Obviously, Zack (Shatek) had a big night. That’s a testament to the guys up front. He runs hard, and he’s got breakaway speed. We can be an explosive football team. We saw a lot more of that this week than we did last week.”

Coach Dana Strain

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Hastings takes on Chaska at home on Friday, September 12 at 6:30 p.m. with parent night festivities pregame.

The Hastings Raiders came to Bloomington Stadium with one goal in mind and left with a decisive 46 to 19 victory over Bloomington Jefferson. The win improved Hastings to 2-0 on the season and featured a record-setting performance from senior running back Zack Shatek, who rushed for 376 yards and five touchdowns on just 26 carries.

Shatek’s total marked the most rushing yards in a single game in Hastings football history. While it didn't reach the top ten in state history, where the tenth spot starts at 415 yards, the feat now stands alone in the Raiders' record books. The previous record was set in 1966 by Kirk Peterson, a record that stood for an incredible 59 years. Shatek also added 29 yards in returns, bringing his all-purpose total to 405.

The night began with fireworks. On the second play of the game, Shatek took a handoff, found a crease up the middle, and sprinted 78 yards untouched for the opening score. Carter Hanson added the extra point, and the Raiders were up 7 to 0 just over a minute into the first quarter.

Jefferson answered quickly with a touchdown run from quarterback Abram Bruggeman, but the missed extra point kept the Raiders ahead. From there, Hastings took full control. Shatek scored again from 17 yards out, then followed it with a two-yard plunge for his third touchdown of the quarter. That put the Raiders up 21 to 6 with plenty of time still left in the opening frame.

The scoring didn't stop. Quarterback Carter Hanson dropped back and hit Matt Foss with a perfectly placed deep ball for a 53-yard touchdown. Foss, who led the team in receiving, finished the game with two catches for 58 yards. The kick after the touchdown was no good, but Hastings ended the first quarter with a 27 to 6 lead and all the momentum.

Coach Dana Strain credited the explosion to a mix of clean execution and team speed. “Obviously, Zack had a big night. That’s a testament to the guys up front. He runs hard, and he’s got breakaway speed. We can be an explosive football team. We saw a lot more of that this week than we did last week,” Strain said.

Jefferson tried to fight back. Bruggeman added a 23-yard touchdown in the second quarter, and then another long run late in the third, this time from 69 yards out. He accounted for all three of Jefferson’s touchdowns, but Hastings kept striking.

Shatek was far from finished. He broke a 42-yard run midway through the third quarter for his fourth score of the night. Minutes later, he found daylight again and sprinted 80 yards for his fifth touchdown, putting the game completely out of reach.

Coach Strain laughed about the record afterward, noting, “That might be a record. Poor kid kept asking to go in, and then he kept breaking them. I know he gets tired, but yeah, that could possibly be.”

It wasn’t just the offense carrying the night. The Raiders made big plays in all three phases of the game. The most electric moment came late in the third quarter. After Jefferson cut the lead to 39 to 19, Grant Birken fielded the kickoff at his own 25-yard line. He followed his blockers through a seam, bounced outside, and outran everyone to the left sideline for a 75-yard touchdown return. The extra point made it 46 to 19, and that’s where the score would stay.

“Birken is an explosive playmaker. He got a big one on the kickoff return and helped us with a catch too,” said Strain. Birken finished with a total of 112 all-purpose yards, including an 18-yard reception and another 19-yard return earlier in the game.

Hastings didn’t pass often, but they didn’t need to. Hanson finished 4 for 8 with 115 yards and one touchdown. His completions included the long strike to Foss, a 39-yard pass to Elliott Hagen, and a pair of short gains to keep drives alive. Hagen’s lone catch helped flip the field at a key moment, keeping the Jefferson defense honest and opening more room for Shatek.

Despite the lopsided score, the game wasn’t as clean as the coaching staff would have liked. The Raiders were flagged 14 times for 120 yards, which is something Strain said they’ll need to address moving forward.

“You’ve just got to be smart. The score gets out of hand, and you start getting flagged for things that maybe wouldn’t be called in a closer game. You’ve got to stay out of the fray. It’s part of teaching these kids how to play the right way. Some of it is borderline, but it’s on us to keep the players focused,” Strain said.

The Raiders’ defense wasn’t perfect but came up with stops when it mattered. One of the biggest plays came from junior defensive lineman Ife Shadeko, who recovered a fumble in the second half after a botched snap flew over the quarterback’s head.

“Coach called a base blue,” Shadeko said. “I beat my guy, saw the ball fly over, and the quarterback didn’t go after it like he should have. I just dove on it. That gave us a lift. It gave the team a good sense of hope. We got the ball back and could score again.”

Shadeko also reflected on the line play throughout the game. “It was very physical. We made some mental mistakes, missed blocks, and had a few holding penalties, but overall, I think we did a lot of good things.”

The Raiders forced two turnovers and allowed zero points in the fourth quarter. They also limited Jefferson to 259 total yards on 46 plays. Hastings, in contrast, matched that play count with 501 total yards.

In the fourth quarter, with the win well in hand, the Raiders began rotating backups on both sides of the ball. Coach Strain was proud of what he saw.

“Really proud of them. We had some injuries, so guys were moving around early in the game. Later, we had a lot of kids get playing time. They created turnovers, executed on offense, and did a nice job. A lot of kids had the chance to play, and a lot of them did good things.”

Even the backup quarterback got a few snaps.

“You don’t want to get in his head. Just tell him to go have fun. The first play is the big one, and then it’s just football. He did a nice job running the huddle,” Strain said on the performance of junior Zach Simon.

The victory was dominant on paper and even more so in feel. Hastings outgained Jefferson by over 240 yards, scored in every phase of the game, and had multiple players step up with big moments. Most of all, they took another step forward as a team.

“This game wasn’t super clean,” Strain admitted. “There were a lot of penalties. It probably felt more stressful for us coaches than for the kids. But now that it’s done, we’re happy for the kids. To go on the road and get a big win like that, and to get so many players involved, that’s what you want.”

The Raiders now turn their attention to Week 3. With two wins in hand, a surging run game, and valuable depth gaining experience, the season is off to a strong start. If Shatek continues at this pace, he could pass 1,000 rushing yards well before midseason.

The pieces are falling into place, and the Raiders are doing more than just winning. They’re learning how to finish, how to adjust, and how to lean on one another. That’s the kind of growth that goes well beyond the scoreboard.

Hastings takes on Chaska at home on Friday, September 12 at 6:30 p.m. with parent night festivities pregame.