The Hastings Raiders boys golf team turned in another steady week in Metro East Conference play, finishing near the top of the standings in back-to-back conference meets on May 12 and May 14. Hastings opened the week at Oak Marsh Golf Course in Oakdale before returning closer to home for the Metro East Conference No. 5 meet at River Oaks Municipal Golf Course in Cottage Grove.
The Raiders started the week Tuesday afternoon at the Metro East Conference No. 4 meet at Oak Marsh Golf Course. The varsity team stroke play event featured many of the top programs in the conference, including St. Thomas Academy, Mahtomedi, Hill-Murray and Two Rivers. Hastings finished third overall with a team score of 309, just 11 strokes behind team champion St. Thomas Academy, which finished at 291. Mahtomedi placed second with a 298, while Hastings tied Hill-Murray for third place in the standings.
Hastings had four golfers break 80 during the round, helping the Raiders stay in the middle of a close race among the top teams. Junior Rylan Krauth led the Raiders with a 76, finishing ninth overall in the field. Krauth’s round was one of the best individual performances of the day for Hastings and kept the Raiders in contention throughout the event.
David Bauer and Chase Pine each carded rounds of 77 for Hastings. Bauer, a junior, and Pine, a freshman, tied for 12th overall in the standings. Senior Drew Mamer followed closely with a 79, good for 21st place overall. Mason Leary added an 81 for the Raiders, while Brecken Fullerton shot an 83. Hastings showed strong depth during the meet, with all six golfers contributing competitive rounds against one of the conference’s strongest fields of the season.
The Oak Marsh meet also showed how close the conference standings remain entering the final stretch of the regular season. St. Thomas Academy led the field at 11-over-par as a team, while Hastings finished at 29-over-par. Two Rivers took fifth with a 314, followed by Simley at 330 and South St. Paul at 331. North St. Paul and Tartan rounded out the team standings.
Hastings returned to action Thursday at River Oaks Municipal Golf Course for the Metro East Conference No. 5 meet in Cottage Grove. The Raiders again faced a strong conference field and finished fourth overall with a team score of 322. St. Thomas Academy claimed the team title with a 306, while Two Rivers finished second at 312 and Mahtomedi placed third with a 315. Hastings finished just seven strokes behind Mahtomedi in another tightly contested conference event.
Senior Drew Mamer paced the Raiders at River Oaks with one of Hastings’ best individual rounds of the week. Mamer shot a 77 to place sixth overall in the event. His consistent play helped anchor the Hastings lineup as the Raiders battled through another competitive conference round.
David Bauer followed with an 80 for Hastings, placing 15th overall. Junior Rylan Krauth carded an 82 to finish 18th, while senior Mason Leary posted an 83. Freshman Chase Pine shot an 84, and Brecken Fullerton rounded out the Hastings lineup with an 85. The Raiders again displayed balance throughout the lineup, with five golfers shooting 84 or better against another strong Metro East field.
The River Oaks meet remained close throughout the day as several teams battled for positioning behind St. Thomas Academy. Two Rivers and Mahtomedi each stayed within single digits of the lead, while Hastings remained within striking distance entering the final scores. South St. Paul and Hill-Murray tied for fifth at 325, followed by Simley, Tartan and North St. Paul.
Through both conference meets, Hastings continued to show steady improvement and depth throughout the varsity lineup. Krauth, Bauer and Mamer each recorded strong individual finishes during the week, while Pine continued to contribute as a freshman competing against experienced varsity golfers from around the conference. The Raiders also continued to stay near the top half of the conference standings heading into the final portion of the regular season.
Hastings will continue conference play at the Metro East Conference Championship on Wednesday, May 20, at 10 a.m. at Loggers Trail Golf Course. The Raiders will then begin postseason competition at the MSHSL Boys 3AAA Section Tournament on Thursday, May 28, at 8 a.m., also at Loggers Trail Golf Course, as Hastings looks to carry its strong conference play into the section tournament.