Dakota Bowl Tailgating (9/14/13)

This evening I was tasked with covering the tailgate party before the Dakota Bowl game featuring Sioux Falls Washington versus Sioux Falls O'Gorman.

There was a lot of team colors and high schoolers being high schoolers.

It was the pretty usual stuff; face painting, playing catch, and hanging out, but then there was some stuff I wasn't expecting at a high school football tailgate party; people playing video games, ping pong, and at one point I saw a pull-out couch with the bed out.

It was a pretty big event.

Anyways, here are some of my favorite frames from the assignment. More photos can be seen here. 

Nickey Zirpel, 16, gets her face painted by Meg Wolstenholm, 17, during a tailgate party before the Dakota Bowl at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Charlie Hueners, 7, sprays blue hair dye into 7-year-old Sully Schlimgen's hair during a tailgate party before the Dakota Bowl at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Andrew Sammons, 18, sports a freshly done blue glitter mustache during a tailgate party before the Dakota Bowl at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Katie McLaughlin, 18, gets a glitter gold star put on her face by Isabelle Loudenslager, 16, left, and Mary Billion, 17, during a tailgate party before the Dakota Bowl at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Keaton Davis, 15, and Andrew Sammons, 18, have a push-up contest during a tailgate party before the Dakota Bowl at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Charlie Hueners, 7, catches a ball while playing monkey-in-the-middle with Leo Hueners, 9, during a tailgate party before the Dakota Bowl at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Sam Siganos, a Washington fan, and Logan Harmelink, an O'Gorman fan, walk toward the entrance to Howard Wood Field during a tailgate party before the Dakota Bowl in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Jack Hunter, 18, left, and Austin Serck, 17, play ping pong during a tailgate party before the Dakota Bowl at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Seth Benson, 14, hands Josh Freese, 15, a Washington High School T-shirt during a tailgate party before the Dakota Bowl at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

From left, Jacob Fleck, 17, looks on while Mason Koch, 16, Matt Billion, 16, and Will Michels, 17, play Super Smash Brothers during a tailgate party before the Dakota Bowl at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

From left, Sydney VanDenHemel, 8, Brayden Carlson, 6, and Chris VanDenHemel eat pizza during a tailgate party before the Dakota Bowl at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Brian Kuyper, 16, jumps to catch a ball while throwing a ball around with his friends during a tailgate party before the Dakota Bowl at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

MSHSL Class AA State Football Championship

A couple weeks ago I found myself at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn., covering the Caledonia High School Warriors at the MSHSL Class AA State Football Championship. 

To make a long story short, Levi Schmitz kicked the winning field goal with seconds left of the game.  It was a pretty awesome way for Caledonia to win their third straight title.  

It was a fun game to shoot, watch, and, of course, shooting at the Metrodome was pretty cool too.  I came away with a total of 35 photos for the gallery on the Winona Daily News website, but I only posted a few of my favorites here. 

©Joe Ahlquist/Winona Daily News

Caledonia's Levi Schmitz squats on the field before kicking the winning field goal during the MSHSL Class AA Championship game against Moose Lake/Willow River Friday, Nov. 23, 2012, at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. (Joe Ahlquist/Winona Daily News)

Caledonia's Adam Buttell (10) and Brad Strub celebrate after Strub scored a touchdown during the MSHSL Class AA Championship game against Moose Lake/Willow River Friday, Nov. 23, 2012, at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. (Joe Ahlquist/Winona Daily News)

Caledonia players take the field just before the second half of the MSHSL Class AA Championship game against Moose Lake/Willow River Friday, Nov. 23, 2012, at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. (Joe Ahlquist/Winona Daily News)

Caledonia head coach Brent Schroeder looks up during the MSHSL Class AA Championship game against Moose Lake/Willow River Friday, Nov. 23, 2012, at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. (Joe Ahlquist/Winona Daily News)

Caledonia's Alex Varney (5) and Ryan Pitts congratulate each other after winning the MSHSL Class AA Championship game against Moose Lake/Willow River Friday, Nov. 23, 2012, at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. (Joe Ahlquist/Winona Daily News)

Caledonia fans celebrate after Caledonia won the MSHSL Class AA Championship game against Moose Lake/Willow River Friday, Nov. 23, 2012, at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. (Joe Ahlquist/Winona Daily News)