Wisconsin High School Football Coach Defends Controversial Decision To Lose State Championship

Bay Port came just three points short of victory against Arrowhead during the high school football state championship in Wisconsin. The Pirates decided to go for the win with exactly one second remaining during the fourth quarter instead of kicking a field goal to force overtime.

Head coach Steven Jorgensen stands by his decision.

Most high school football coaches would probably take the points during a state championship game but the players wanted to go. Their decision ultimately proved to be the proverbial nail in the coffin on their season.

Bay Port had a chance to tie the high school football game.

Bay Port High School and Arrowhead Union High School are separated by approximately 120 miles. The former is located on the north side of Green Bay. The latter is located to the west of Milwaukee.

Both schools compete on the Division-I level of high school football competition in the state of Wisconsin. The Warhawks lost only one game during the regular season. The Pirates lost two.

They met on a collision course in the Division 1 WIAA State Championship game at Camp Randall on Friday. It was a close game between two powerhouse programs.

All of the momentum was in favor of Bay Port late in the fourth quarter when running back Brady Moon scored the go-ahead touchdown with approximately one minute remaining. That lead was immediately squandered on the subsequent kickoff. Ryan Heiman returned a bouncing squib kick down the middle for a 76-yard touchdown to go up by three.

Go for two or kick the field goal?

The Pirates had just 35 seconds to respond to the kick return touchdown. They quickly drove down to the Warhawks’ 11-yard-line with only one second remaining in the fourth quarter of the state championship.

Head coach Steven Jorgensen had a decision to make.

He could either send out his field goal unit to kick what could be the game-tying field goal to force overtime or leave the offense on the field to go for the win. He and his players decided to play for the win.

Their last-second effort, literally, was unsuccessful.