Batavia runs wild

The Batavia defense has had a difficult time stopping the run this season. On Friday, the Bulldogs victimized Kaneland with a running game of their own.

Led by Bai Kabba (27 carries, 217 yards, TD) the Bulldogs collected 318 rushing yards and defeated Western Sun Conference foe Kaneland, 31-21.

"Credit them," Kaneland coach Tom Fedderly said. "We knew they were going to run and that shows that they're a good running team."

Batavia (3-2, 2-1) continued its improved defensive play for the second consecutive week. The Knights had 11 possessions and the Bulldogs forced 4 punts, picked off 2 passes, recovered a fumble and made a late stop on a fourth down.

"The defense played a great second half," Batavia coach Mike Gaspari said. "Had they not come up big we might've had a huge struggle because we failed to score on our first possession (of the second half)."

The game got off to a vicarious start as the teams exchanged touchdowns in the first 1 minute and 44 seconds. Kaneland (3-2, 2-1) did so on Pat Fleming's 31-yard reception from Joe Camiliere. Batavia responded on its first offensive play with Kabba's 80-yard run.

Batavia jumped ahead to a 21-7 lead on Kyle Duhig's 16-yard run and Evan Alexa's 2-yard blast up the middle. The Bulldogs didn't attempt a pass until their fourth drive of the first half, as they opened the game with 17 consecutive running plays.

"Last week we established the pass really good early so this week we came out and established the run," Kabba said. "The offensive line took that challenge and now we're reaching that balance point."

The Knights closed the gap to 21-14 to Blake Serpa's 3-yard run but the Bulldogs answered right back on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Coffey (9-of-16, 124 yards) to Erich Zeddies.

"We came out and played really well and being up by 14 was huge," Zeddies said. "Then we came out in the second half and tried to put up as many points as we could."

The Bulldogs could only add 3 second-half points, but they would be enough. They came on Zeddies' 28-yard field goal that made it a two-possession game at 31-21. Kaneland had closed the gap on its previous possession on Fleming's (8 catches, 127 yards) second touchdown reception of the night but the Bulldogs' defense wouldn't allow them to get any closer.

"We're hitting harder, making tackles and getting better each week," said Batavia defensive back Mike Theriault, who had a sack for the Bulldogs. "We had a fire in our belly tonight and our offense really controlled the ball."

Camiliere surpassed 300 yards passing in the losing effort (27-of-45, 340 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions) while Serpa hauled in 10 of those passes for 87 yards.