No catching Kabba, Batavia

Batavia is not terribly far from reaching its centennial as a football program.

The school has never had a performance like the one turned in by halfback J.R. Kabba Friday night against Sycamore in Western Sun Conference action.

The Bulldogs' senior shredded the Spartans' defense for 321 yards on 20 carries with 4 touchdowns-three from over 70 yards-to power Batavia to a 47-22 home victory.

Batavia (5-2, 4-1) became playoff eligible with its fourth straight win; Sycamore fell to 3-4, 1-4.

The senior added a 2-point conversion for good measure, but an injury two minutes into the fourth quarter cut short his historic night.

"He'll be fine," Batavia coach Mike Gaspari said. "We just wanted to keep him out for precautionary reasons. (Rushing for over 300 yards) is an unusual occurrence at any level."

Kabba capped the Bulldogs' game-opening nine-play, 60-yard drive with a scamper around left end.

On the Bulldogs' ensuing possession, Kabba ran off left guard Ben Heffter, broke a tackle and outraced the Spartans' defense down the left sideline for the first of his 70-plus yard gallops.

"We worked hard all week in practice," Heffter said. "JR had a great game. He was finding holes all over the place."

Sycamore had its own powerful weapon in wide receiver Marckie Hayes.

The junior, who finished with 211 all-purpose yards, answered Kabba's third first-half touchdown - a draw play from 74 yards out - with a 75-yard screen pass to bring Sycamore to within 21-16 at the break.

The Spartans then took their only lead of the game with a 74-yard drive that quarterback Michael Buckner orchestrated with both his feet and arm.

The senior had 243 yards though the air, and his keeper from a yard out gave Sycamore a 22-21 lead midway through the third quarter.

But the Spartans' defense could not contain the explosive offensive attack.

Batavia quarterback Jordan Coffey hit Tyler Lindquist in stride from 30 yards out to give the Bulldogs the lead for good at 28-21 after the Kabba conversion.

The Bulldogs' defense denied Sycamore deep in its own end for a critical fourth-down stop, and Kabba busted open the game two plays later.

Kabba electrified the home crowd once again with a 74-yard run in which he started off sweeping around right end, only to cut back against the field the rest of the way.

"I'm a track coach, and I knew we didn't have any one in the school who could catch (Kabba)," Sycamore coach Joe Ryan said.