Prep football preview: Franklin's Max Alba an athlete for all seasons
FRANKLIN — Max Alba laughs because it’s true.
In 2017, an age built for sports specialization, the 6-foot-5 senior at Franklin High School is indeed the outlier.
“For me, it’s about competing,” Alba said while clutching a football helmet. “I love to compete and you can compete anywhere.”
Alba competes everywhere.
Months after leading the Franklin Sabers to a WIAA regional final and earning a spot on the all-Suburban team on the basketball court, Alba committed to play baseball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Now, during weeks like these, he’s focused on football.
“I’ve been looking forward to this season since the buzzer went off at Camp Randall last year,” Alba said.
Alba, who missed the first three games in 2016, still managed to tally 2,544 passing yards and 29 touchdowns. His efficiency proved enough to propel Franklin to the Division 1 state final at in Madison.
Alba’s team lost, 29-14, to Kimberly, which won its fourth straight championship. The loss lingered, as did the what-could-have-been aspect of a pivotal play involving Alba in the third quarter.
Franklin and Kimberly were tied, 14-14, when Alba angled a pass toward a wide receiver down the right side of the field. Senior Kyle Lewis caught the ball for a 78-yard touchdown, but the play was called back due to an illegal player downfield.
"That specific play was a momentum changer,” Alba said, “and it was very hard."
Walking into the locker room after the game, Franklin coach Louis Brown saw tears streaming from the faces of many of his players. Immediately, they all echoed the same sentiment: "Let’s go win it next year."
Alba was one of them, but first came basketball. At its conclusion, he then went to work on his plus-90 mph fastball with Prospect Training Academy in Oak Creek.
North Carolina first reached out to Alba in July of 2016, and Alba visited the campus in February. He fell in love with its beauty, he said, as well as the history of the program that has made 15 NCAA baseball tournaments since 2000 and 17-year coach Mike Fox.
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The school made the offer during his visit, but Alba didn’t immediately accept because he wasn’t sure whether he wanted to play baseball in college. His prospects in other sports — like football — were enticing (he'd received an offer from the University of Wyoming).
By June, Alba's future was not yet certain, so his family sat down to discuss his senior year. A week after the meeting, Alba made his mind up. He went with his heart.
“I love football so much,” Alba said. He then scrunched his fingers together and peered down at them. “I love baseball just that much more.”
Brown spoke with Alba's family around the time of the commitment, when rumors were swirling around about Alba’s commitment to football. Yet Brown said he knew Alba would be under center when the season rolled around.
He needed him to be.
“He’s as good a quarterback as we’ve had, and we’ve had a lot of tremendous ones,” Brown said. “He takes us to a whole ‘nother level. He’s seasoned. He’s a gamer. He’s been in a variety of situations.
“This is the ultimate team sport, but as he goes, we go.”
Alba, who likely will be selected in the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft, admits the commitment felt like a weight lifted off of his shoulders.
Brown has observed that about his quarterback thus far in camp.
"That’s going to take his game to another level," Brown said laughing. "At least I hope so.”