St. Thomas Academy football coach Travis Walch remembers the first time he saw Hastings running back Zack Shatek, a few years ago, dominating against his freshman team.

Last season, Walch thought Shatek was the best rusher his team played other than Armstrong’s Kevon Anderson, the Minnesota Star Tribune Player of the Year.

But the Cadets have their own Mr. Football candidate in the backfield this year in Dominic Baez, who outplayed Shatek with 180 total yards and three touchdowns rushing Friday in a 48-13 homecoming victory over Hastings.

The teams combined to connect on passes of 67, 54 and 42 yards in the first quarter when focusing on stopping the run game, but St. Thomas’ game plan proved to be the difference-maker.

“We knew he was their best player,” Walch said of Shatek, who was held to 80 yards rushing and one touchdown. “Sometimes you might have to overcommit to handle the run game. The one thing we said at halftime is we gave up a few big shots [passing], but we were where we wanted to be containing him.”

Baez, a 5-8, 185-pound senior, put himself into the state Player of the Year conversation two weeks ago with 160 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-13 victory over previous Class 5A No. 1 Chanhassen, including the go-ahead 77-yard run in the third quarter.

St. Thomas (6-0) didn’t need much from its star back in the second half Friday.

The Raiders (3-3) pulled within 20-13 with 2:48 left in the second quarter, but Baez showed off his big-play ability with a 51-yard scoring run that snatched the momentum away before halftime.

Baez, who had 140 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, also scored on a 38-yard run.

“Dom definitely makes it easy on us up front,” senior tight end Luke Hudson said. “We don’t necessarily have to block as long because we know he’s going to get the job done.”

In the second half, Todd Rogalski returned the opening kickoff for a 90-yard touchdown, part of the Cadets pulling away with 28 unanswered points.

St. Thomas junior quarterback Tristan Karl also accounted for four touchdowns in the game, including two scoring passes to Hudson.

“I just think about who we have on this team and who we are as an offense,” Baez said. “I trust our coaches so much to put us in the right spots.”

Hastings has leaned on Shatek to carry a heavy load this season, and he had a state-best 1,186 rushing yards and 15 TDs entering Friday, but he was held under 100 yards rushing for the second time in the past three games vs. St. Thomas Academy.

A year ago, the Cadets kept Shatek to 150 combined yards and one TD in two victories, including in a Class 5A, Section 3 semifinal.

In those two games against Hastings and Shatek last season, Baez obviously got pumped up, producing total offense of 368 yards and scoring four TDs.

“Zack is a great running back, but I’d hate to have to play against our defense,” Baez said.