VERMILLION, S.D. (Nov. 3, 2001) -- At big parties, someone asks another to 'save the last dance for me.' At these South Dakota High School Football Championships, Brookings and Watertown had the last dance and it was a doosey. The two partners did a little different type of dance as it included pushing, shoving, running and throwing and a lot of handclapping. In the end, it was the Watertown Arrows and quarterback Matt David that led the last waltz.

With more than 7,901 fans watching, the gold and purple Arrows fought back from a 15-10 deficit when David, the Joe Robbie MVP, connected with Dustin Sinner on a 49-yard touchdown pass with 3:47 to play. The game winning score gave the Arrows a slim 11-10 lead. But in a game or dance where a lot of feet were stepped on and a lot of heads rattled, it was linebacker Charlie Johnson of Watertown that struck big and hard. Johnson sacked Brookings quarterback Nick Dieter who fumbled the ball and after defensive tackle Mark Schleusner fell on the ball, the Arrows were within striking distance again at the Brookings 15-yard line. A few plays later, David put the finishing touches on the win with a three yard touchdown scamper with 2:52 to play. The Bobcats moved the ball downfield but were unable to convert and an interception by the Arrows' Hegge ended a repeat title performance by the underdogs from Brookings.

While the Arrows won their second 11AA title (1996), it was without a few tense moments. The Bobcats took an early lead when Dieter connected with Chris Wagner on a 23-yard touchdown pass with 10:15 to play in the opening quarter. Then the game got very physical and defensive. The only scoring in the second and third quarter was a 23-yard field goal by Dan Hanson of Watertown and a safety by Watertown in the second quarter. While David was the MVP, a few onlookers might have chosen the entire Watertown defense that continually held off the Bobcats. But perhaps it was the ability of the Watertown defense to stop Brookings early in the fourth quarter that proved the difference in this tight defensive tussle. On a 25-play, 62-yard drive that ate up seven minutes of the time clock late in the third quarter and the start of the fourth quarter, the Bobcats failed to score a touchdown when they had moved the ball to the Watertown two yard line. On a first down play,Dieter was sacked by Charlie Johnson. Then a heavy rush by the Arrows forced a bad toss on a halfback pass and an incomplete pass forced Brookings head coach to settle for a field goal.Luke Frederick's 30-yard field goal went just past the outstretched arms of several Watertown Arrows as Brookings grabbed a 10-5 lead.

Then, it was up to David and the Watertown defense who made the big plays in the final minute.

Overall, Brookings managed just 22 yards rushing and 146 yards passing for 168 total yards on 59 plays. Watertown did not fare much better with just 80 yards rushing and 127 yards passing for 207 yards of total offense in 54 plays. TJ Bozied led the Bobcats with 38 yards rushing while Dieter completed 14 of 27 passes for 146 yards and had two interceptions with the one touchdown. Lucas Glassman led Watertown rushers with 51 yards. David completed seven of 22 passes for 127 yards and a scoring toss. However, he was not picked off. Brookings had four turnovers to just one for the Arrows. Still this was a game