Rostberg family continues to grow football legacy in Hutchinson

Hutchinson is a football town that could have another state championship to celebrate on Friday after the Tigers take on Simley in the 4A state title game at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The Hutchinson football program has won six state championships, and the Rostberg family is connected to all six.

Grady Rostberg, father of Hutchinson’s current head coach Andy was the head coach in Hutchinson from 1970 to 1998. Winning state titles in 1983, ’84 and ’98. Andy was the quarterback for the ’83 and ’84 teams.

Andy took over for his father in 1999 and has been the Tigers head coach ever since. Andy has also won three state championships as a coach in 2012, ’13 and ’21.

“We have a good relationship. We’ve been doing it together for a long time,” Andy said. “Whether it was in the 80s as player-coach, whether it was throughout the 90s as an assistant-coach and now he helps me out.”

Grady and Andy have combined for 466 wins as head coaches at Hutchinson, if they reach 467 on Friday they will have their seventh state title between the two of them.

During this season, Hutchinson High School dedicated their football stadium to the Rostberg family, naming it Rostberg Stadium.

“You’re just trying to win a couple of games you don’t think this is going to happen 53 years later, but it’s a nice honor,” Grady said the night of the dedication.

The Tigers are 11-1 this season and are averaging 52 points a game in the playoffs.

“I mean we ground and pound, we set up the run game early and if we need to throw it, then we throw it,” said AJ Ladwig, Hutchinson senior fullback. “We are capable of both this year.”

Senior tight end Kyle Schumann said, “physical and fast. We like to obviously run the ball, pound it, wear teams down and shut them out.”

Hutchinson and Simley are scheduled to play in the 4A state championship game at 4 p.m. on Friday at U.S. Bank Stadium. All Prep Bowl games are televised on 45-TV.