Two high school football games will be played at TCO Stadium this season

Four more teams will get the chance to play in TCO Stadium this season, running the total to nearly two dozen.

On Sept. 15, a Thursday, Hopkins will play East Ridge, and on Oct. 18, a Tuesday, Chanhassen will play Bloomington Jefferson.

The games are part of a series the Vikings call Vikings Prep Spotlight that began when TCO Performance Center opened in Eagan in 2018. Five prep games, including three playoff games, were played at TCO Stadium the first year.

This season's TCO Stadium games will raise the total to a dozen. Twenty-two prep teams will have played there; Lakeville North and Chaska have played there twice.

Parking is free, and the admission fee will match the usual rate of the designated home team. This season that means $8 for adults and $5 for students for the Sept. 15 game because that's what East Ridge charges and $7/$5 for the Oct. 18 game to match Jefferson's usual rates. Walk-up tickets will be sold, and tickets also are available through Ticketmaster.

The past scores of TCO Stadium prep football games:

2018

Oct. 12: Lakeville North 38, Prior Lake 3

Nov. 9: Lakeville North 35, St. Michael-Albertville 8

Nov. 10: Owatonna 42, Chaska 27

Nov. 10: Elk River 23, Spring Lake Park 21

2019

Sept. 27: Chaska 21, Apple Valley 0

Sept. 28: Mankato West 58, Rochester Mayo 21

2021

Sept. 10: Waconia 20, Robbinsdale Cooper 14

Sept. 17: St. Thomas Academy 41, Cretin-Derham Hall 14

"Grady Rostberg provided the blueprint for the success, and Andy has carried on the tradition with a focus on doing things the right way and helping players become better young men," Hutchinson principal Jennifer Telecky said.

Grady Rostberg began coaching at Hutchinson in 1970 and went 250–63-1 in 29 seasons, winning state titles in 1983, 1984 and 1998. Son Andy Rostberg took over in 1999 and is 206-48 since. He was quarterback for the 1983 and 1984 state champions and was offensive coordinator for the title run in 1998. He coached state champions in 2012, 2013 and 2021.

Hutchinson, the defending Class 4A champion, is among teams getting a head start on the season. The Tigers will open the season at 7 p.m. Thursday at home against St. Cloud Apollo.

Zero Week play will continue Friday, when Coon Rapids hosts Brainerd and Becker plays at Rocori.

The season opens with a full schedule Sept. 1 and 2.