The Raiders girls basketball team entered the week 2-1 with two games on the docket. After a home win against Bloomington Jefferson last week the girls had eight days of no games before a two-day, extended road trip. The first stop on the overnight journey was in Pine City, a 46-48 loss on Dec. 12. On Dec. 13, the road trip concluded with a dominant 69-38 matinee win in Cloquet.
Hastings opened the Pine City game with a strong first half, building a 26-17 advantage behind steady defense and work on the glass. The Raiders were active inside, forcing tough looks and controlling rebounds early, but the tone shifted after halftime. Pine City came out aggressive, using a 31-point second half to flip the score. Hastings battled through cold shooting stretches and turnover trouble, staying within a possession late, but the Dragons did just enough down the stretch to hold on. Mya Bauer was a consistent presence all night, combining interior scoring with rebounding, while Piper Brockman added physical play and rim protection. Despite the loss, Hastings showed poise on the road and stayed competitive until the final seconds.
Hastings fell to Pine City 48-46. Mya Bauer led with 15 points, Violet Schult added 10 points, Piper Brockman had nine points, Jillian McTague scored seven points, and Jessica McTague finished with four points.
Hastings rebounded less than 24 hours later with its most complete performance of the season at Cloquet Middle School. The Raiders wasted little time asserting control, scoring 32 points in the first half and never letting the Lumberjacks gain momentum. The offense flowed with crisp ball movement and balanced scoring, while the defense forced empty possessions and turned stops into transition chances. Bauer dominated inside, finishing efficiently and anchoring the defense, while Lauren Wagner provided a spark from the perimeter. Contributions came up and down the lineup as Hastings steadily stretched the lead in the second half, turning the afternoon into a runaway win and a confident close to the road trip.
Hastings beat Cloquet 69-38. Mya Bauer led with 20 points, Lauren Wagner added 15 points, Shiloh Ashcraft had eight points, Jessica McTague scored six points, and Kayleigh Giesen finished with six points.
Hastings will travel to Mahtomedi on Dec. 16 at 7:00 p.m., then return home to face Two Rivers on Dec. 18 at 6:30 p.m., before heading to Hill-Murray on Dec. 22 and hosting Mankato East in a holiday tournament game on Dec. 29.