The Hastings Raider football team traveled to St. Paul to take on the Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders (CDH) in the fifth edition of the 2024 Friday Night Lights. To avoid confusion in this battle of the Raiders, only Hastings will be referred to as the Raiders going forward.
Hastings forced numerous errors from CDH during the first half, capitalizing on multiple penalties, a blocked punt, a pick-six, and a stalled drive to hold a 20-6 lead at halftime. However, CDH stormed back in the second half, befuddling the Raider offense, which appeared to be clinging to their lead. Eventually, Hastings found themselves down 20-28 but managed to tie the game and force overtime, where they emerged victorious with a score of 35-34.
Hastings began the game with an impressive opening drive, marching 85 yards over 15 plays in nine minutes, culminating in a 3-yard touchdown run by Lukas Foss. The two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving Hastings with a 6-0 lead. Cretin responded quickly, scoring on their first drive as well, although they missed the PAT, resulting in a 6-6 tie with 10:35 left in the second quarter.
Hastings struggled on their second drive of the quarter, going three plays and punting. Cretin took control but faced a setback with three consecutive penalties, pushing them back to their own 10-yard line. On the punt attempt, Hastings’ Lucas Poellinger burst through the line, blocking the punt and recovering it to score, giving Hastings a 12-6 lead, subsequently, Johan Rova-Hegener missed the extra point.
Motivated, Cretin moved efficiently down the field on their next possession, reaching the Raider 35 before Luke Kendall intercepted a pass and returned it 65 yards for a pick-six, extending Hastings' lead to 18-6. Hastings then successfully converted a two-point attempt with a quick pass from Lukas Foss to Zach Shatek, bringing the score to 20-6.
The Raiders kept CDH out of the end zone for the remainder of the half, despite the Hastings offense managing only three plays in the second quarter. The Raiders had a total of 19 offensive plays in the first half for 99 yards, including an offensive touchdown, a blocked punt return, and a pick-six, sending them to the locker room with a 20-6 lead.
Cretin opened the second half with a strong drive, covering 67 yards in 11 plays and successfully converting a two-point attempt, narrowing the gap to 20-14. Hastings struggled offensively on their first drive, going three-and-out and punting to CDH, who then tied the game early in the fourth quarter after a 59-yard drive, with the missed PAT leaving the score tied at 20-20.
Hastings started their next drive on their own 22-yard line, but Cretin's defense made a critical interception at the Raiders' 40-yard line. Cretin then capitalized on a short field, scoring again to take a 28-20 lead. Following another penalty on the ensuing kickoff, Hastings started their next drive at their own 25-yard line.
Despite Cretin's focus on stopping Shatek, Hastings managed to gain key yardage. With under three minutes remaining, Shatek advanced to the Cretin 38 for a first down. After an incomplete pass and a penalty pushed Hastings back, they managed to convert a crucial third down. A subsequent Cretin penalty put Hastings inside the 20-yard line.
Foss attempted a pass to Marlow Strain in the end zone, but it was broken up, resulting in a pass interference penalty that moved the Raiders to the nine-yard line. Shatek then rushed to the Cretin four-yard line. On the next play, Birken scored from four yards out, narrowing the score to 28-26.
Facing a false start penalty that pushed them back to a more challenging two-point conversion attempt, Hastings turned to the air again. Lukas Foss found his brother, Matt, in the back of the end zone, who managed to secure the catch despite defensive pressure, tying the game at 28 with one minute remaining.
Cretin started their final drive of regulation from their own 20-yard line but was unable to score, forcing overtime for the second consecutive year between these two schools.
In high school football, overtime rules are straightforward: no time limit, one timeout per team, and each team gets a chance to score from the 10-yard line in four plays. Cretin scored quickly to take a 34-28 lead but failed to convert the two-point attempt. Hastings took over at the five-yard line after a penalty against Cretin.
The Raiders' first play was a rush by Shatek, who was stopped behind the line. On the next play, Lukas Foss rolled out and connected with Matt Foss, who made an incredible play after a deflection, tying the game at 34. Rova-Hegener stepped up for the extra point and nailed the kick for a thrilling 35-34 win.
Offensively, Hastings had 42 plays for 188 yards, while Cretin ran 58 plays for 375 yards. Lukas Foss was 6-for-12 passing for 48 yards, with Matt Foss leading receiving with 44 yards and a touchdown. Shatek was the leading rusher for Hastings with 95 yards on 23 carries, while Birken added 35 yards on four carries and one touchdown.
Defensively, the Raiders faced extended time on the field but made critical plays, including Kendall's 65-yard pick-six and two key stops before each half. Special teams also excelled, with Johan Rova-Hegener launching several booming kickoffs and nailing the crucial PAT in overtime.
The Raiders’ gritty win, while perhaps not as polished as they would have liked, showcased their resilience against a tough opponent. Taking down Cretin-Derham Hall at their home field is no small feat, especially against a team that benefits from recruiting advantages.
Hastings will face their next test against Robbinsdale Armstrong at home on October 4 at 7:30 p.m. Following that, they will host St. Thomas Academy on October 10 at 6:30 p.m. and finish the season at Robbinsdale Cooper on October 16 at 7:00 p.m.