The Hastings Raiders Alpine ski team packed a lot of racing into a busy stretch of the season, using every opportunity to sharpen its edge before the postseason begins. From a familiar slope at Wild Mountain to conference championships and a season ending invitational, the Raiders tested themselves against strong fields and came away with encouraging results.
The week opened Monday with a trip to Wild Mountain, a stop that served as more than just another meet on the schedule. The invitational gave the Raiders a chance to compete on the same hill, and against many of the same teams, they will see again at the section race. For a program that prides itself on preparation, the timing was ideal.
On the girls side, Kate Nowak led the way with a seventh place overall finish, showing consistency and confidence on a course that will soon decide much higher stakes. She was supported by Addison Maniak, Amelia Montgomery, Claire Caturia, Maddie Herdt and Claire Montgomery, all of whom turned in solid runs. Their combined efforts helped the Raiders secure a 10th place team finish in a field of 10 teams, a result that reflected steady skiing against tough competition.
The boys team also found positives at Wild Mountain. Senior Will Bauer continued to show his best skiing of the season, leading the Raiders to a 12th place finish. He was joined by Axton Bauer, Leighton Stoffel, Henry Naber, Weston Chandler and James McNamara, a group that used the race as a chance to fine tune technique and speed heading into the heart of the schedule.
There was little time to rest. On Tuesday, Jan. 27, the team was back on the snow for the MEC championship race at Welch Village. The event brought together some of the strongest programs in the state, and the Raiders once again held their own.
Junior varsity skiers also competed for individual championships, and two Raiders came away with medals. Nora Franke earned a fifth-place finish on the girls side, while Luke Retka matched that result for the boys, both showing poise in a championship setting.
The varsity girls team finished third overall, just behind defending state champions Hill Murray and top section contender Minneapolis Southwest. The varsity boys placed fourth, finishing behind three teams that qualified for the state meet last season. Those results underscored the depth of competition the Raiders face each year. The conference and section are widely regarded as among the most competitive in the state, and they have produced state championship teams on both the boys and girls sides in recent seasons.
The regular season wrapped up Friday with the annual invitational at Afton Alps, a meet that often serves as a showcase for progress made over the course of the winter. Many skiers delivered some of their best performances of the year.
The JV girls squad of Marly Schield, Nora Franke, Kylee Strausborger, Kaylin Retka and Isabella Featherstone finished a strong fourth out of 15 teams. The JV boys were close behind, placing third and led by Henry Meyers, Walter Merkel, Luke Retka, Nathan Schield, Max Bauer and Sawyer Chandler.
At the varsity level, the boys team placed fifth, highlighted by James McNamara earning a medal with a fifth-place individual finish. The varsity girls finished fourth as a team, with Nowak continuing her standout week by placing second individually and earning a silver medal.
The Afton Alps invitational also featured a king and queen competition for the fastest single runs of the day. Nowak added another silver medal in that race, while McNamara captured bronze on the boys side. The JV races closed with more strong individual efforts, as Marley Schield finished second for the girls, and Merkel and Meyers both landed in the top 10 for the boys.
With the regular season now complete, the Raiders head toward sections carrying momentum, experience, and confidence built over a demanding week on the slopes.