The Hastings Raiders wrapped up their regular season on the road in Mankato, taking on a tough Mankato East squad ranked ninth in the state for Class AAAAA. It was a wet, gritty night on a grass field that could have been more like a slip-and-slide by the end of it, thanks to recent rainfall that turned the turf into mush. But Hastings showed up swinging, even if the final scoreboard didn’t tip in their favor. The Raiders fell 37-29, but not without making it a memorable battle.
Coming off a dominant 49-7 win over Burnsville, the Raiders came into Week 8 riding momentum, sitting at 4-3 and looking to knock off a 5-2 Cougars team with playoff seeding implications hanging in the balance. Hastings struck early and kept it tight throughout, but miscues and defensive breakdowns at key moments proved costly.
The game opened with a burst of action. Just over two minutes in, Mankato East quarterback Kellen Willaert found Nick Rosevold for a 30-yard touchdown pass, setting the tone for what would become a high-octane first quarter. Hastings responded quickly. Grant Birken punched in a 9-yard touchdown run, capping a well-executed drive, and Cody Weber knocked in the extra point to tie it at 7. But barely seconds later, Willaert connected with Lucas Gustafson on a 78-yard bomb that stunned the Raiders’ secondary and flipped the momentum right back. A late first-quarter field goal from Hayden Tischler stretched the Cougars’ lead to 16-7 after one.
The second quarter belonged to Hastings for a brief stretch. Zack Shatek, who was a force all night, broke loose for a 31-yard touchdown run, one of many explosive plays for the junior running back. Not long after, Birken came up with a huge defensive play, intercepting a pass and taking it 25 yards to the house, flipping the script and giving Hastings a 21-16 lead.
The Cougars responded right before halftime, again through the air. With just eight seconds left in the second quarter, Tischler hauled in a 13-yard pass from Willaert to cut the Hastings lead to 21-22 going into the break. That late score felt like a gut punch, shifting momentum at the most critical moment.
Coming out of halftime, Mankato East kept their foot on the gas. On their opening drive of the third, Logan Kleist muscled in a one-yard touchdown run, capping a physical series that pushed the Cougars back in front. Hastings tried to answer but stalled out in the red zone and couldn’t convert on third down, forcing a punt.
Early in the fourth, Kleist struck again, this time from five yards out. Willaert then hit Braden Petzel for a two-point conversion, making it 37-21. The Raiders weren’t done yet. With under two minutes remaining, Shatek punched in his second rushing touchdown of the night from three yards out. Birken added a two-point conversion pass from Carter Hanson to make it a one-possession game, 37-29. But time ran out before Hastings could mount a final push.
Offensively, the Raiders did a lot right. They racked up 445 total yards on 64 plays, including 260 yards on the ground. Most of that came from Shatek, who turned in another monster performance. The junior running back carried the ball 26 times for 249 yards and two touchdowns, averaging nearly 10 yards per carry. He was nearly unstoppable despite the slick conditions, breaking tackles and making defenders miss with ease. His ability to bounce outside or lower the shoulder up the middle continues to be the heartbeat of this Hastings offense.
Grant Birken added a rushing touchdown and a defensive score on the pick-six, showing his value on both sides of the ball. Birken also had a two-point conversion reception and contributed in the return game. Quarterback Carter Hanson went 3-for-6 passing for 44 yards and one interception. The passing game wasn’t a major factor in this one, partly because of the rain-soaked conditions, and partly because the ground game was working.
Elliott Hagen and Zack Shatek each had one reception, with Hagen hauling in a 27-yarder, the longest pass play for the Raiders on the night. Matt Foss was quiet in the receiving game but contributed on special teams. Cody Weber remained steady, going 3-for-3 on extra points.
Defensively, it was a mixed bag. The Raiders gave up 299 yards through the air and struggled to contain the big plays. Willaert had three touchdown passes for Mankato East, including two of 30 yards or more. The coverage breakdowns were critical and missed tackles in open space allowed the Cougars to flip field position quickly.
Still, there were bright spots on defense. Birken’s interception touchdown kept the Raiders in the game during the second quarter. Shatek also had a punt return touchdown called back due to a penalty, a momentum swing that could have changed the game. The Raiders only committed seven penalties for 55 yards, which is within reason, but a few came at inopportune moments that extended Cougar drives.
On special teams, Hastings held their own. Cody Weber averaged over 35 yards per punt, and kick return coverage kept the Cougars from breaking loose. Kickoff return yards were solid as well, with Shatek again showing his versatility by averaging over 40 yards on his returns.
Looking at the full-season numbers through eight games, Hastings sits at 4-4 overall, with a 2-2 conference record. The Raiders scored 228 points while giving up 227. That razor-thin margin sums up their season well: competitive in every game, with just a few plays here or there determining outcomes. They’ve averaged 7.09 yards per carry as a team on 281 rushing attempts, totaling 1,993 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground. Through the air, they’ve thrown for 874 yards on 94 attempts, completing 56 percent of their passes for four touchdowns.
Individually, Shatek leads the way with 1,746 rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns. He has also contributed 67 receiving yards, 255 return yards, and a punt return touchdown, amassing over 2,000 all-purpose yards. Birken has added 87 rushing yards, 70 receiving yards, and four total touchdowns. Hagen, Foss, and Lundstrom have also chipped in on the receiving end, with Foss leading the team with 453 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Cody Weber has hit 17 of 18 extra points on the season and remains a steady presence.
The Raiders now turn their attention to the postseason. They’ve proven they can hang with strong teams, and if Shatek continues to run wild and the defense can tighten up, they’ll be a tough out for anyone.
Fans can catch the Raiders’ next varsity game in the second round of the Section 3AAAAA playoffs. This year’s section has five teams with St. Thomas Academy earning the top spot. Hastings earned the second seed and will host Two Rivers on Oct. 25 at 2:00 p.m. Apple Valley (4) and Burnsville (5) essentially have a play in game prior to Saturday with the winner heading to St. Thomas. Saturday’s winners will play each other on Friday, Oct. 31 at 6:00 p.m. at the high seed for the section championship and a trip to the state tournament.