With a conference showdown and bitter rivalry looming next week against Geneva, Batavia decided to open Friday night’s game with some fireworks.
On the very first play, Wyoming-bound quarterback Michael Vander Luitgaren threw deep and found Brennon Zeng for a 58-yard touchdown. Then the Bulldogs went right back on offense after recovering their own onside kick.
Batavia eventually sprinted to a 36-0 lead in the second quarter, at which point St. Charles North put together the scrappiest performance you’ll ever see by a team about to be hit with a running clock.
Senior quarterback Landon Conroy dodged rushers, revved up his arm and brought the North Stars within 14 points early in the fourth quarter before Batavia held on for a 55-35 victory.
“We always want to start fast and physical and get up on teams,” said Darin Ashiru, Batavia’s star receiver and defensive back. “But I think this being homecoming against our rivals, this really meant something, so we want to come out and make a statement.”
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On one side, Vander Luitgaren was incredibly efficient, completing 15 of 17 passes for 309 yards and five TDs. He also ran for 99 yards on eight carries.
Conroy countered by completing 25 of 42 passes for 346 yards. When Tommy Vendl broke loose down the visiting sideline for a 47-yard TD run, St. Charles North was within 49-35 with 10:37 remaining in the fourth.
Batavia running back Liam Moran had the final answer, though, completing a 62-yard scoring drive on just two running plays to finally put things out of reach.
Five of the Bulldogs’ scoring drives lasted one or two plays.
“They can execute and they can score points very, very quickly, sometimes too quickly,” Batavia coach Dennis Piron said. “We wanted to slow things down a little bit.
“That was the weird part about it — the defense had to keep going on the field because we had one-play drives. So that was a little bit nutty. Sometimes, games get weird.”
There were also several wild receiving games. Ashiru finished with nine receptions for 187 yards and three TDs for Batavia (4-1). Jaden Tran chalked up eight catches for 111 yards for St. Charles North (2-3), while Jack Leigl added eight catches for 101 yards. Vendl rushed for 125 yards.
The North Stars have been shuffling two quarterbacks this season, but coach Rob Pomazak confirmed he mostly stuck with Conroy against Batavia just based on performance.
“We’re not counting reps,” Pomazak said. “Whoever’s gonna give us the best opportunity to win. And there was no reason to take the ball out of Landon’s hands because I think he probably threw for 400 yards.
“He had the game of his life. He deserves that because he’s a great kid and works his rear end off.”
In the first half, Vander Luitgaren went 12-for-13 through the air for 204 yards and three TDs. The lone incomplete pass happened on the final play when he tried to kill the clock.
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Zeng added a 23-yard TD catch, Ashiru had a 13-yarder and the Bulldogs got a safety when the punter stepped on the end line, making it 36-6 at halftime.