EAGAN 64, HASTINGS 20

For the second time this season I charted a Metro East team that was without the services of their go-to player. Monday night 6-1 senior forward Lilly Nuytten was absent, and her presence was sorely missed by the Raiders as they struggled to score. Hastings was 3-1 prior to this contest with Nuytten scoring 26 against Columbia Heights. Nuytten has signed with MSU Mankato. This was supposed to feature the battle of the Lilly’s. Both were teammates this summer with North Tartan. Eagan’s Lily is Fandre and the 6-2 forward is headed to Lehigh.

The Raiders trailed 29-0 (already more than enough for the Wildcats to triumph on the night) before a free throw at the 5:32 mark of the first half ended the drought. It would be another minute before the first Hastings field goal. Eagan led 13-0 at the first Hastings time out at the 13:14 mark. The second time out at the 6:55 saw the Wildcats up 25-0. It was 47-5 at the break. Hastings had a season low pp100 of 32 pp100 as a team. Eagan was a shade  under 100 pp100 at 98. It could have been much higher.

As for Fandre, she delivered 13 points which tied for game high. She also had a game best 20 score in the 31 Club. But her time, with the steamrolling of Hastings, was limited.

This was also a battle of 3AAAA teams. Last year’s AAAA runners up Rosemount resides in the same section and Lakeville North has since moved to section 1AAAA. Neither of these teams Monday night are expected to be playing long in March.