After the first week of the 2022 season, he Homestead football team had a 14-7 win against Germantown in the Battle of Mequon Road under its belt.

The hype for the first home game against Arrowhead was high throughout the week even though the students are not in school yet.

“I (was) excited to play against another storied program with many distinguished alums, such as myself, and we’re ready for the challenge and the opportunity it is to play another good team,” Micah Adams, assistant coach and social studies teacher, said a few days before the game.

Red-clad Highlanders filled the stands as the marching band played their selection of pre-game songs, and the dance team danced along.

After the coin toss, Homestead and Arrowhead went back and forth offensively and defensively until Arrowhead kicked a field goal with 8:15 left in the first quarter. The quarter would end with a score of 3-0, with Arrowhead leading.

The second quarter went better for Homestead after Sal Balistreri, senior quarterback, rushed 71 yards to the 5-yard line. Homestead handed it off to Dom Bruno, junior running back, who ran it into the end zone for a touchdown. The extra point kick was blocked, making the score 6-3, with Homestead in the lead. Neither team scored the rest of the quarter with the defenses shining, and Homestead held the lead going into halftime.

Halftime was filled with a performance from the dance team and loud cheers from the student section, including some encouragement from Eric Ebert, Homestead principal, and Ernie Millard, assistant athletic director and social studies teacher.

The second half kicked off with a long return by Drew Wilson, junior linebacker and while Homestead fought hard on offense and defense, Arrowhead scored a touchdown and extra point with 6:03 left in the third quarter. The third quarter ended 10-6, Arrowhead.

The fourth quarter consisted of Arrowhead taking control by scoring two touchdowns and then returning an interception for a third. After Homestead blocked the 2-point conversion attempt, the game ended with a final score of 30-6 Arrowhead.

“I think everybody played hard. We put everything we could on the field, left it all out there. The score doesn’t reflect how hard we all played, and how good of a game it really was,” Sean West, junior kicker, said after the game.

Despite the loss, the Homestead student section stayed loud and proud throughout the whole game, and “WE ARE THE MIGHTY HIGHLANDERS” rang throughout the field.

“There was a great atmosphere tonight, and a tough football game. Homestead will come back strong next week,” Principal Ebert said.

The Homestead football team will now go on to battle Slinger at home on Sept. 2 to start its conference portion of the schedule.