Southern Lakes 2026 Football Preview

Over the next several weeks, we’ll be previewing every conference in the state as part of our preseason preparations.

Check out all of our Football Conference Previews for every league in the state, here.

2025 Recap: Badger was the outright champion of the Southern Lakes Conference last year, advancing to a sectional final before going out to Muskego in a hard-fought ballgame. Union Grove was second, also getting to a sectional final. Elkhorn and Burlington won playoff games as well, while Waterford also qualified for the postseason.

2025 Season Information:
Standings
Stats
All-Conference

2026 PREVIEW:

Predicted Order of Finish:

1) Badger
2) Union Grove
3) Waterford
4) Elkhorn
5) Wilmot
6) Burlington
7) Beloit Memorial
8) Westosha Central

Players to Watch:

John Cramer, LB, Waterford: Cramer racked up 119 tackles last year, including 16 for loss and six sacks, as a First Team All-Conference choice.

Jax Pesch, RB, Waterford: Pesch went for 1,238 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground for the Wolverines last season.

Oliver Schaid, QB/DB, Badger: Schaid will take on a bigger role offensively for the Badgers this fall, potentially at quarterback, and is a three-year starter on defense.

Peyton Schuster, OL, Waterford: Schuster is a standout on the offensive line for the Wolverines, giving a commitment to Wake Forest in June.

Daschel Stallings, RB, Elkhorn: Stallings led the Elks with 1,081 yards and 17 touchdowns, averaging better than 10 yards per carry. He was a First Team All-Conference choice.

Cam Tennessen, RB, Badger: Tennessen is the top-returning rusher for the Badgers with 478 yards and three touchdowns from his fullback spot.

Felix Werblow, OL/DL, Elkhorn: Werblow was First Team All-Conference on both offense and defense last year.

Justin Williamson, WR, Union Grove: Williamson was the top receiver for the Broncos last season, catching 30 passes for 442 yards and three touchdowns as a Second Team All-Conference choice.

2026 Team Previews

1) Badger had another outstanding season, undefeated in the regular season and claimed a dominating Southern Lakes Conference title. Elevated to Division 1 by the WIAA’s Tournament Performance Factor, they advanced to the sectional finals, falling to Muskego 20-13 in a close one. Head coach Matt Hensler brings back 25 letterwinners from a year ago, with five starters returning on offense and four on defense. The Badgers have to replace 1800-yard rusher Matt O’Grady at quarterback, but Cameron Tennessen and Oliver Schaid saw a good number of carries a year ago and return. “Speed and size will be a strength,” Hensler said. “Depth and experience will be concerns.”

2) Union Grove won the first eight games of the 2025 season, setting the stage for a winner-take-all showdown with Badger in the final regular season game. They’d fall to the Badgers, but rallied to win a pair of close playoff games before going out against eventual champion West De Pere in Level 3. Veteran coach Craig McClelland brings back 30 letterwinners and 13 total starters as the Broncos look to push Badger at the top of the Southern Lakes conference. “We will have a good mix of returners and newcomers who are ready to take the next step on Friday night,” said McClelland. “Getting the newcomers up to Friday night speed will take some time. Overall I believe we have all the pieces to have another successful year.” The offensive line will be a strength, anchored by senior JJ Fletcher. Quarterback Quinn Schultz and leading receiver Justin Williams return, but 1800-yard rusher Quintyn Martinez will need to be replaced.

3) Waterford dropped three in a row late in the season and it sent what had been a promising campaign off the rails a bit. They’d make the trip to Reedsburg in the playoffs, where they’d fall 49-24. Head coach Brent Thoen relied on a strong junior class last year, and with those players entering their senior campaign, the Wolverines are ready to make some noise. Four of five linemen return, including Wake Forest Peyton Schuster. They’ll block for 1000-yard rusher Jax Pesch, who is receiving scholarship attention, and quarterback Hunter Schneiker, who got plenty of time as a sophomore last season. The defense features some big time players including D1 prospect John Cramer plus Mason and Carter Thoen. The Wolverines bring back a total of eight starters on offense and seven on defense.

4) Elkhorn finished third in the Southern Lakes Conference and had one of the program’s better seasons in quite some time, winning a playoff game and finishing 8-3 overall. Head coach Todd Ghilani brings back six starters on offense, including the bulk of the backfield. That includes quarterback Tyler Nelson as well as 1000-yard rushers Daschel Stallings and Ryan Stacy. Felix Werblow is a standout on the line on both sides of the ball. Five starters return on defense, and there’s a belief the Elks have what it takes to compete for a conference title this fall.

5) Wilmot dropped the first five games of the 2025 season, including two by three points or less, and it was too much for the Panthers to overcome, as they’d finish just 2-7 and miss the playoffs. Head coach Brian Hopkins has an experienced group coming back, with 28 letterwinners and seven starters on both sides of the ball returning. Not only is quarterback Manny Sperandeo back with another year of experience under his belt, but experienced running back Maxwell Mettry also returns. Hopkins likes the leadership they’ve been getting from the upperclassmen.

6) Burlington was 3-4 in the Southern Lakes Conference last year, but a couple non-conference victories helped get them into the playoffs in the new WIAA qualification system. They’d play the role of spoiler in a Level 1 win at New Berlin Eisenhower before going out to Mount Horeb/Barneveld the next week. They have some big shoes to fill on offense, including replacing standout quarterback Grant Sulik.

7) Beloit Memorial had a lot of competitive games in 2025, but the Purple Knights could only manage two victories on the season. Head coach Bradley Dement is a 1998 graduate of the school, and brings back five starters on offense with six back on defense. “We are a young team that is driven and has good overall speed,” said Dement. “We’re returning key players in crucial spots. Need some young players to step up to fill out roster.” They’ll have to replace First Team All-Conference running back James Ford III, but do return quarterback Braylen Huebbe.

8) Westosha Central did not find the win column last year, going 0-9 on the season. “We have very few starters graduating, and 11 sophomores earned letters last year and we will see significant gains in experience and athletic ability,” said head coach Jason Koeppel. “Some changes in the coaching staff have invigorated the program and we are seeing solid commitment and effort in the off-season program. Our strengths will be in better team effort, higher football IQ and overall better athleticism.” Daniel Fox is an interesting returning player, getting some time at quarterback last year with solid size and athleticism.