Defense, newcomers provide keys for Batavia
This is a landmark year for Batavia.
Coach Mike Gaspari enters his 25th season leading the Bulldogs, who likewise celebrate 25 seasons playing under the lights.
Like Geneva, before joining the Upstate Eight Conference Batavia will try to go out on top in the setting Western Sun.
And, the school is in the midst of a $70 million reconstruction that invigorates academics and athletics alike.
"It's an exciting project for our community," said Gaspari, also athletic director.
Time will tell how another rebuilding project advances - the Bulldogs themselves.
Last season they averaged a program-record 451 yards of offense paced by the graduated Class 6A all-state quarterback Jordan Coffey, 997-yard rusher Bai Kabba and receiver Eric Zeddies, who caught 52 passes for 927 yards and 12 touchdowns and was the Bulldogs' main placekicker.
"Early on we're going to have to be a lot better defensively than we were last year," Gaspari said. "We really hung our hat the last two years - particularly last year - on our offense, which we felt could score 38 to 42 points or beyond. ...This year we're going to have to be better defensively."
He's addressing a unit that allowed 394.2 yards per game last season and was ousted from the 6A playoffs in an epic 70-63 first-round loss to Huntley.
The good news is that while fullback Braden Hartmann represents the main experience in what will be a young offense, the 4-3 defense returns several stellar players.
Linebacker Piotr (call him "Pete") Koczmara and fellow third-year starters Ian Powers and Mike Greco return after making 61, 51 and 47 tackles, respectively, all among Batavia's top eight. Powers earned all-conference honors.
That solid core will be bolstered by a secondary returning Jack Hegarty plus summer camp standouts Sam Shump, Sam Burnoski, A.J. Svbota and Ben Fornek, plus junior lineman Brian Wilson and returning lineman Alec Lyons.
Development over the last month earned Gaspari's sophomore son, Noel, the starting quarterback spot in a good competition with senior Kevin Flinn, while tailback initially goes to another legacy - Bai Kabba's younger brother, Emund. Noel Gaspari will be protected by an all-new starting line that averages 277 pounds.
Gaspari or Flinn should enjoy throwing to tight end Mike Clopton and fast David Peskind, juniors off last year's 7-2 sophomore squad. Senior Scott Poulos, another burner, comes off a back injury last season.
Solid depth on the 87-man roster and placekicker Clopton - 9-for-9 on PATs in that Huntley game - gives Batavia's special teams some oomph, but the Bulldogs enter a special 2009 with unknowns.
"There's going to be some growing that's got to take place," Gaspari said.