After two strong showings at the Conference Championships, the Hastings Raiders boys and girls cross country teams came through with even bigger performances at the Section 3AAA Championships last Thursday at Valleywood Golf Course in Apple Valley. Both teams finished fourth overall in highly competitive fields, and two Raiders punched their tickets to the MSHSL State Meet.
Senior Parker Stoltz and senior Linnea Ronning will represent Hastings for the final race ever at the U of M’s Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights on Nov. 1, after racing to top-six individual finishes among runners not on qualifying teams. The U of M has sold the golf course property which will close permanently for redevelopment after the 2025 golf season concludes.
For once, the weather cooperated. After years of wet and windy conditions, this year’s section meet offered crisp air, sunshine, and a fast, dry course. Head Coach Joe Rabaey, in his fourth year with the program, said it made a noticeable difference.
“This feels like definitely the nicest weather we've had at sections since I've been here,” Rabaey said post-race. “We had almost every single person out there running a lifetime best.”
Girls Step Up with Season-Best Performances
The Hastings girls team packed a punch in the top 30, totaling 94 points to finish just behind Eastview (76), Rosemount (72), and meet-winner Eagan (48).
Linnea Ronning led the way, placing fifth overall in 18:49.3, a personal record. Her time made her the second individual not on a state-qualifying team, securing her spot at state.
Ninth-grader Clara Hochmuth came in strong at 13th place with a PR of 19:58.0. Senior Lucy Burmeister crossed next in 20:50.8, followed by freshmen Emily Beaudet (21:46.7) and junior Katherine Nowak (21:48.2), both recording lifetime bests. Senior Olivia Schuster rounded out the varsity seven with a time of 23:29.5.
It was a complete team effort, with all five scoring runners finishing in the top 30. Despite missing a team berth by just 18 points, the Raiders showed depth and grit across the board.
Stoltz Blazes, Boys Claim Fourth
On the boys’ side, Parker Stoltz made his final section appearance count. Racing against some of the state’s fastest athletes, Stoltz ran a 15:51.0 PR to finish sixth overall and qualify for state as the second individual.
He led a tightly packed Hastings crew that finished fourth as a team with 108 points. Senior William Carry (21st, 16:44.8), junior David Tireman (22nd, 16:47.1), senior Tristan Herbst (29th, 16:58.3), and senior Aiden Reuter (30th, 16:59.5) each posted sub-17-minute finishes, with three personal records among them. Sophomore Benjamin Schwanke (18:12.0) and sophomore James Jensen (18:39.5) completed the varsity lineup.
The boys fell just four points shy of third-place Eagan, in a race where every place counted. The top five Hastings runners all finished within 69 seconds of each other, showcasing the team’s pack running and late-season endurance.
The season may be over for the team side of things, but the camaraderie amongst the group is clear. These kids and coaches have a special bond. The entire morning, the kids were lobbying with Coach Rabaey for a trip to Crumbl Cookie on the way home to Hastings. The effort, including the varying ways the kids were requesting the stop became a great tension reliever and inside joke.
State Ahead, Regionals on Deck
As Linnea and Parker taper their training ahead of the state meet, the rest of the boys squad will continue training for one final race together. Hastings will compete in the Nike Cross Regionals in South Dakota the weekend after state, going up against top teams from across the Midwest.
Coach Rabaey said the post-season opportunity gives the seniors one more shot to race together before they hang up their spikes.
“They make it a pretty fast course, too,” he said. “It’s usually people’s fastest times from high school.”
For now, though, all eyes are on Nov. 1, where two Raiders will toe the line against the state’s best.
And yes, after a meet like that, a Crumbl cookie was very much earned.