After the Metro East Conference Preview at St. Croix Bluffs was washed out on Sept. 9, the Raiders finally got to lace up for real under the glow of portable lights and runway beacons, racing the Metro Under the Lights invite at Flying Cloud Airport on Sept. 13. The field was deep, the rhythms were fast, and Hastings handled the traffic with poise, both teams finding their packs and banking early season lessons that should travel well into conference play.
The boys finished 15th with 384 points, a solid return in a 27-team lineup that featured some of the state’s heaviest hitters. Senior Parker Stoltz did the pacing for Hastings, slipping into the top half of a swift front group and closing hard for 44th in 17:03.7. His time set the tone, his finish gave the Raiders a clear number one, and the group behind him answered the call. Senior Aiden Reuter came through in 17:48.0 for 85th, senior William Carry sat one second back at 17:49.5 for 87th, and junior David Tireman kept the scoring chain tight with a 17:54.4 for 94th. Senior Tristan Herbst completed the five in 18:01.4 for 101st, keeping the spread from first to fifth at just under a minute. On a fast course with plenty of early surges, that kind of compression matters, it keeps the scoring math tidy, and it gives the coaching staff a clear path to climb the standings as the fall settles in.
Depth carried the rest of the way. Sophomore Benjamin Schwanke crossed in 19:26.0, sophomore James Jensen followed in 19:35.1, and senior Micah Trost stamped a personal best at 20:17.6, a nice marker this early in September. Sophomore Landon Zajac added 21:57.2, giving the team more bodies in the chute and more internal competition for varsity spots. With Wayzata winning the meet at 60 points, and Blaine next at 84, the route to contention is straightforward, keep compressing the gap, keep chipping time across the board, and trust the pack running that showed up throughout the lineup.
The girls placed 17th with 453 points and showed a similar pattern, a veteran leader up front and a tight middle that can shave time in bunches. Senior Linnea Ronning navigated the opening mile cleanly, held position as the race strung out, and kicked into the finish for 33rd in 20:07.4. In a race that started hot, Ronning’s pacing looked smart, steady through the second mile, strong in the final straight. The scoring window behind her came in pairs, a good sign for the weeks ahead. Seniors Sara Siebenaler and Lucy Burmeister finished shoulder to shoulder, Siebenaler at 21:53.3 for 96th, Burmeister at 21:54.3 for 99th, a near perfect one two for the middle of the lineup. Freshman Emily Beaudet delivered a clean debut at 23:24.9 for 140th, junior Katherine Nowak followed in 24:08.0 for 158th, and that five locked the team score.
Hastings kept stacking beyond the scorers, which is exactly what you want on a big night race. Freshman Clara Hochmuth ran 24:21.8, senior Mattea Quigley added 24:37.3, senior Olivia Schuster clocked 24:52.4, and freshman Savannah Barlow closed in 26:31.4. That kind of bench gives the Raiders options, it builds practice energy, and it creates natural groups for tempo work. Wayzata, who controlled the front throughout, won the girls team title with 21 points, Minneapolis Southwest took second with 89, and the rest of the leaderboard showed how valuable small improvements can be when the pack gets crowded near the two mile.
The night itself felt like a mid-season test, even if the calendar still says September. Large waves off the line, quick early 400s, and long, flat stretches that reward both aggressiveness and restraint. Hastings leaned into the latter, choosing measured openings that left room to pass late, an approach that paid off for both teams as the lights brightened and the races thinned. After the rainout earlier in the week, the Raiders looked grateful for the chance to compete, and it showed in the way they closed, calm faces, quick turnover, and teammates calling out splits along the fence.
Looking ahead, the blueprint is clear. For the boys, Stoltz provides a reliable front runner, the senior trio of Reuter, Carry, and Herbst knows how to race together, and Tireman sits right there to keep the five tight. For the girls, Ronning’s rhythm gives the group a metronome, Siebenaler and Burmeister form a strong hinge in the middle, and the combination of Beaudet and Nowak should keep nudging the back end of the scoring pack forward. The numbers from Flying Cloud will move with a few weeks of sharper workouts, a few hill sessions, and the natural settling that comes as the team logs more miles together.
It was not the season opener at Park, and it certainly was not the tune up at St. Croix Bluffs that got washed away, but under the lights, on a cool September night, Hastings checked the boxes that matter, smart pacing, tight packs, and a finish that looked stronger than the start. For mid-September, that is a winning formula, and the clock usually follows.
Thursday, Sept. 25 is the next chance to cheer the runners on in Red Wing at Red Wing High School at 4:00 p.m.