Hastings at Forest Lake
4:15 p.m., Friday, April 8

Hastings last victory over Forest Lake came in the 2011 Class 3A title game. It capped a four-year run of state tournament appearances and clinched the only state championship for the Raiders.

While this matchup doesn't carry such significance, it offers Hastings a quality test against a familiar foe (the teams were Suburban East Conference opponents until last season). 

Both teams reached the respective section title games last season, and both have moved up to Class 4A this year, although each reside in different sections.

But that's not the only change for Forest Lake.

New coach Sean Hall takes over for Angie Ryan, who helped lead the Rangers to six consecutive state tournament appearances (2008-13) and to second-place finish in 2011.

Hall, however, seems well-suited for the job. He is a well-respected coach who spent four years at Lakeville North and nine at North St. Paul, where he won a state title in 2007 and seven section titles in total. He also led Saint Bernard’s to a Class 1A state title in 2002.