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The WisSports.net Player of the Week is back again for 2021. Voting is featured at the bottom of this article. Voting is open until Thursday at 4 pm, so be sure to vote for who you feel is most deserving and spread the word (hint: Social Media is a great way to do so). Users may vote once per day.

Franklin had a sense of unfinished business from last year when the Sabers' unbeaten season came to a premature end. Opening with a top five showdown at Appleton North, things didn't look good for much of the game, as Franklin trailed 28-7 at halftime and 31-14 into the fourth quarter. However, Burkett showed why he's a Wisconsin commit, rallying the team with a pair of touchdown passes in quick succession to get back within one score. He and the Sabers got one more chance, down 31-28 with 41 seconds left, needing to go 88 yards with no timeouts. Burkett completed three quick passes to cross midfield, setting the stage for an epic finish, as he lofted one under pressure that was tipped and caught by sophomore Jacques Brooks with just four seconds left for a 35-yard touchdown to give Franklin a 35-31 victory. Video of the play is below. Burkett finished with 368 passing yards and five touchdowns on 34-of-47 passing, adding 22 rushing yards as well.

Wausau West was under .500 last fall, while De Pere was unbeaten in the spring and entered 2021 as the second-ranked team in our Division 2 preseason rankings. It didn't matter on Friday, as Wausau West dominated the final three quarters in a 38-14 victory. Senior running back Colton Geurink accounted for 300 of the team's 410 yards of offense, carrying the ball 38 times for 297 yards and five touchdowns, adding a three-yard pass reception as well. 

Sun Prairie made the long road trip to Hudson a little early, staying overnight on Thursday in advance of Friday's showdown with the Raiders. It certainly paid off as the Cardinals ran away with a 48-7 victory. After earning valuable experience sharing time in the spring, junior quarterback Jerry Kaminski stepped into his own spotlight, completing 19-of-26 passes for 343 yards and three touchdowns. He added 31 yards on the ground with a rushing score as well.

Baraboo trailed Onalaska 21-7 midway through the third quarter, but the Thunderbirds did not give up, even when trailing 21-14 with under a minute remaining. Senior Luna Larson threw a 20-yard touchdown to Riley Weyh with 40 seconds left, but the extra point was no good. However, Baraboo recovered the onside kick, and with just nine seconds remaining, Larson found Weyh again, this time from nine yards, out to lift the Thunderbirds to a 28-21 non-conference victory. Larson finished with 223 yards and three touchdowns on 15-of-24 passing, adding a team-high 20 carries for 114 yards and a score on the ground as well. Oh by the way, he also led the team with 15 tackles and a sack.

Evansville won a thriller Friday night, topping Reedsburg 34-33 in overtime as the Blue Devils stuffed a potential game-winning two-point conversion. Chase Maves was the man for Evansville all game, completing 14-of-23 passes for 385 yards and five touchdowns. Two of those scores came in the fourth quarter as Evansville rallied to force overtime, and he added a 34-yarder in the first possession of the extra period to put the Blue Devils ahead.

Travis Wilson serves as the WisSports.net General Manager, Football Editor, and contributing writer for other parts of the site. Wilson was selected as part of the Sports 40 Under 40 list by Coach & AD Magazine and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association for 2019. The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) named Travis the 2015 recipient of the Dave McClain Distinguished Service Award. He currently serves on the WFCA Executive Board and is a member of the Executive Board of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. A graduate of Richland Center High School and Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Travis was a three-sport athlete in high school (football, baseball, basketball), inducted to the Richland Center High School Hall of Fame in 2023, and currently resides in Reedsburg. You can follow him on Twitter at @travisWSN.

For the latest and most up to date football news and recruiting information, follow Travis on Twitter @travisWSN. Email story ideas, recruiting info, etc. to Travis at travis(at)wissports.net.