Waterford is two wins away from state title game
By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
WATERFORD – Coach Adam Bakken reminded the Waterford Union High School football team Friday night that evenings in which they get to enjoy the game they all love are fleeting and few.
The Wolverines earned another Friday of football with their 28-20 WIAA Division 2 Level 2 playoff victory at home against Southern Lakes Conference rival Union Grove.
The Wolverines (10-1) play Nov. 6 against Waukesha West at Waukesha High School. West (9-2) beat Wilmot 28-0 Friday in a Level 2 playoff game at West.
“West is a very talented team,” Waterford’s Dyln Ross said. “They’ve knocked us out of the playoffs the last two years. We’ve been preparing for them all season.”
“We’re ready.”
West has ended Waterford’s season in each of the last three years.
West beat Waterford 20-14 last season in a Level 2 playoff game at Waukesha West. West advanced to the Division 2 title game and lost 25-17 to Menasha. West beat Waterford 27-7 in a Level 3 playoff game in 2013. West also beat Waterford 14-12 in 2012 in a Level 1 playoff game.
Union Grove defeated Greenfield 27-6 in a Level 1 playoff game Oct. 23 at Greenfield to advance to Level 2. The Broncos (7-4) advanced to the playoffs this season for the first time since 2009. First-year coach Craig McClelland is widely credited for righting the program.
“It’s disheartening to lose, always, but it was a good year for us,” McClelland said. “Our seniors did a phenomenal job.”
Waterford advanced to Level 2 after beating Wauwatosa West 28-0 Oct. 23 at home.
Against Union Grove the Wolverines led 7-0 at halftime, and took a 14-0 lead after a 17-yard touchdown run from quarterback Sam Allen with 10:09 left in the third quarter.
The Broncos did not wait long to respond and score their first points of the game.
Union Grove’s Toby Robe received the ensuing kickoff at the Broncos’ 10-yard line. Robe ran to the middle of Union Grove’s blocking, cut to his right and outran the Wolverines’ coverage for a 90-yard touchdown.
After the extra point the Broncos trailed 14-7. Robe’s touchdown offered a potentially waning sideline a much-needed boost.
“It changed the whole mood of the team,” Broncos quarterback Matt Nelson said. “It gave us life. I think maybe some of us (had) stopped believing.”
The score remained 14-7 until Allen scored on a one-yard run with 9:21 to go in the fourth quarter.
Waterford’s defense stopped Union Grove on 4th and 11 at the Waterford 20-yard line on the previous series.
Allen rushed for 79 yards on the first play of the ensuing series, going from the 20 to the one-yard line, before scoring.
“That was a dream come true, to do it right in front of our student section,” Allen said, who admitted he likely didn’t score because he was uncertain if he should dive or stiff-arm the defender trailing him down the sideline.
Union Grove did not yield with the score 21-7 in favor of the Wolverines. Nelson scored on a two-yard run with 5:29 in the fourth, capping an offensive series in which officials assessed offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on the two teams and, later, on Waterford’s sideline.
Waterford scored its final touchdown with 1:44 left in the fourth quarter on a 32-yard run by Jared Krattiger, and the outcome of the game appeared certain for the first time.
Not so.
Nelson directed the Broncos 73 yards in less than 90 seconds and scored on a four-yard touchdown run. The Broncos missed the extra point and trailed 28-20 with 21 seconds in regulation.
Union Grove tried an onside kick that Waterford’s Nolan Weber recovered. The Wolverines ran one play and moved on to Level 3.
Allen finished with 145 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Waterford compiled 292 rushing yards and averaged 6.6 yards a carry. Krattiger added 66 yards on the ground.
Nelson completed 26-of-47 passes for 246 yards.
Joe Peterson caught 10 passes to lead Union Grove, for 85 yards.
Robe added 63 yards receiving, Holden Whybark had 60 and Tyrell Laxton tallied 38 yards on five catches.
“It was definitely the biggest game of all of our high school careers,” Nelson said. “We treated it that way in practice all week.”
Some players hung their heads and others struggled with tears as the Broncos listened to post-game comments from their coaches, but the team did not wear a look of defeat.
“This team has grown all the way through this year,” Nelson said. “We’re all brothers out here. It was a blessing to play with this group of guys.”
As for Waterford, it is one of eight teams remaining in Division 2 for the second time in three seasons.
The fourth SLC team in action Friday, Lake Geneva Badger, beat Oregon 42-14 at home in a Level 2 playoff game. Badger (9-2) plays Waunakee Nov. 6 at Waunakee.
Waunakee finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the state in the Wissports.net Coaches Poll. Waterford is ranked eighth and West ninth in the same poll.
The winner of the Waterford-Waukesha West game plays the winner of the Badger-Waunakee game the weekend of Nov. 13 for a spot in the Division 2 title game.
The Division 2 title game is at 1:05 p.m. Nov. 20 in Madison at Camp Randall Stadium.
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