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.
Hastings scored once in the first quarter, added three touchdowns in the second and answered Jefferson’s only score with another touchdown late in the third. The Raiders improved to 2-0 overall and 1-0 in Northstar District, East-Maroon play after opening the season with a 38-12 win at New Prague.
The Hastings running game again provided much of the offense, finishing with 224 yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries. Zack Shatek led the way with 160 yards and three touchdowns on 23 attempts, averaging nearly seven yards per carry.
Hastings got on the scoreboard at the end of the first quarter when Shatek scored on a 3-yard run. Cody Weber added the extra point, giving the Raiders a 7-0 lead after one quarter.
The second quarter belonged to Hastings.
Carter Hanson connected with Elliot Hagen for a 23-yard touchdown pass with 6:41 remaining in the half. Weber’s extra point made it 14-0. The score finished a five-play, 44-yard Hastings possession.
The Raiders struck again less than four minutes later. Shatek broke loose for a 50-yard touchdown run with 3:00 remaining, finishing a three-play, 59-yard scoring possession. Weber converted again, pushing the Hastings lead to 21-0.
Hastings still was not finished.
With just nine seconds left before halftime, Hanson found Marlowe Strain for a 17-yard touchdown pass. The six-play scoring possession covered 46 yards, and another Weber extra point sent the Raiders into halftime with a 28-0 advantage.
Hanson completed five of eight passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns in the victory. Hastings did not throw an interception.
Strain caught two passes for 35 yards and the touchdown, while Hagen had one reception for 23 yards and a score. Shatek added two catches for 14 yards to his productive night on the ground.
Hastings also received 49 rushing yards on six carries from Hagen. Hanson gained 12 yards on his only rushing attempt, Payton Perseke had two yards on one carry, and Brock Lundstrom gained one yard on one attempt.
Bloomington Jefferson finally broke through late in the third quarter after putting together its longest scoring possession of the night. The Jaguars went 80 yards in 17 plays, with Joe Moore scoring on a 2-yard run with 50 seconds remaining in the quarter. The extra point cut the Hastings lead to 28-7.
The Raiders needed only 16 seconds to restore their four-touchdown advantage.
Shatek scored on a 48-yard run with 34 seconds left in the quarter, his third touchdown of the game. Weber added the extra point for a 35-7 lead, which held through the scoreless fourth quarter.
Shatek’s three scoring runs covered 3, 50 and 48 yards.
While Jefferson finished with more first downs, Hastings produced the bigger plays and finished with more total offense. The Raiders had 296 yards on 41 offensive plays, including 224 rushing and 72 passing. Jefferson finished with 257 yards on 53 plays, with 141 rushing and 116 passing.
Hastings recorded 12 first downs, seven rushing, four passing and one by penalty. Jefferson had 14 first downs, seven rushing and seven passing.
The Raiders also had the cleaner night when it came to penalties. Hastings was flagged four times for 32 yards, while Jefferson was penalized 11 times for 68 yards.
Hastings’ defense helped keep Jefferson off the scoreboard through the first half and came away with three takeaways during the game. Marshall Lanning and Lucas Keller each recovered a Jefferson fumble, while Brady Irwin recorded an interception.
Jefferson ran the ball 29 times for 141 yards. Moore led the Jaguars with 61 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Through the air, Jefferson completed 13 of 24 passes for 116 yards.
Special teams also gave Hastings steady production. Weber handled five kickoffs for 260 yards, an average of 52 yards per kick. Perseke returned a kickoff for 33 yards, while Shatek had an 11-yard punt return. Hanson punted once for 32 yards and Irwin had a 39-yard punt.
Through two games, Hastings has scored 73 points while allowing 19. The Raiders have built much of that early success on the ground, rushing 71 times for 580 yards and eight touchdowns, an average of 8.17 yards per carry.
Shatek has been at the center of that rushing production. He has 459 yards on 50 carries through two games, averaging 9.18 yards per attempt, with seven rushing touchdowns. He also has two catches for 14 yards and an 11-yard punt return, giving him 484 all-purpose yards through the first two weeks.
Hagen has rushed eight times for 50 yards and has three receptions for 43 yards. Strain has nine rushing yards and leads the Raiders with 58 receiving yards on three catches.
Hanson has completed eight of 16 passes for 115 yards through the first two games, with three touchdowns and one interception. Hastings has 695 yards of offense on the season, with its 580 rushing yards accounting for most of that total.
The Raiders have also limited some of the mistakes that can quickly change football games. Hastings has been penalized nine times for 64 yards through two games, compared with 16 penalties for 113 yards by its opponents. The defense has recovered two opposing fumbles and intercepted one pass.
Hastings now turns its attention to another road game. The Raiders travel to Chaska for a 7 p.m. kickoff Friday, Sept. 18, at Chaska High School. Hastings then returns home Friday, Sept. 25, to face Apple Valley at 6 p.m. at McNamara Stadium/Todd Field.