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Batavia blows out St. Charles North

Things seemed to happen in pairs for Batavia’s football team Friday night.

Senior tailback Anthony Scaccia rushed for 2 first-quarter touchdowns, senior quarterback Micah Coffey passed for 2 touchdowns, and an opportunistic defense returned a pair of interceptions back for TDs during the Bulldogs’ 44-7 Upstate Eight Conference triumph over St. Charles North (3-4, 2-3) in St. Charles.

Senior cornerback/wide receiver Michael Moffatt turned in a pair of huge plays from both sides of the ball to help the Bulldogs (6-1, 4-0) open a 25-0 halftime advantage.

With his team facing a 4th-and-16 situation at the North Stars’ 35 late in the opening quarter, Moffatt made a spectacular 1-handed diving catch of a Coffey pass that covered 34 yards and put the ball at the 1-yard line.

“I thought they’d call it a touchdown but I guess my knee hit before the goal line,” said Moffatt. “I knew I needed to make a big play because we were only up 6 (6-0) at that point.”

Moffatt’s reception eventually led to Scaccia’s 2-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-goal that extended the Bulldogs’ lead to 12-0.

After Coffey (12-of-23, 180 yards) threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to fullback Kevin Green for a 19-0 lead with 3:46 left in the first half, the North Stars mounted their best drive of the night.

Quarterback Erik Miller (9-of-18, 79 yards) completed 3 passes to senior tight end Garrett Johnson — the last setting up the North Stars with a 3rd-and-8 play from the Bulldogs’ 13 with time winding down in the second quarter.

That’s when Moffatt turned in a defensive gem to break the North Stars’ backs.

Moffatt literally stole the ball out of the hands of St. Charles North senior receiver Jon Merriwether and raced 91 yards down the sideline for a touchdown with 8.8 seconds remaining before halftime.

“I just jumped the route — I read it very well,” said Moffatt. “We both had the ball in our hands at one point and then he tried pulling and I turned my body and stripped it away.”

Moffatt was also the beneficiary of a crushing downfield block by teammate Anthony Thielk as he headed down the sideline.

“I got a great block from Anthony Thielk which set me free,” said Moffatt.

“He’s a great two-way player,” Batavia coach Dennis Piron said of Moffatt. “He was sick most of last year as a junior but he’s probably one of the best football players in our conference this year.”

Batavia, which clinched its fourth consecutive playoff berth — and 10th in 11 years — with the win, sealed the decision with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns.

After Coffey threw a 32-yard TD pass to Rourke Mullins on the opening drive of the second half, Thielk returned an interception 55 yards for another score to make it 38-0.

“I’m very excited about our defense,” said Piron. “We were a little beat up but we’re finally getting everyone back, especially on defense. I’m glad that Anthony Thielk is finally himself again. He’s a difference maker.”

St. Charles North’s lone bright spot came on Nick Drawant’s 65-yard interception return with 7:50 remaining.

“It was a comedy of errors that we made from an execution standpoint that put us in the position we were in,” said North Stars coach Rob Pomazak. “They were the better team today. We really didn’t perform very well.”

Images: Batavia vs. St. Charles North football

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