~ From the WIAA ~
Waunakee (14-0) won the Division 2 State title with a 33-21 victory over Homestead (11-3) in the championship game. Andrew Keller hauled in a 34-yard pass from Quintin Keene to put the Warriors up 7-0 with 23 seconds remaining in the first quarter. The Highlanders tied the game on a Sal Balistrieri 1-yard run after a fumble recovery set the offense up in Warriors’ territory. Ben Farnsworth captured the momentum back for Waunakee with a record-setting 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to regain the lead at 14-7 with 1:58 in the first half. It’s the longest kickoff return for any division in State history.
WIAA Division 2 State Football Championship Preview: Waunakee vs Homestead
Waunakee added another touchdown before the half after an interception set them up near midfield. The Warriors scored with 32 seconds remaining on a 19-yard run by Michael Gnorski for a 20-14 halftime advantage. Homestead cut into the deficit with a 15-yard rush by Joe Ollman, who led all rushers in the game with 124 yards, to make the score 20-14 with 3:24 remaining in the third period.
WIAA State Football Championship Previews: All Divisions
Gnorski scored his second touchdown of the game to increase the Warriors’ advantage to 27-14 with a 24-yard run at the 2:37 mark of the third quarter. Balistrieri added another touchdown for the Highlanders on an 11-yard burst with 9:59 remaining in the game.
2021 OnFocus Level 4 State Semifinals and (8-Player Final) SCOREBOARD
2021 WIAA Level 3 High School Football Scoreboard
2021 OnFocus Level 2 High School Football Scoreboard
OnFocus WIAA Football Playoffs Level 1 Scoreboard
The Warriors capped the scoring on another Keene to Keller connection, this from the 1-yard line. Keller caught a game-high five passes for 80 yards. Waunakee wins the title for the seventh time in 11 State Final appearances, and Homestead placed runner-up in its eighth appearance in the final.
We welcome your stories! Contact us at [email protected]!
Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
