Franklin — The Franklin Sabers are one team that has no interest in the WIAA's proposal to realign the state's football teams into enrollment-based districts, and for good reason.
As one of the smallest teams in the league over the last decade or so - this year Franklin is the smallest - the Sabers have made 10 postseason appearances since joining the Southeast Conference in 1997.
In eight of those playoff seasons, the Sabers won their first-round game, and in five of those campaigns, Franklin has advanced to at least the third round, including this season, thanks to a 29-21 victory over host Waterford on Saturday.
Prior to becoming an SEC member and playing against some of the biggest schools in the state, the Sabers made the playoffs just four times and advanced to the second round just once and never to the third round.
Franklin coach Jeff Klemp says that is no coincidence.
"Our kids love playing in the Southeast Conference," said Klemp, whose team is 9-2. "They know it's a game every week. There are great players every week. We know when we get into the D2 playoffs, we're not going to see teams better than what we've played. We feel confident every game we play."
That confidence was evident when the Sabers fell behind, 14-7, to Waterford (9-2) on Greg Steffens' 40-yard touchdown run with 10:41 left in the second half. Unflappable Franklin quarterback Lance Baretz rushed for 61 yards on the Sabers' first play of the ensuing possession and three plays later he connected with Matt Sklander for a 10-yard TD.
The extra point was blocked, but the Sabers pulled within one at 14-13.
Baretz and company then engineered a perfect two-minute drill after taking possession with 1:02 remaining before intermission. A 24-yard screen pass to running back Paul Lincoln helped set up the second Baretz-to-Sklander connection of the half, this time from 16 yards out with 20 seconds left putting Franklin up 20-14.
The Sabers never trailed again, just as they rarely did against the big boys of the SEC this fall, with the exception of league champion Kenosha Bradford.
"We call it Mount SEC," Baretz said. "You have to climb and it's an uphill battle. Every week you've got a tough game no matter what." Franklin's third-round foe, Lake Geneva Badger (9-2), runners-up in the Southern Lakes Conference to Waterford, has been to the playoffs 13 times, including each of the last four seasons. But this marks the first time the Badgers have advanced to the third round.
Though Baretz rushed for 114 rushing yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, he more impressively completed 26 of a whopping 44 passes for 268 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.
He completed passes to five different receivers - including 11 catches for 144 yards by Evan Walton - but only one completion was for more than 18 yards as the Sabers continuously utilized their short passing attack.
"We knew we were going to have to throw on them because they weren't going to let us run because they are a big, physical team," Baretz said. "Our line did a great job protecting and our receivers made some big, big catches."
Up next
WHO: Franklin Sabers (9-2) vs. Lake Geneva Badger Badgers (9-2)
WHAT: third-round WIAA playoff game
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Greendale High School
ABOUT LAKE GENEVA: The Badgers rely heavily on the ground game with two backs approaching 1,000 yards: Trevor York (981 yards, 9 TDs) and Kyle Poplar (941 yards, 12 TDs) … The Badgers have totaled 881 rushing yards in back-to-back playoff wins over Whitnall and South Milwaukee.
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