Coaches give advice as Vikings go from huntee to hunted

A 1983 graduate of Batavia High School, a fixture as the Bulldogs' track and field coach and defensive coordinator, it's not in Dennis Piron's nature to lend Geneva advice.

The Vikings, though, enter the 2009 season in the same boat as Batavia back in 2007. A program on the rise, one that just captivated its community the previous year by reaching the state championship game in Champaign before both settled for second-place finishes.

And like those 2007 Bulldogs, this year's Vikings enter with many new faces at critical positions.

So what's the key for Geneva to build off last year's 13-1 season, that even if they don't have the same state caliber team to still keep the program moving forward?

Batavia has just finished going through what Geneva will.

"You hope their kids that didn't play last year worked as hard as the kids who did play," Piron said. "It's a whole new team. They are wearing Geneva helmets and Geneva uniforms, but you are a new team every single year.

"What you hope is you have enough history and enough pride and those sort of things that groups that aren't as good overachieve so you maintain a level of excellence that you have built up over a long, long time."

The days of Geneva sneaking up on teams has long since ended. That went out the door at least five years ago, when Alex Pokorny, Nick Herrera and company led Geneva to an 11-win season, state semifinal berth and the start of a 52-10 run the past five years.

But after playing East St. Louis for the Class 7A state championship last November, with the entire state watching, Geneva has continued what Batavia started in 2006 by putting Tri-Cities football on the map.

"I think everyone is going to be gunning for us but we know that," said linebacker Bret Shannon, one of Geneva's five returning starters. "We're going to come out and play. We don't want to lose. We know how hard we have to work."

Noticing a difference

After a season like the '06 Bulldogs and '08 Vikings enjoyed, is there a difference in the way opponents approach your game? Do they circle it on the calendar when the schedules come out? Do you wind up playing nine regular season games that would make your opponent's season to beat you?

Batavia coach Mike Gaspari said he hasn't noticed that effect.

"I think we've always had the respect of our opponents so I haven't noticed a lot there," Gaspari said.

Piron agreed.

"We were always treated seriously," he said. "Opponents didn't approach us any differently. Our coaches didn't work any differently. I think in some sense there became an unrealistic expectation of players at lower levels that the uniform and being a Bulldog is the thing and it isn't. It's the work ethic and the enthusiasm and relationships with teammates and all those bonds that build a strong cohesive team unit.

"That group of boys (in 2006) was as close as any team we've ever coached. The kids worked extremely hard, tons of two- and three-sport athletes. Kids were mature mentally for their age. Would work extra hard to get game plans down. And most importantly loved playing football. Those kids loved playing football. I think we've had a blend of that the last couple years, some who love it and some who are playing a sport."

Geneva coach Rob Wicinski said he's already seen a difference, and he's glad he has.

"We can feel it in summers on 7-on-7s," Wicinski said. "Teams seem to get a little extra umph (playing us). It is what is. I guess it is better than the alternative when teams didn't pay much attention to me. I guess I like this a little better."

Wicinski said he's noticed changes in how his program is perceived statewide from his players when they attend various camps.

"A lof my kids will go to camps and they tell me they've heard of Geneva from different parts of the state," Wicinski said. "When our kids say they are from Geneva, they say, 'We know who you are' and say some nice things about it.

"When you get an opportunity to play a Carmel and you beat them, that's something. When you get publicity of a state game. I notice it from kids coming back and talking from camps. I get a few more phone calls from people in different areas that are asking, 'Can you tell me what you are running?'"

Others take notice

Being the biggest game on your opponents' schedule sure beats being everyone's Homecoming game, which Geneva went through going 1-17 in Wicinski's first two years.

St. Charles North coach Mark Gould spent one year coaching at Geneva, a 3-6 season in 1995 that actually was the most games the Vikings won in a year until 2004.

"I wonder if the assistants remember this. I remember telling people, watch in 10 years, they are going to be good," Gould said. "Because you could see the growth, you knew there was going to be some changes of things that weren't quite great there at that time, and you know things go in cycles. I said, 'Just watch.' Mill Creek was just starting. In 10 years they are going to be good. And it took about 12 years and they are good."

Tom Fedderly, Kaneland's coach, also remembers those 1990s and early 2000s Geneva teams while Fedderly was an assistant with the Knights.

"I'm really impressed," Fedderly said. "Rob and his staff have done a great job. They expect to win now and they can play with anybody. Anyone with those numbers and being one of bigger schools in conference, you could see the possibility of that happening."

Following their lead

Gould has been coaching in the Tri-Cities as an assistant or head coach since 1979. He's spent most of that time in St. Charles, and has seen how the bigger enrollments at Geneva and Batavia, plus the split of St. Charles High School, has changed how the football programs are perceived.

"At one time I think people separated us (St. Charles) because of size," Gould said. "Geneva, Batavia were much smaller, whether they got looked upon unfairly because size and say Little Seven or whatever. I think what's changed now is we are all about the same size. We are equal in that."

That 2006 Batavia team put an exclamation mark on Gould's point. The Bulldogs went 12-2 and reached the Class 6A state championship game before losing to Normal.

It's only a slight exaggeration to say the entire town of Batavia followed the Bulldogs south to Champaign. And those in the Tri-Cities who watched on TV wanted to get where Batavia was.

"I think it opened people's eyes, I mean it opened up my eyes when I saw Batavia go downstate and finish second in state," Gould said. "It was like, "wow." It was great for the Tri-Cities. This can happen. And then Geneva does it in such convincing fashion with such great teams these last couple years.

"Maybe at one time when St. Charles was real big everyone felt like they were trying to chase St. Charles. Boy, I feel like we are trying to keep up with Batavia and Geneva now since we've split. When you have teams that have finished second in state, you are trying to keep up. We haven't gotten anywhere near that level. That is something we are aspiring to."

Embracing the target

Batavia has followed up the state runner-up 2006 year by going 5-5 and 6-4 the past two years, a stretch Gaspari said isn't quite what he wants to see.

This year's Batavia team will be one of Gaspari's youngest, which means getting back to their 2006 level could take a little longer.

"Every high school program if a public school you go through peaks and valleys sometimes," Gaspari said. "You hope you get a program to the level of ours the valleys aren't quite as deep because we've gone through a little bit of valley I'd say. But that's part of it and you understand that as a coach. You just approach kids and teach them right and have fun coaching."

Piron said expectations also swell after a season like Geneva just had.

"The biggest difference when I was back in school is we were good in a couple things but struggled in a lot and now pretty much Batavia is good at everything," Piron said. "The expectations in this community have tended to be we should be great at everything. I think part of that is because of how our football team did a couple years ago or a basketball team or the number of state track champions."

Now it's Geneva's turn to follow up on their state appearance, while Gould's North Stars and the rest of the area teams try to get their programs to that level.

The Vikings have to replace All-Stater Michael Ratay and a ton of starters on both sides of the ball. They'll welcome in a junior class that went 9-0 at the sophomore level, and they are taking a positive attitude toward being the target other teams aim at.

"I think it's a nice little challenge to our kids to try to stay on top," Wicinski said. "They say the fall is a real bear. I don't want to find out."