“Hats off to Germantown… it was a physical game, and the better team won,” Serafino LaGalbo, senior outside linebacker, said, after a heart wrenching loss to Germantown High School on Friday, Sept. 11. The student section was decked out from head to toe in its patriotic spirit wear, remembering those fallen in the 9/11 tragedies 14 years ago, wildly screaming as the Mighty Highlanders rushed out to the field.

Within the first 15 minutes of the game, Germantown turned over on downs, giving the Highlanders the ball at Germantown’s 37-yard line. Germantown got the ball back, but then fumbled at their 32-yard line; it was Homestead’s ball once again. Eric Zoeller, junior quarterback, found Jack Popp, senior wide receiver, in the end zone, and threw him a perfect 13-yard pass, scoring for Homestead and putting the first numbers up on the scoreboard.

At the end of the first quarter, Homestead had a lead of 7-0 over Germantown.

Soon within the second quarter, Germantown scored a 1-yard touchdown, setting the score at 7-7. Germantown received the ball again, and shortly afterwards scored with a 34-yard touchdown pass, putting them up 14-7. Tyler Woldt, senior wide receiver, caught a 20-yard pass from Zoeller; the pressure was rising for the Highlanders.

Time was running out in the first half, and Homestead’s student section was jumping out of their seats. Matthew Winters, senior running back, scored a touchdown in the very last seconds of the quarter, tying the score at 14-14, and the crowd went wild.

The second half was up and coming, and the Highlanders were looking prepared for the rest of the game. Homestead fumbled the ball to Germantown on Homestead’s 21-yard line, which was turned back over to Homestead at their 6-yard line thanks to Homestead’s phenomenal defense. Zoeller tossed a 30-yard pass to Popp, putting Homestead at Germantown’s 40-yard line.

With less than five minutes to go in the third quarter, Germantown scored with a quarterback sneak, making the score 21-14, with Germantown in the lead.

The fourth quarter began, and Homestead’s student section was louder than ever, ready to cheer on their Highlanders through this final streak. Ten minutes were left on the clock, and Winters scored again with a two point conversion to follow, bringing the score to 22-21, with Homestead in the lead. Germantown scored a six point touchdown and missed the two point conversion with six minutes left, putting them up 27-22.

With a little over two minutes to go, Germantown scored their fifth touchdown of the game, making the score 34-22. Thirty-nine seconds were left on the clock, and Winters scored an 11-yard touchdown, bringing the Highlanders up to 29 points.

Germantown took a knee to end the game, and the final score read 34-29, a victory for Germantown and a tough loss for Homestead. The couple hundred students in the stands never stopped chanting and showing their Homestead pride, and, more importantly, the players put 100 percent of their effort into every second of that game and never gave up. “The energy of that game was unbelievable,” Matt Winters said after the game. “We went out there and gave it our all, but some of the plays just didn’t go in our favor.”

Michael Fehrenbach, junior running back and outside linebacker, said, “Hopefully we get a chance to play them in playoffs so we can show them what Homestead football is really about.”