Homestead football coach Dave Keel said recently that he was "absolutely pleased to be playing another game for a conference title" in regards to his team's Wednesday 7 p.m. showdown that will pit his home-bound 8-0 Highlanders against the 7-1 Cedarburg Bulldogs with a share of the North Shore title on the line.
He knows what he's talking about as his eight-time league champion Highlanders, Cedarburg and Germantown have been in this situation before several times over the last decade.
The best time was arguably six years ago, but 2002 might as well have been yesterday as the North Shore gridiron blazed white-hot in terms of intensity and skill as everyone in the league it seemed had a chance at grabbing the crown.
At one point, five teams were tied for the league lead and by the end of the campaign, there was a three-way tie for the title with extremely talented Homestead, Cedraburg and Germantown squads all deservedly locked in union. Both Homestead and Germantown would make deep runs into the WIAA state playoffs, both ending just a game away from the finals.
How the the trio got there involved two of the greatest back-to-back games in modern league history with two of the more astonishing finishes anyone ever saw. Cedarburg defeated Homestead, 21-17, on the Highlanders home turf as Bulldog quarterback Joe Patek led his team an a painstaking 16-play, fourth-quarter drive that saw the lanky 6-6 signal-caller complete critical fourth and six and fourth and seven passes for first downs. He finally hit tight end Mike Drifka with just seconds to go on a six-yard TD pass to secure the win.
"We just didn't finish this one today," Keel said at the time.
Ironically, both Patek (seven of 11 passing for 120 yards and two TDs) and Homestead fullback Andy Moriarty (28 carries for 97 yards and a TD) would later become teammates and go on to have record-setting careers at UW-Oshkosh.
Then a week later, Germantown visited Cedarburg with the Bulldogs staring down an opportunity to clinch the league crown outright. Patek (12 of 18 for 188 yards) led Cedarburg to a 15-6 lead early in the fourth quarter, but Warhawk four-sport star and quarterback David Pietrowiak willed Germantown back, scoring on a dazzling 63-yard option play to make it 15-12.
Then a couple of series later, Pietrowiak hit back Willie Albiero on a deep out pattern. Albiero, a star and All-Suburban selection for the 2003 state champion Warhawks, broke several tackles and tumbled into the end zone to complete a 39-yard TD play.
But with the Cedarburg crowd bellowing in the background and with just seconds remaining, Patek almost led the Bulldogs back. Enter, however, Germantown defensive back Jeff Treslley, who put the words "brilliant mistake" into the mouth of his coach Phil Datka as he let Cedarburg halfback Derek Moore get behind him on a post pattern down the middle of the field. Patek threw a pretty, deep-arcing ball which hit Moore perfectly in the hands.
The Bulldog fans were delerious as Moore went flying down the field for what looked like the game and conference-winning TD, but Treslley, a state place-winning hurdler in track and later quarterback of the 2003 Germantown champions, caught up to Moore at about the three-yard line and in one swift move punched the ball out of his hands and sent it sailing out the back of the Warhawk end zone for a touchback.
It took everyone, even the officials, a few seconds to realize what had happened and how Treslley had saved the game and Germantown's share of the league title.
"I just said 'oh no, I have to do something,'" Treslley said.
Datka, always the humble humorist, was grateful to have great athletes save the team this day.
"I was just very impressed at the way we came back," he said. "I did a horrible job of play calling in the first half. I was confused and when I'm confused, everyone's confused."
But there should be no confusion with Wednesday night's latest showdown. The two offenses are potent with the Bulldogs, behind another talented quarterback in Chip Rank, average 37 points per game out of their always dangerous run-oriented double-wing offense. Logan Lauters, in just his sophomore year, has developed into of the area's most effective running backs.
The Bulldogs have struggled on defense as of late, however, as illness diminished their linebacking corps for a series of games. Those players are expected to be back at full strength Wednesday night to fortify a unit that gives up 15 points a contest.
Homestead's offense is a story of tenacity and patience, as the Highlanders had to rebuild their entire offensive line and find new go-to players. But behind veteran quarterback Casey Barnes, and a trio of fleet and strong backs in Aric Daniels, Avery Walker and Bryan Bronaugh they find themselves outdoing the Bulldogs offensively, averaging close to 39 points a contest.
The difference, it seems may come with the high-level Homestead defense, which at times has drawn comparisons to the stout unit that led the Highlanders to a state title in 2006. All-state lineman and Wisconsin-recruit Shelby Harris lines up wherever defensive coordinator Fritz Rauch needs him and the double-and-triple teams he draws opens lanes for a seemingly endless wave of fleet defenders to make plays and wreak havoc. The Highlanders give up less than eight points a game.
Still, the history of this rivalry is a good one, and don't go to the game expecting a blowout. Too much is at stake and look for the Bulldogs to try and end the Highlanders six-year league winning streak and grab a share of the crown with an emotional and intense effort.
For you see, that 2002 epic was the last time Homestead lost a North Shore tilt.
Get there early.
