Coming into a matchup against another Division I quarterback, Batavia senior Michael Vander Luitgaren could have easily downplayed the situation.
The Wyoming commit could have said his showdown with Indiana recruit Jameson Purcell and Maine South in Friday night’s season opener wasn’t even on his mind.
Vander Luitgaren actually approached it the opposite way.
“I didn’t try to block it out,” he said. “I used it as a chip on my shoulder, honestly.”
Vander Luitgaren made his statement loud and clear for the Bulldogs, completing 27 of 33 passes for 429 yards and five touchdowns in a 49-35 win that puts the rest of the state on notice.
Darin Ashiru caught 10 of those passes for 154 yards and two TDs for Batavia (1-0). Brennon Zeng added six catches for 75 yards and two TDs.
Purcell struggled in the first half, completing 6 of 14 passes for 15 yards. He bounced back in the second half, finishing 20 of 40 for 187 yards and two TDs. Payton Donaldson ran for 110 yards and a TD for Maine South (0-1). Matt Schlenhardt had 104 yards and two TDs on only five carries.
Vander Luitgaren’s focus on payback came from a publication that listed the top five quarterbacks in Illinois this season. And he wasn’t among them.
“I took offense to that and came here with a chip on my shoulder,” Vander Luitgaren said. “I think I showed why I should be a top five quarterback.”
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Batavia coach Dennis Piron clearly didn’t have a vote.
“He’s the best quarterback in Illinois I think,” Piron said. “I’m biased. I’m his coach. There are a lot of good QBs this year, but I think he’s severely underrated.”
After a pair of three-and-outs to begin the game, Vander Luitgaren started to cook. He hit Zeng with a 57-yard TD pass to force a 7-7 tie. On the next possession, he then connected with Ashiru on a 43-yard TD for a 14-7 lead.
Following his only big mistake of the game with an interception, Vander Luitgaren put it all on display during the next possession. He went 4-for-4 for 67 yards, with all four completions going for first downs. It culminated with a 28-yard TD pass to Ashiru.
For good measure, he went 13-for-14 for 141 yards in the second half to put the game away.
“You knew he was special on film,” Maine South coach Dave Inserra said. “We were really worried about his running game, and you’ll see that as the season progresses. He doesn’t really make bad passes.”
Piron quicky pointed out that Vander Luitgaren also has three Division I receivers to work with —Ashiru, Thomas Prescott and Zeng.
“We also have dudes,” Piron said. “We have dudes that can go get it and catch the ball. And then our backups are dudes, so we have a lot of pieces.”
It’s not something that Vander Luitgaren takes for granted.
“Just having three Division I receivers is so nice,” Vander Luitgaren said. “You just get the ball to them and they make plays. Everywhere I go, I have a safety blanket to go to.”
Ashiru even thinks that Vander Luitgaren, a three-year starter, has unlocked another level to his game. The work in the offseason between the whole unit solidified that bond.
“He’s definitely got a chip on his shoulder,” Ashiru said. “He’s definitely trying to go out to prove to everybody who he is. He’s the real deal.
“We just all got together all the time to help us perfect everything and he’s really taken advantage of it.”
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Does this help show that Vander Luitgaren belongs among the top QBs in Illinois?
“I hope so,” Vander Luitgaren said.
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.