Batavia wild for the Wildcat
Who doesn't run the Wildcat these days?
Batavia put in the formation - along with plenty of other new offensive looks - this season.
In its season-opening loss to Marmion, Batavia ran the formation just once. The play resulted in a fumble.
Not to be discouraged, the Bulldogs have stuck with it the past four weeks. The direct snap to Ben Fornek resulted in 29 yards rushing for the senior in a 28-0 win over St. Charles East on Friday night.
More than the numbers, Batavia coach Mike Gaspari likes keeping defenses guessing with different looks while finding a way to get the ball to a talented player who otherwise might not see it.
"It's a new wrinkle we put in as many things are," Gaspari said. "We expanded our playbook and are having a lot of fun with it. More than anything else it forces us to get the ball in Ben's hands who is another good football player. We have so many skill guys who can make plays, it is hard from a traditional set to get them all the football."
At 3-2 Batavia has already surpassed last year's win total. Getting No. 4 Friday would mean even more to everyone in the program - with archrival Geneva coming to town.
A rivalry that dates to 1913, Geneva holds the all-time advantage at 48-38-5. The Vikings have won three straight since Batavia punched its ticket to the 2006 Class 6A state championship game by beating Geneva 28-0.
With Geneva at 3-0 in the Upstate Eight Conference River Division and Batavia a half game back at 2-0, first place in the conference race is on the line.
"I knew going into the season there was going to be parity," Gaspari said. "I think because we had a little bit of down year (last season) people assumed it would stay that way. Seniors are so important to a football program."
- John Lemon
Here's the kicker: There's an unsung hero behind South Elgin's 5-0 record, and his name is David Reisner.
The junior kicker, now in his third varsity season, rarely gives opposing kick returners a chance. Reisner has booted 33 of his 38 kickoffs for touchbacks.
"It's pretty tough to go 80 yards all the time, but that's what happens to other teams because he's putting it in the end zone," Storm coach Dale Schabert said. "Several teams have outstanding kick returners. If you don't put the ball in their hands, that's quite an advantage."
Reisner has nailed 27 of 28 extra points and 3 of 5 field goal attempts.
In Friday's 21-14 victory over Neuqua Valley, he connected for field goals of 36 and 39 yards. He is also the team's punter.
Reisner grew up playing soccer for the Bartlett Hawks travel team, but things changed when he was in seventh grade. He traveled to Dallas for a tutorial from Chris Boniol, who kicked in the NFL for Dallas and Philadelphia and spent the 1999 season with the Chicago Bears. Reisner has been a football kicker ever since.
Not surprisingly, four Big Ten schools have already sent him letters expressing interest.
"I just hope it gets me to college so I can start a career," Reisner said. "Depending on how well I do in college with kicking, maybe I can go professional."
- Jerry Fitzpatrick