A couple of kneel downs finishes off a 13-11 Homestead victory. The Highlanders have won their third state title and second in three seasons over Arrowhead.

We will be posting a game recap, photos and some comments from coaches and players on MequonNOW.com soon...so check back shortly!

Arrowhead coach Tom Taraska said it's always great getting to Madison, even if you don't win, and that's absolutely true. Titles are kind of expected out of these two programs, so I'm sure it's still disappointing to get this far and fall short.

Homestead is going to win its second title in three years. Arrowhead, making its state-record ninth title-game appearance, will have to settle for runner-up ... it's fifth time as such.

Great game. Weird score, but great game.

Casey Barnes picked up the one yard his team needed with a sneak. Ninety seconds left, Homestead is on its way to the state title.

Lucas Speaker was stopped short of the first down. It's fourth-and-1 with 1:33 left.

Are the Highlanders' going to punt it away, risking a block, or do they have confidence in the offense to pick up one yard?

Homestead is faced with a third-and-2 from the Arrowhead 47 with 1:42 left. If the Warhawks come up with a stop, they'll likely get one last possession. If Homestead converts, the Highlanders can likely run out the final seconds and earn the third state title in school history. 

Cameron Mikkelson recovered Arrowhead's onsides kick attempt, and the Highlanders take over on their own 45-yard line with 2:20 left.

A nice run by Bryan Bronaugh moves the ball to the Arrowhead 47 with less than 2 minutes left.

They just made an announcement that after the game, players and fans are going to be ushered out immediately, because Cal Poly's football team will be taking the field for practice immediately thereafter. Poly plays the Badgers tomorrow at Camp Randall in the regular season finale for UW.

It's 27 degrees out there (maybe) -- this sure ain't San Luis Obisbo, California. Welcome to Wisconsin, Cal Poly!

Calvin Ramsey just scored a 35-yard touchdown with 2:30 remaining.

Arrowhead needs the two-point conversion to tie the score.

But Parish's fade pass intended for Collin Schreck goes out of the back of the endzone.

With 2:30 remaining, Homestead leads, 13-11.

In case you're curious, the overtime procedure is similar to college. Each team gets a possession on their opponent's 25-yard line (pushed back in 2008 -- last year, you started on the 10), and the first team to come out of a back-and-forth scenario with a lead wins the game. It's super exciting stuff (AHS had an overtime scenario in the playoffs last year against Marquette, and it was epic), but AHS has to get to the end zone and convert a 2-point play first.

And as I type that, Calvin Ramsey delivers the score.

Arrowhead QB Tom Parish picked up a first down with a short run, and the Warhawks are at the Homestead 41.

Another run by Brian Crook picks up 6 yards, and with 3:27 left, the Warhawks are 35 yards away from the endzone.

Jake Poehls with the interception on a throw that really puzzles me. You're up a score in the state title game with six minutes remaining, inside the opponent's 15 and you throw the ball on second down? It might have been a surprise, but it seemed risky. Poehls gives his team a chance to tie the game, and they're showing some renewed life.

The Warhawks drove the length of the field in 1:33 to score in the Level 2 game against Oshkosh West, needing that touchdown for victory. They certainly can do some damage in 6 minutes.

Just like that, Arrowhead is near midfield after a long run by Brian Crook.

With 5:20 left, this game has overtime written all over it.

The Highlanders just threw an interception on second-and-9 from inside the Arrowhead 15. Arrowhead has the ball with 6 minutes left and has to go 85 yards for a score.

The score remains 13-5 Homestead...

Barnes kept it on third-and-two and got just enough to keep Homestead's drive alive at the 13-yard line with 7:45 remaining. Any points here would make it a very big hole for Arrowhead to dig out of.

Homestead's recent backfield included the aforementioned linemen -- Shelby Harris and Lucas Speaker. Those guys are usually defense guys, but they get some chances on offense in the final quarter of the 2008 season.

7:55 to go, and HHS is looking for the dagger score.

Senior defensive back Tom Engel is having a game of a lifetime. He just picked off another pass, giving Homestead possession around midfield with approximately 10 minutes left.

If they gave out a game MVP award, my vote would be for Engel.

The Highlanders are looking to score quickly. A long pass to tight end Josh Wichman puts the Highlanders all the way down to the 23-yard line. 

Yet another turnover forced by Arrowhead. Parish had only four interceptions all year heading into this game, and he has thrown a pair -- both to Tom Engel -- in this game.

In the first half, I mentioned Shelby Harris was all over the field for the Highlanders. Lucas Speaker seems to have assumed that role for the Highlanders -- that guy is fast and he has a nose for the ball. Goodness, the HHS defensive line is gifted.

Homestead can start to smell gold, methinks.

Tom Engel, who has a defensive touchdown tonight, broke up a long pass attempt by quarterback Tom Parish.

But Arrowhead continues to move the ball on the ground and is nearing midfield with around 11 minutes remaining in the game.

Another thing that goes without saying -- what a huge extra-point block by the Warhawks, keeping AHS within 8 points and leaving them a touchdown and two-point conversion away from tying the game. Special teams has really clicked thus far, though the offense better do something soon to secure a second consecutive state title and preserve the school-record 27-game winning streak.

Homestead, by the way, has overtaken Arrowhead in yardage, now owning a 184-182 advantage. A single impressive drive can turn that disparity around in a hurry, apparently. HHS also has 12 first downs, to Arrowhead's 7.

One quarter remains in the 2008 football season, and Homestead holds a 13-5 lead.