Batavia vs. Geneva: A game 'unlike any other'

Expect rivalry games to stoke the inner fire in football players up and down the Fox River Valley this weekend, whether it be a fight for first place between state-ranked contenders or a clash of winless teams.

Some of the area's most intense and longest-running rivalries will be renewed in Week 8, including the battle of St. Charles between East (3-4) and North (5-2), a tilt between nearby playoff contenders Jacobs (5-2) and Crystal Lake South (5-2), a meeting of Chicago Catholic League rivals Aurora Christian (3-4) and Marmion (2-5) and the always-entertaining battle for the Town Jug between Elgin (0-7) and Larkin (0-7).

However, the highlight is the anticipated collision of Upstate Eight River co-leaders Geneva (7-0, 4-0) and Batavia (6-1, 4-0). Batavia has won the last four meetings, but Geneva still leads the series 51-40-5.

The series, which began in 1913, is being featured as part of the 2015 Great American Rivalry Series, spotlighting 100 showdowns nationwide.

"How could it not be?" Batavia coach Dennis Piron said of the series' inclusion among the nation's best. "When you play someone for a century and every year it's your biggest game, that's a good rivalry."

While some coaches minimize the importance of beating one's rival for fear of putting too much emphasis on one of nine regular-season games, Piron takes the opposite stance.

"It's a big deal. It's a huge part of our focus and a huge part of our season," he said of playing Geneva. "It's a game unlike any other, so I'm not going to downplay it no matter what other coaches around the area say. It's special to our coaches, it's special to our kids. When our kids are growing up, they want to be part of the varsity so they can play in this game. We have kids who have looked forward to playing in this game for years. So, yeah, it's a big deal."

Geneva coach Rob Wicinski said Wednesday it eats at him that the Vikings were unable to knock off the Bulldogs last year. He points to the 26-20 loss as one of 3 games in his 13 years at Geneva he "let get away." The Vikings turned the ball over 6 times in that defeat, and they had 2 late possessions that went for naught.

He said interest in this year's matchup is outpacing last year. Geneva enters ranked No. 4 in Class 7A in this week's AP poll; Batavia is ranked fifth.

"We were in the same situation last year with all the same stakes, but it seems to have ratcheted up this year from the outside in," Wicinski said. "My phone has gotten bombarded. Part of that is it's the (Comcast) game of the week, and part of it is the intensity of the parents and fans. You can feel that."

Geneva's coach said the electric atmosphere surrounding the game usually affects how it is played.

"The beauty of the rivalry game is that nobody wins this game, the other team loses it," he said. "I haven't beaten Batavia yet, the other team just loses it somehow. It's just such an emotional game that it's so difficult to get your players to play well."

Emotions against a rival run just as high, if not higher, when the game features a pair of winless teams that don't have the safety net of a playoff berth to fall back on if they lose, ala Elgin and Larkin. Elgin's two public high schools battle annually for the traveling Town Jug trophy, which the Maroons won last year for the first time since 2010 with a 31-13 victory.

First-year Elgin coach Anthony Mason said he has noticed a pronounced uptick in practice intensity this week.

"It's been kind of bittersweet because I know for a fact that if they would have had the same dedication and focus and passion they have this week for all the previous weeks, we'd be in a better place," Mason said. "They are extremely focused and ready to go. They're latching on to everything a little more. Come Friday, I hope we stay as focused."

Maintaining possession of the Town Jug is strong motivation to the Maroons.

"We've been bringing it out to practice and we look at it every day," Mason said. "And we plan to keep it."

Elgin's victory in last year's Town Jug game snapped a 19-game skid for the Maroons, who have since lost 8 straight.

Larkin, which is attempting to rebuild under second-year coach Dragan Teonic, seeks to snap a 20-game slide. The Royals last tasted victory on Sept. 27, 2013, when they defeated Streamwood 27-21.

The pink sea: Flashes of Batavia red and Geneva blue will still be evident in the crowd at Friday's rivalry game at Geneva's Burgess Field, but the dominant color will be pink, thanks to a combined fundraising effort between the high schools.

Both cheering sections - The Dog Pound and The Blue Crew - will sell pink Batavia vs. Geneva "Combined for a Cause" T-shirts, to benefit LivingWell Cancer Resource Center and Fox Valley Food for Health, according to a joint release from Batavia District 101 and Geneva CUSD 304.

"This will be the only time you will see a Bulldog and a Viking on a shirt together," Batavia coach Dennis Piron said. "All kidding aside, we are really excited about this partnership with Geneva High School to help two outstanding organizations."

Both schools are selling the T-shirts during their school lunch hours on Wednesday and Thursday for $10, available in small, medium, large and extra-large sizes.

True to their competitive nature, the schools are turning the fundraiser into a contest to see which can raise more money.

"Competition between Batavia and Geneva is always intense and passionate," Geneva athletic director Jim Kafer said, "but this represents an opportunity for the two schools and communities to take advantage of all this energy and channel it to a very positive cause."

T-shirts will be available at the Batavia football team dinner in the school cafeteria on Thursday, Oct. 15 and at the game at Geneva High School on Friday when gates open at 5 p.m.

Next (young) man up: Attrition was partly responsible for St. Edward's 31-23 loss at Ridgewood last week.

Top cornerback Saveon Smith (thigh bruise) and free safety David Madden (concussion), both sophomores, left the game in the second quarter within plays of each others.

At one point the Green Wave (4-3) fielded six underclassmen on defense, including freshmen corner Sidney Muhamed and defensive back Nick Wright.

Madden remains out for this week's game at Chicago Christian (1-6) and Smith had not practiced through Tuesday, St. Edward coach Mike Rolando said. However, the active roster of 20 players gets a lift this week because Chicago Christian does not field a sophomore team. Thus, the St. Edward sophomore team will be available for the varsity game, allowing Rolando to plug some holes with reinforcements.

"It's good timing for us," he said. "We'll try to two-platoon it, let some young guys play, stay injury free and get through another one."

Purple and silver lining: If there was a positive Hampshire could take from its 77-27 loss at Prairie Ridge last Friday, it was the performance of wide receiver Jason Hornbeck.

A 5-foot-10, 155-pound junior, Hornbeck made 8 catches for 247 yards, including touchdown receptions of 70, 4 and 74 yards.

"They gave us press man and Hornbeck was able to shake off his defender a few times and he was wide open," Hampshire coach Mike Brasile said. "We were missing (wide receiver) Xavier Bennett, who was injured in the Woodstock North game, and Hornbeck really picked up the slack. He and (quarterback) Jake Vincent are the best of friends and have a pretty good chemistry."