A season that started out 2-2 with many people doubting if the conference streak would be kept alive ended Friday Nov. 20 at Camp Randall Stadium with the Homestead football team hoisting up the Division II championship trophy after a 28-13 win over Waukesha West.

This football season brought many changes for the Highlanders with new coaches and new starters having to step up to fill in big shoes, but that did not stop the team from bringing Coach Dave Keel his fifth state championship with Homestead.

After the Highlanders lost two early season games, the team turned its momentum around and went on a win streak that brought them all the way to Madison, something they only dreamed about at the beginning of the season.

The returning players on varsity wanted to avenge last year’s heartbreaking loss in the semifinal game against Menasha by making it to the state game, and they did just that.

Jack Popp, senior safety, wide receiver and punter, missed the semifinal game, but decided to play through the pain of his fractured radius in the state game. He along with Chris Malicky were on the varsity team their freshman year when the Highlanders won the state title in 2012.

“It’s an incredible feeling to be able to win your last high school football game. It’s a dream come true,” Popp said.

Carrying the momentum that the team had in the semifinal win against Chippewa Falls, the Highlanders took total control of the game in the 1st quarter.

The Waukesha West Wolverines got the starting kickoff, but were unable to put any points on the board to go up first. The very next play, the Wolverines were back to punt when Tyler Woldt came running in and blocked his second punt of the season.

The ball on West’s 43 to start Homestead’s first drive of the game, gave the team great field position which they took advantage of. After a first down conversion by Matt Winters, senior running back and player of the game, the team faced some penalties that set up a 4th and 20 situation, but the coaching staff had complete faith in their junior quarterback and set up a passing play.

Zoeller executed perfectly and found a wide open Patrick Minkin, senior, in the endzone. This gave the Highlanders a 7-0 lead early in the first, but the excitement did not end there. On the first play after the kick, Sean Driscoll, senior, intercepted Connor Blout’s, Waukesha West’s quarterback, and took it to the Wolverine’s 10-yard line before stepping out of bounds.

This field position set up a 3-yard touchdown run for Winters, his first of the game. On Waukesha West’s next drive, the defense again came up with a turnover, this time from a fumble that Mike Bruner, sophomore, forced and Jordan Schroeder, sophomore, recovered on Homestead’s 40-yard line. This brought the 1st quarter to a close with the Highlander’s up 14-0.

Homestead then ran the ball eight consecutive times and ended the drive with a 34-yard quarterback sneak from Zoeller which he took into the endzone, putting the Highlanders up 21-0 early in the 2nd quarter.

Serafino LaGalbo, senior outside linebacker, had arguably one of his best games of his football career. LaGalbo was involved in most defensive plays one way or another. “That was the most fun I’ve had playing football in all of my eight years of being involved in the sport. Playing at Camp Randall was truly a dream come true. That’s something that I can cross of the bucket list,” LaGalbo said.

The second half ended with the score of 21-0 and the Highlanders were going into halftime with a comfortable lead. The second half started with Homestead receiving the kick, but the offense was unable to put any points on the board due to Waukesha West picking up their defensive game.

The Wolverines were then able to drive down the field and score their first touchdown of the day, but the extra point was blocked making the score 21-6. The next drive for the Highlanders lasted around 13 minutes and took the game into the 4th quarter. After many conversion on not only 3rd down but 4th as well, the Highlanders faced a 4 and 1 situation on West’s 1-yard line. That is when Winters plowed his way into the endzone for his second touchdown of the night, putting the score at 28-6 with only 3:22 left to play.

“I am so proud of the way that the team played. We gave it our all on every play, and that is what helped us bring home with win. That last touchdown really made us realize that the game was over and we were about to become state champions,” Winters said.

That is when the excitement that the Highlanders were about to win their first state title since 2012 took over the Homestead sideline and the student section. The game, however, was not over yet.

Waukesha West was able to score one more time but failed to complete the two point conversion. After Homestead recovered the Wolverines onside kick attempt, the Highlanders were able to line up in victory formation and take a knee to end the game with a score of 28-12.

Winters led the team with 106 yards and two touchdowns, but the win was an overall team effort, from special teams, defensive coming up with turnovers, and the offense executing plays throughout the whole game.

“It’s a pretty crazy feeling that still hasn’t completely set in. When we were 2-2, we kind of just looked at each other and realized it was time to step it up. I’m most proud of the seniors. They’ve been phenomenal leaders all year, and it showed yesterday,” Zoeller said.

The seniors are now able to walk away with the joy of having played the best possible season and winning their last game as Highlanders. “This group of seniors was something else. I feel like this is the closest any Homestead football team has been in awhile. Going out on a high note like that is something that none of us will ever forget,” LaGalbo said.

From a shaky start to holding up the championship trophy, the team never doubted themselves and were able to come out of the season as state champions.

Click on the link to view photos from the state title game by Hannah O’Leary. https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B6ZbY45xSorKbVlSUWd4aUNTM1k&usp=sharing