Ratay again proves unstoppable
Another Geneva-Batavia game, another classic.
Final 21-20, with Batavia staging a furious fourth quarter rally only to fall a point short.
Before you tell me too much rain fell on my head and I have no idea what I'm talking about, that did happen Friday night at Burgess Field. That was the sophomore game, the only one that featured any suspense after, oh, the first 18 seconds.
If Geneva was looking for the perfect way to cap a perfect regular season, they got it Friday night in a 47-14 win over Batavia.
Only one other game in the 91 between these two rivals has featured more points, Batavia's 64-0 victory all the way back in 1916. It was Geneva's biggest margin of victory in the series since a 48-0 shutout in 1985.
"We told the kids at the beginning of the week the weather would be sour," Geneva coach Rob Wicinski said. "It didn't matter. We were playing Batavia."
All season long Geneva has talked about needing balance in its offense. Who needs balance when you've got Michael Ratay?
How about a balanced attack of Ratay to the left a few times, Ratay to the right a couple more, then Ratay up the middle.
Weather delayed the start over an hour, but Ratay made the wait well worth it for the home fans with an 86-yard touchdown on the first play of the game.
"He's a horse," Wicinski said. "He's a mudder, he's shown that from years back."
Even when Geneva made a mistake, like taking a 15-yard penalty, you got the feeling it was just going to pad 15 more yards to Ratay's total. And it did, to the tune of 354.
As unbelievable as Ratay has been the past two years, it almost makes you wonder what could have been if not for his season-ending injury in 2006. Could he have been the difference-maker Geneva lacked in its two losses to Batavia? It's certainly no knock on that outstanding state runner-up Batavia team, one of my all-time favorite high school teams. It's just another way to compliment what an amazing player Ratay is.
It would have had to be some difference, because Batavia dominated Geneva in both games. (You think Geneva remembers those 52-6 T-shirts? Think any 47-14 ones might be made this year?) The Bulldogs had defensive stalwarts like Tharryn Wright, Mike Garrity and Kevin McFarland. It's certainly hard to imagine any one player making that kind of an impact, especially as a then-sophomore going up against Batavia's senior-filled defense.
One thing is certain - Geneva's second straight 9-0 season continues the amazing turnaround under Wicinski. From 0-9 his first year in 1999, 5-31 his first four years...it's hard to believe that same Geneva program has gone from doormant to dominant.
The Vikings are 54-13 since the 5-31 start. They are 32-3 the last three years, and have five straight conference titles. The only losses in that stretch were the above-mentioned pair to Batavia and East St. Louis in the 2007 state quarterfinals.
"I'm proud of the program. You can't do it by yourself. I've got a great staff," Wicinski said.
And he's got a great team, one poised to take the next step in the playoffs.
jlemon@dailyherald.com