Eight years of grueling practices. Eight years of blood, sweat and tears. Eight years of teammates that became family. Eight years of Mequon-Thiensville football.

This is the reality for many of this year’s seniors on the Homestead football team. These boys have put years of effort into carrying on the tradition of excellence that Head Coach Dave Keel has put in place, and now, after hoisting up the state championship trophy, it is all over.

“Personally, I think it will hit me harder when next fall comes around and I won’t be putting on the pads again. Because right now, it just seems like I’m taking a break like I have for the past three years of high school,” Patrick Minkin, senior, said. “However, never being able to play the arguably greatest team sport of all time again is something I will dwell on for the rest of my life.”

Minkin’s main sport was not even football. In his younger years, he was a talented soccer player who played for a club team that played across the midwest, but to him, choosing to stick with football over soccer was one of his greatest decisions.

Now, a couple months after the Division II state title game, a lot of seniors are done playing football for good. For the first time in their high school career, they can go home right after school instead of having to go in the weight room during the off season. Many of the seniors still are going in to lift, but they no longer are required to.

Of course, all of the seniors agree that their best memory of their years in football is winning the state title at Camp Randall, but the memories that they now have from their involvement in an organized sport will last them a lifetime.

The hard work that the players have exerted over the years all became worth it when they were crowned champions. Matt Gresham’s story is one of perseverance. In fifth grade, he was an offensive guard and was on second string. Now through years of hard work, he made his senior year a success. From being a second string athlete to catching a touchdown in a game that decided the conference championship title for the Highlanders, Gresham never stopped working at his skill.

“It’s crazy to see what hard work can do,” Gresham said.

“Football has taught me that success requires a strong and determined work ethic. The intense focus and enormous effort we put into practice culminated with us winning the state championship this year,” Will Nimke, senior, right guard, added.

Five of the 26 seniors will go on to play college football, but for the rest, their football careers are over and all they have are the memories of all the years with the sport to which they dedicated so much time.

“The game of football struck certain feelings and emotions that I may never be able to experience again, so my overall mood is sad mixed with disappointment that I won’t ever have that sort of experience given to me again,” Minkin said.

Not only were there so many seniors on the team, but so many of them brought different kinds of talent to the team. Many of them had their best seasons of their career this year, and now the team will have to rebuild due to losing so much talent. “The wide range of personalities will be missed. Every day was a new, wonderful experience with this team,” Coach Keel said.

Many of these guys have been playing on the same team as each other since fifth grade Cardinal football. They have created friendships that are sure to last a lifetime, but even more than friendship, they have become family. Even though they have walked off the field after a game for the last time, they always will carry the lessons they learned from football with them.

“Every team I was on that had success was a team where everyone got along and could have fun but then also get down to business,” Zach Beale said.

Countless coaches, hundreds of games, thousands of practices have all brought them together as one.“The thing I will miss the most is being on the field with my teammates in the deciding moments of a game, where nothing else matters except getting the ball into the endzone,” Nimke said.

“To the juniors, you’re going to start to hate practice and such, but just enjoy the little things because when it’s over you’re going to feel like everything just flew by. Also some moments deserve to be captured, but others should just live as memories that only you and the guys should experience,”Beale said.

“I love the game. I’ll always love the game. Not preparing for next season has been very different. My advice to any of the juniors this year is to cherish every single moment of next season, even the times where you question why you put yourself through such a difficult sport, enjoy it,” Gresham concluded.

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Submitted Photo

Will Nimke, number 77, has played football in the Mequon-Thiensville district since fifth grade.