The Hastings Raiders girls golf team hit the links on Thursday, April 17, at Emerald Greens Golf Club in Hastings for a competitive multi-team invitational. The Raiders battled through gusty spring …
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The Hastings Raiders girls golf team hit the links on Thursday, April 17, at Emerald Greens Golf Club in Hastings for a competitive multi-team invitational. The Raiders battled through gusty spring winds and stiff competition to claim fifth place with a team score of 185, finishing just two strokes behind Simley and within striking distance of the top three.
The event featured a strong field of seven schools, led by Mahtomedi, who posted a dominant 168 to take first place, edging out Two Rivers at 170 and Hill-Murray at 173. Simley secured fourth with a 183, just ahead of Hastings by two strokes. Rounding out the field were South Saint Paul at 208 and North Tartan at 210.
Senior Claire Stoffel led the Raiders on her home course, carding a team-best 44 to finish in 12th place overall. Stoffel, who continues to be a steady leader for Hastings, demonstrated poise under pressure with a consistent round that helped anchor the team's score.
Close behind was sophomore Courtney Pine, who turned in a solid 46, good for 15th place. Pine’s round featured confident swings and a reliable short game, continuing her trend of strong play early in the season.
Junior Lauren Judge followed closely with a 47, placing her 18th individually, while sophomore Harmon Brown added a 48 to finish in 20th. Senior Madison Haines posted a 50 for 24th place, and junior Haylee Newton rounded out the lineup with a 56, placing 35th.
Despite finishing fifth, the Raiders showed solid depth, with all six golfers landing inside the top 35 in the individual standings. The tight spread among their top four scorers is an encouraging sign for head coach Kevin Stoffel as the team looks to build momentum heading into the heart of the season.
“It was great to have the girls playing on our home course today,” said Coach Stoffel. “The conditions were challenging, but I’m proud of how they stayed focused and played through it. Claire set the tone early, and we had some really good efforts from our younger players.”
With more Metro East Conference meets on the horizon, the Raiders are aiming to sharpen their consistency and close the gap on conference rivals like Simley and Two Rivers. The next few weeks will be crucial as the team prepares for postseason play, and Thursday’s performance at Emerald Greens showed that the Raiders are very much in the hunt.
