Welcome to the championship football game blog, where JR Radcliffe (Lake Country Publications sports director) and Dave Cotey (CNI sports editor) will provide you live updates from the Homestead-Arrowhead rematch in the WIAA Division 1 football title game Friday, beginning around 4 p.m. Check back in this space for updates, as well as audio and video of coaches and players after the game.

Homestead and Arrowhead will be playing each other for an unprecedented third straight year, with each program taking home a gold ball in the past two seasons. Who will win the final act?

To whet your whistle, here's some previews -- including the Lake Country Reporter's perspective and the story from MequonNOW.com. Also, check out 620 WTMJ's Daily Trash, where you can make comments about the big showdown.

We've arrived in Madison at Camp Randall Stadium for the Division 1 state football title game betweeen Arrowhead and Homestead. As we speak, Kimberly is putting the finishing touches on a repeat of its Division 2 title -- will Arrowhead follow suit with a repeat performance, or will Homestead take its second title in three years? Check back soon for more.

--JR

As Kimberly just closed the door on the D2 championship, there is word circulating around the stands that Homestead starting running back Aric Daniels might miss today's game because of a possible concussion suffered in last week's win over Middleton.

Daniels, a senior, missed portions of last week's game but participated in all of the postgame celebrations.

Daniels is the Highlanders' leading rusher with 930 yards with 11 touchdowns. If he is out, look for more carries from Avery Walker and the passing game to take on an expanded role.

 DC

Updating my previous post, Aric Daniels is on the field and warming up with the rest of his teammates. The concussion rumor might have been just that - a rumor.

 Both teams have taken the field and we are about 25 minutes away from kickoff.

 DC

As you all probably know by now, Homestead and Arrowhead are playing for the D1 title for the third straight year. In 2006, the Highlanders shut out the Warhawks, 35-0. That was Arrowhead's last loss. Since then, the Warhawks have won a school-record 27 straight games, including a 31-7 win in last year's title game.

Arrowhead is making its state-record ninth title game appearance and is looking for its fifth title. Only two teams in the state have more.

Homestead has been a CNI/NOW-area power as of late. With four title game appearances, the Highlanders have tied New Berlin Eisenhower and Germantown for the most within that coveage area. No CNI/NOW team has won more than two titles - the Highlanders enter today's game with two.

DC

These two teams share a color scheme, so I wasn't sure which was which when they hit the field. Homestead will be wearing the red this time, playing as the home team on the scoreboard. The Warhawks will wear white -- and that hasn't exactly been a kind color in this title game rivalry. The home team (and thus, the team wearing the red) has won each of the past two years.

--JR

Players were warming up when the announcement came about the national anthem, and some AHS players were still sprinting to their sideline when the first chords hit the sound system. Whoops. Seven minutes remain on the pregame clock, followed by Division 1 title game football.

The teams have been announced, the ball has been placed at the 40-yard line.

 Act III as we've dubbed this game is just about here.

I'll provide play-by-play for the first quarter, while JR offers some observations and comments. Then we'll switch for the second quarter.

Homestead quarterback Casey Barnes just ripped off a long gain and moved the ball into Arrowhead territory.

 DC

Facing their first third-down situation of the game, the Highlanders pick up a first down on Bryan Bronaugh's short run to keep the drive alive. Homestead is marching fairly easily.

RB Aric Daniels bobbled a third-down pass a few times, almost leading to an Arrowhead interception. QB Casey Barnes' fourth-down pass falls short of its intended receiver, and Arrowhead takes over on their own 30-yard line with 8:41 remaining in the first quarter.

Facing their first third-down situation of the game, the Highlanders pick up a first down on Bryan Bronaugh's short run to keep the drive alive. Homestead is marching fairly easily.

We've talked about it before -- Arrowhead has ripped off 28 touchdowns of 40 yards or more (several of those on special teams), meaning they average better than two touchdowns per game of that variety. In my mind, that's positively staggering. It's going to require a very disciplined defense to keep that from happening.

It certainly happened to HHS last year when the Warhawks rattled off long scoring plays. Three touchdowns against Stevens Point last week were from long distance, and it's a significant component of the AHS offense.

--JR

For those curious, the starting lineups for the 2008 Division 1 state title game:

AHS offense: Trent Wehlage (end), Jared Volk (tackle), Nick Doehling (guard), Jason Boerner (center), Brad Fisher (guard), Tony Seonbuchner (tackle), Connor Harmann (end), Brian Crook (running back), Calvin Ramsey (running back), Russell Finco (running back), Tom Parish (quarterback)

AHS defense: Joey Balthazor (defensive end), Jim Bernatz (defensive end), Charlie Seitz (defensive line), Jake Klaisner (defensive line), Justin May (defensive line), Matt Boerner (linebacker), Derek Landisch (linebacker), Jeremy Oleniczak (linebacker), Chris Pendergast (defensive back), Jake Poehls (defensive back), Russ Darrow (defensive back)

HHS offense: Mike Collins (end), Kyle Schoher/Nick Bailey (tackle), Max Vielmetti (guard), Matt Johnson (center), Justin Barber (guard), Brodie Brown (guard), Josh WIchman/Coy Smith (end), Aric Daniels (running back), Bryan Bronaugh (running back), Avery Walker (running back), Casey Barnes (quarterback)

HHS defense: Alex Bangert (defensive line), Ben Roeper (defensive line), Shelby Harris (defensive line), Ben Gardner (defensive line), Darius Feaster (linebacker), Andy Boll (linebacker), Lucas Speaker (linebacker), Jason Willms (defensive back), Bobby Ollman (defensive back), Spenser Levine/Tommy Engel (defensive back), Brad Pelisek (defensive back)

--JR

Defending champ Arrowhead converted on its first third-down situation, a strong run by Brian Crook, half of the Warhawks' dynamic duo of running backs.

But on the next play, Homestead's own dynamic duo - defensive linemen Shelby Harris and Ben Gardner - both sacked Arrowhead quarterback Tom Parrish.

And before I could even send this post, Harris just got to Parrish again for consecutive sacks. Homestead's defense looks good.

We've talked about it before -- Arrowhead has ripped off 28 touchdowns of 40 yards or more (several of those on special teams), meaning they average better than two touchdowns per game of that variety. In my mind, that's positively staggering. It's going to require a very disciplined defense to keep that from happening.

It certainly happened to HHS last year when the Warhawks rattled off long scoring plays. Three touchdowns against Stevens Point last week were from long distance, and it's a significant component of the AHS offense.

--JR

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