By Derek Simon

Friday night’s Hastings versus South Saint Paul football game was to be played at Ettinger field in South Saint Paul. Because the field would not allow the game to be played there, the Packers would have their homecoming in Hastings! With the new turf field, Hastings was able to accommodate the Packers. Volunteers including the Journal’s very own Bruce Karnick cleared off the field Friday afternoon in time to host the game.

Hastings and South Saint Paul both entered the contest with 1-1 records on the young season. Both teams won their season opener and lost in week two. The Raiders defeated Sibley and lost to Park. The Packers defeated Holy Angels and lost to Simley. The Packers had won four of the last five against Hastings going into Friday night’s game.

Weather was a big factor in the game Friday night. Unseasonably cold weather with a wind made the game a difficult affair for players and fans alike. The cold weather makes the football feel hard and slick. The wind was just strong enough to affect accurate throws.

The teams both struggled to move the ball in the first quarter. Both teams mainly ran the ball with limited success. Finally, with 43 seconds left in the quarter, the Raiders would strike first. Lucas Knoll lined up on the tight end, as the tight end ran an out route, instead of covering him Knoll rushed and sacked the South Saint Paul QB, causing a fumble. Jaxson Schiller picked up the fumble and ran 15 yards to paydirt. After the scoop and score, and a Simon Hedin extra point, the Raiders led 7-0.

The Hastings lead would only last a few seconds, Hedin kicked off to the Packer 10-yard line. Alonzo Dodd, a multiple sport star at South St. Paul, would return the kick 90 yards for a touchdown. Dodd then would run in the twopoint conversion to give the Packers an 8-7 lead after the first period.

Early in the second quarter, South Saint Paul started a drive at midfield. The Packers would drive down to the Raiders 23-yard line, when Jaxon Schiller put heavy pressure on the quarterback. The pass was tipped, and X’Zavier Deutsch made the interception at the Raider 15-yard line.

After a Hastings punt, the Packers again started a drive near midfield, this time at their 48-yard line. This time, South Saint Paul would take advantage of the field position. The Packers drove to the Hastings 38-yard line, when Alonzo Dodd struck again. Dodd ran a curl route near the 30-yard line, outjumped the Raiders defense, and sprinted for a 38-yard touchdown with 3:11 remaining in the first half. Hastings stopped the Packers on a fake extra point attempt and the Packers would lead 14-7 at halftime.

South Saint Paul would only have 87 yards of offense and four first downs at halftime. Two plays, the 90-yard return and the 38-yard reception, both by Dodd, were enough for a lead at halftime. Hastings could get nothing going in the first half. The Raiders were held to just 24 yards of offense and just two first downs in the first half. The combination of the Raiders pass offense struggling early this year, South Saint Paul putting eight or even nine defenders in the box to stop the run, and the elements, were too much for the offense. The Raiders would not make excuses, but a one-handed Ben Teigland has been toughing it out at center and their power running back Brenden Freiermuth hobbling certainly did not help the Raider’s chances.

Hastings received the second half kick, but quickly went three and out and punted the football. After a penalty on the punt return, the Packers would take over at their 35-yard line. The Packers offensive line started to flex its muscle and South Saint Paul would drive down the field running the football. On fourth down at the Raider’s nine-yard line, South Saint Paul decided to keep the offense on the field. The Packers Marquise Gieb lined up in the slot. Gieb ran an out route in the end zone, and as he made his cut, he made a subtle little push on the Raiders defender to get open and make the touchdown grab. South Saint Paul fumbled the snap on the two-point play, the score was 20-7 Packers with 4:25 remaining in the third quarter.

On the ensuing Raiders drive, the Raiders faced a third down and long. Hastings QB Axel Arnold was sacked on the play and was injured. Arnold was assisted off the field. He was later walking on the sidelines, but did not return to the game, and Jake Sandquist would enter on the next drive at quarterback for the Raiders.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Raiders fumbled the ball on their own 19-yard line, the Packers recovered the fumble and were looking to put the game away. South Saint Paul was able to reach the Hastings 11-yard line, and on fourth down, they threw a pass to the back corner of the end zone. Joey Millner was there to knock the ball away and the Raiders would take over at their own 11-yard line.

On second and nine, Sandquist fumbled the snap, but kept his cool and threw a dart to Joey Millner for 26 yards and a first down. It was Hastings first time moving the chains since the first quarter. The drive would stall, but with the wind to his back, John Charlton would blast a 52-yard punt.

The Packers took over at their 10-yard line. After two runs, they faced a third and five. The quarterback dropped back and fumbled the football. The Raiders Brenden Freiermuth recovered at the Packer 12-yard line. On fourth down from the 10-yard line, Sandquist threw a fade in the end zone to Stephen Reifenberger for a touchdown. Simon Hedin added the extra point, and with 3:45 left, the Raiders trailed 20-14.

The Raiders attempted an onside kick, but the Packers recovered at their 48-yard line. South Saint Paul then ran three time for a first down. And on first down at the Raiders 39-yard line, they ran a sweep to Colton Becker for a 39yard touchdown. After a Gieb two-point conversion run, the Raiders trailed 28-14 with only 1:50 remaining.

Hastings would drive as far as the Packers 23-yard line on their final drive, but Sandquist would be sacked to end the drive. Sandquist did complete three passes on the drive and showed off a powerful arm. The highlight of the drive was a bomb to Reifenberger, the play covered 35-yards.

The Packers had 47 plays on the evening for 262 yards. The Raiders had 41 plays for just 99 yards, 42 of those yards came on the final drive of the game. Axel Arnold was 1-4 for 3 yards passing, Jake Sandquist was 5-9 for 87 yards and a touchdown. Stephen Reifenberger caught three passes for 48 yards and a touchdown. Joey Millner caught one pass for 28 yards. Lukas Knoll added two catches for 28 yards. The Raiders struggled all night running the ball, Brenden Freiermuth lead the way with 10 carries for 28 yards. Joey Millner had one carry for three yards. Johnny Bezdicek had two carries for minus one yard. Speedster Payton Burow was bottled up all night. Burow had five carries for minus three yards. Quarterbacks Axel Arnold had seven carries for a minus ten yards and Jake Sandquist had three carries for minus eight yards.

Late in the first quarter, #40 Lucas Knoll gets a strip sack on the South St. Paul Qauterback allowing #45 Jaxson Schiller to scoop and score for the Raider defense. Photo by Bruce Karnick