By Charissa Graves
Hutchinson Tribune Staff
HUTCHINSON—The Andale High School Indians defeated the Hayden Catholic Wildcats in the 3A State Football Championship on Friday at Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson, 38-6, in a rematch of last year’s state championship game.
With the victory, Andale won its second consecutive state championship and sixth in seven years. Since a loss to Pratt in the 2018 semifinals, Andale has gone 88-2, with the only losses coming to 2023 state champions Cheney.
Both teams entered the championship game undefeated and virtually unchallenged on the season. Andale’s closest game prior to Friday was a 41-7 victory over Rock Creek in the semifinals, while Hayden’s closest game was a 43-29 victory over Jefferson West in the quarterfinals.
And Hayden played like Andale’s best competition, holding the Indians scoreless for a quarter and only allowing 16 points in the first half, coming on a 1-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Sam Harp and a fumble recovery touchdown by senior Hunter Grimes in the end zone.
Hayden cut Andale’s lead to 16-6 early in the second half, as Connor Hanika completed a 7-yard touchdown to Kade Mitchell, but Andale responded with a 46-yard rushing touchdown by Harp and a 5-yard rushing touchdown by senior Jack Horsch. That sent the game to the fourth quarter with Andale leading 30-6.
Harp added a third rushing touchdown early in the fourth quarter, the final score of the game.
Andale defensive coordinator Tim Fairchild said that the team played a “clean game,” and that Andale “had a good group of kids” this year, as per usual.
“They got to crank it back up and get back here next year.”
Harp led Andale with 143 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns on 17 carries. He also completed 4 of 7 passes for 72 yards while throwing 1 interception.
Horsch ran for 47 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, and sophomore Noah Stanley had one carry for 28 yards. Sophomore Cruz Kaiser had 3 receptions for 58 yards, and Horsch had 1 reception for 14 yards.
The game marked Hayden’s third consecutive state championship loss. They lost to Andale in 2024 and to Cheney in 2023.
Andale 2025 scores:
- 9/5 vs. El Dorado, 104-0
- 9/12 vs. Wellington, 77-20
- 9/19 vs. Rose Hill, 53-13
- 9/26 vs. Wichita Collegiate, 54-7
- 10/3 vs. Nickerson, 45-3
- 10/10 vs. Smoky Valley, 68-0
- 10/17 vs. Trinity Academy (Wichita), 68-20
- 10/24 vs. Hesston, 57-0
- 10/31 vs. Chapman, 69-0
- 11/7 vs. Clay Center Community, 51-6
- 11/14 vs. Pratt, 57-7
- 11/21 vs. St. George-Rock Creek, 41-7
- 11/28 vs. Hayden Catholic, 38-6