hastings a strong foundation heading into day two. Mason Leary added a 79, while Rylan Krauth carded a 78. Drew Mamer and Chase Pine each contributed rounds of 80. Brecken Fullerton rounded out the Hastings lineup with an 88.
The Raiders entered the final round in fourth place and remained in contention against several highly ranked programs. Klein emphasized the team's focus was on playing the course rather than worrying about competitors.
"It's just you and the course. We don't even look at the teams we're playing, we're trying to do our best, and hopefully that comes out today," Klein said before the opening round.
The tournament concluded May 29 at Bunker Hills Golf Club, where Hastings posted a 320-team score to finish with a two-day total of 627. The Raiders secured fourth place overall in the section standings, finishing behind champion St. Thomas Academy (568), runner-up Rosemount (577), and third-place Two Rivers (623). Hastings narrowly edged fifth-place Eagan, which finished at 629.
Bauer continued his outstanding postseason play with a 76 in the final round, completing the tournament at 146, two strokes over par. His performance earned a tie for fifth place individually, making him the top Hastings finisher and keeping him among the section's elite golfers throughout both days.
Krauth finished second among Raiders golfers with a two-day total of 158, placing 24th overall. Mamer and Pine each finished at 162, tying for 32nd place after matching rounds of 80 and 82. Leary was close behind at 163, good for 35th place, while Fullerton finished with a 177 over the two rounds.
Hastings demonstrated the depth Klein spoke about before the tournament, placing five golfers within 17 strokes of one another and remaining competitive against a field that included two of the state's top-ranked teams. The Raiders advanced comfortably through the first-day cut and held their position among the top teams throughout the championship.
The fourth-place finish closes another strong season for Hastings. The Raiders battled through a challenging conference schedule, earned a top-four finish in the section championship, and were led by Bauer's fifth-place individual performance. With several underclassmen contributing key scores throughout the season, including Bauer, Krauth, and Pine, Hastings will bring valuable experience into next year's campaign.