The Hastings Raiders girls basketball team navigated a season that featured early growing pains, a strong midseason surge, and a return to the Section 3AAAA playoffs, finishing the winter with a 16-11 overall record and an 8-6 mark in the Metro East Conference.
The season opened with a narrow road loss at Burnsville, but the Raiders quickly found their footing with back-to-back wins over Breck and Bloomington Kennedy. Balanced scoring and strong work on the boards helped Hastings establish an identity early, with Mya Bauer, Piper Brockman, and the McTague sisters providing consistent production on both ends of the floor.
The Raiders continued to battle through a challenging early schedule that included close contests and tough conference matchups. Even in losses, Hastings showed competitiveness, highlighted by a strong offensive effort from Bauer in a high-scoring game at Hill-Murray.
By midseason, the Raiders began to find their rhythm. A strong week of conference play produced convincing wins over Simley and North St. Paul, powered by aggressive defense and balanced scoring throughout the lineup.
That stretch of improved play carried into one of the most impressive runs of the season. Hastings stacked together seven straight victories, combining pressure defense with inside scoring and rebounding strength. The Raiders controlled the tempo in several games, including a dominant win over South St. Paul and a high-scoring performance against Big Lake.
During that stretch, Bauer emerged as the team’s primary offensive leader, while Brockman and Jillian McTague provided consistent interior presence. Guards Violet Schult, Kayleigh Giesen, and others helped stretch defenses with perimeter shooting and ball movement that kept the offense balanced.
The winning streak finally ended against conference contender Two Rivers, but the Raiders remained well positioned in the standings and continued to compete at a high level as the regular season moved toward its final weeks.
Hastings closed the regular season with a strong showing on Senior Night, honoring Jordan Leos, Brooke Mace, Piper Brockman, Kayleigh Giesen, and Violet Schult before a convincing victory over South St. Paul. The win secured a 16-10 regular season record and the No. 6 seed in the Section 3AAAA tournament.
The Raiders entered the postseason with momentum and traveled to Eagan to face the third-seeded Wildcats in the section quarterfinals. Hastings battled throughout the game, hitting six three-pointers and continuing to fight on the glass, but Eagan built an early lead that proved difficult to overcome.
Despite the 60-42 loss that ended the season, the Raiders finished with strong team numbers. Hastings averaged nearly 58 points per game and totaled 1,553 points over 27 contests. The team’s physical style was evident on the boards, where the Raiders collected 1,186 rebounds and averaged nearly 44 per game while also recording 390 steals and 325 assists.
Individually, Bauer led the Raiders with 396 points and averaged 14.7 points per game while shooting over 53 percent from the field. Schult finished second in scoring and led the team with 47 three-pointers, while Brockman added more than 200 points and nearly 190 rebounds. Bauer and Brockman also paced the team on the boards, with Jillian McTague contributing heavily in the paint.
By season’s end, the Raiders had established themselves as a competitive team in the Metro East Conference and a program capable of making postseason runs. With several key players returning and younger contributors gaining experience throughout the winter, Hastings leaves the season with momentum and a foundation for continued success.