High-profile Bulldogs are hard to overlook

Mike Gaspari isn't someone you'd classify as loud and flashy. Heck, Batavia's longtime football coach rarely even raises his voice. He was exhibiting "Quiet Strength" long before Tony Dungy wrote the book on it.

Gaspari's calm demeanor and classy coaching style has been a trademark at Batavia since he took over on the sidelines in 1985.

But his football program isn't nearly as low-key. The once-small town of Batavia is now a flashing beacon on the state's high school football map. Years ago, the Bulldogs caused barely a ripple on opponents' schedules. Nowadays, Batavia is double-circled in red on all nine of those schedules.

So go the spoils of success. This isn't your father's Batavia football program. Back then, winning seasons and playoff runs were an exception, not an expectation. Now -- with 9 playoff appearances in the last 11 years and a trip to the state championship game last November -- Batavia is the definition of a high-profile program.

That reputation is a big reason why the Bulldogs were state-ranked to start this season -- despite having lost nearly all their offensive playmakers while returning just one starter on defense. Rankings are about the past, and there is always a certain perception that surrounds a perpetual winner.

And that's why every game is a big game for Batavia, even the so-called "lesser" games. Aside from the high-passion rivalries like Geneva, Kaneland and (this year) St. Charles East, Batavia is a Goliath on every schedule. And every team loves to slay a giant.

"Every team we see," Gaspari said, "is extremely motivated to play us."

That's what this year's team is finding out. Comparisons to last year's team are inevitable, misleading as they may be. But opponents, too, see this Batavia team as the same one they viewed on television last year from Champaign, even though the cast of characters has almost completely changed.

Past success has created expectations and standards that continually remain high. So the possibility of "sneaking up" on another team doesn't exist anymore. Nor can Batavia "pull off an upset." That's what every opponent wants to do, hence the red circle around Batavia. It's an upset when Batavia gets beat.

"All summer our kids heard about how they were going to go to state again and win a title," Gaspari said. "But people forget that this is a whole new group of kids. That (downstate) experience was so much fun for us last year and everybody in this community wants us to do it again so badly.

"But that puts a lot of pressure on the kids. The neat thing about coaching at this level is that you start new every year. And right now, we're still an uproven team."

For Gaspari, it's the most special part of coaching -- taking a fresh group of athletes, all eager and optimistic with visions of winning state -- and embarking on a journey that helps develop teenagers into young men. And, win or lose, it will be remembered by players as a chapter in their lives that is timelessly unique.

"High school football is special," Gaspari said. "From one season to the next, you can go from 1-8 to 7-2 without making any trades or picking up free agents. You start with a new group of kids and go from there."

That's where the Bulldogs are now, and it's definitely different. While last-year's high-powered offense averaged 32 points a game, this year's version managed just five first downs on Friday in a 13-6 escape vs. Glenbard South.

The struggles are not lost on running back Brian Krolikowski. Nor are the comparisons.

"Coming off a season like we had last year, when we set all sorts of offensive records…that's tough to duplicate," Krolikowski said. "It's hard to replace guys like Kevin McFarland and Mike Garrity and Tharryn Wright. But trying to fill their shoes gives everybody a better work ethic because we know the level of play we have to reach."

Before they concern themselves with living up to the program's lofty standards, the Bulldogs need to kickstart a sputtering offense. After being shut out in the season-opener against St. Charles East, they scored 41 points vs. West Chicago, but most of those were the byproduct of nine takeaways on defense.

Against Glenbard South, Batavia's 13 points came from a 97-yard kickoff return by Bai Kabba and a Krolikowski TD run from 15 yards that was set up by a South turnover.

Gaspari has alternated QBs Jack Creed and Jordan Coffey in search of a spark, but neither has caught fire yet.

"Our biggest challenge right now is getting in sync offensively," Gaspari said. "Normally that's not a problem for us, but this year it's been a struggle."

Whether Batavia wins another game or goes on to win a state championship, one thing won't change. And that's for certain.

"I'm the same guy who coached an 0-9 team in 1985," Gaspari said. "I'm not really doing anything all that different. It still comes down to the kids making plays."

And staying on top.