Scouting the 95th Batavia-Geneva game

By Dave Oberhelman

doberhelman@dailyherald.com

Geneva (7-0, 5-0) at Batavia (6-1, 5-0)

Upstate Eight Conference River Division

Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Last year: Batavia 49, Geneva 20.

Last week: Geneva 41, West Chicago 12; Batavia 48, Elgin 13.

Series stands at: Geneva 51, Batavia 39, 5 ties.

Starting offenses:

Geneva Batavia

Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos. Name Ht. Wt. Yr.

Daniel Santacaterina 6-2 190 Sr. QB Evan Acosta 6-2 175 Sr.

Max Woodworth 5-7 185 Sr. FB Noah Frazier 6-1 225 Sr.

Justin Taormina 5-10 165 Jr. TB Zach Garrett 5-7 180 Jr.

Pace Temple 6-2 190 Sr. WR Canaan Coffey 6-2 175 Jr.

Mike Landi 6-7 185 Sr. WR Peyton Piron 6-1 155 Sr.

Jack Wassel 6-1 165 Jr. WR Nick Stuttle 6-0 170 Jr.

Ben Baker 6-7 285 Sr. LT Patrick Gamble 5-10 250 Sr.

Joey Wagner 5-11 280 Sr. LG Brandon Parker 5-11 220 Sr.

John Boenzi 6-0 205 Jr. C Mitch Krusz 6-1 270 Sr.

T.K. Hood 6-0 285 Sr. RG Zach Tate 6-2 245 Jr.

Loudon Vollbrecht 6-6 255 Jr. RT Jack Breshears 6-5 285 Sr.

Alex Browere 5-9 135 Sr. P Howie Morgano 5-9 145 Sr.

Starting defenses:

Geneva Batavia

Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos. Name Ht. Wt. Yr.

Matt Loberg 6-2 235 Sr. DE Noah Frazier 6-1 225 Sr.

Stephen Kemp 6-0 225 Jr. DT Jake Birkhaug 5-11 185 Sr.

Thomas Alwin 6-0 240 Sr. DT Jon Wall 6-0 215 Sr.

Jack McCloughan 6-4 205 Sr. DE Josh Leonhard 6-2 220 Sr.

Wyatt Shodeen 5-9 215 Sr. LB Joe Gross 6-1 190 Sr.

Nate Donati 5-8 165 Sr. LB Colin Thurston 6-2 195 Jr.

Brock Perry 6-1 160 Sr. S/LB Jake Hlava 6-2 215 Sr.

Sean Chambers 6-3 185 Jr. S Nick Bernabei 6-1 185 Sr.

Chris Barger 5-11 180 Sr. FS Tyler Holl 5-11 160 Jr.

Nick Carlton 5-7 160 Sr. CB Brett Bowman 5-11 165 Jr.

Jason Croci 5-9 150 Sr. CB Eddie Golden 6-1 160 Jr.

Daniel Santacaterina 6-2 190 Sr. P Canaan Coffey 6-2 175 Jr.

When Geneva has the ball: With quarterback Daniel Santacaterina completing 61 percent of his passes for 1,547 yards, 16 touchdowns to 6 interceptions - and extending plays when things fall apart - the Vikings can spread defenses deep and wide. Receiver Pace Temple leads Geneva with 39 receptions for 624 yards and 10 touchdown catches. He's joined by 6-foot-7 Mike Landi, a possession receiver who's broken out with 100-yard games each of the last two weeks; and Jack Wassel, who enjoyed his first touchdown catch last week. The Geneva ground game was uncertain entering the season but the athletic tailback Justin Taormina has clinched it with 602 yards rushing, averaging 5.7 yards per carry, and 14 touchdown runs. Fullback Max Woodworth adds 204 yards rushing and also a crucial release valve in Santacaterina's passing game, with 14 catches for 192 yards. Geneva's offensive line obviously is large, able to allow Taormina the between-tackle runs. Vollbrecht is particularly nimble, and he and his mates will have to be against a fast and furious Batavia defense that starts up front and on the ends with Josh Leonhard and Noah Frazier, who bring a respective 34 and 24 tackles. They each broke Batavia's sack record last season, and this year linebacker Jake Hlava already has 11.5 of the team's 35 quarterback sacks. Hlava comes at all angles with perfect timing on the snap count, which the crafty Santacaterina knows well. Strong up the middle, Batavia safety Nick Bernabei and middle linebacker Colin Thurston are 1-2 in tackles with 63 and 53, respectively. Cornerback Brett Bowman has 5 interceptions in his last two games and 7 total. Vikings coach Rob Wicinski's balance (1,575 yards passing, 1,354 rush) will pressure Batavia's defense all four downs with his desire to go for it on fourth down, no matter the distance or field position. And watch the onside kick!

When Batavia has the ball: The Bulldogs entered the season with senior Evan Acosta and junior Kyle Niemiec sharing the quarterback spot. The latter went the distance for the first time in a Week 5 win over St. Charles North. Since then an injury to Niemiec has given Acosta the nod, but Friday look to Niemiec to return to at least heavy rotation. Individually both signalcallers have completed at least 60 percent of their passes and combined their numbers are an outstanding 110 of 177 (62 percent) for 1,212 yards, 9 touchdowns, 4 interceptions. After a Week 5 injury to 130-pound tailback Blake Crowder that job has gone mainly to Zach Garrett, who has a team-high 557 yards rushing and 9 touchdowns. Like Geneva, five different Bulldogs have surpassed 100 yards rushing including power back Noah Frazier, with 6 touchdowns on his 34 carries. The Bulldogs' yards per reception (11.0) is in the possession range but Canaan Coffey and Peyton Piron can stretch the field; Coffey has 41 grabs for 492 yards, 7 touchdowns, Piron 22-260-2. Receivers Jon Shubert and Nick Stuttle and tight end Glenn Albanese are among seven receivers with at last 6 catches in offensive coordinator Mike Gaspari's diverse spread scheme. Upfront Batavia is strong, experienced and deep, with Ross Berggren, Zach Sims and Giovanni Garcia rotating in at any position. This unit must click as the active Geneva defense allows just over 12 points a game. All-conference as a sophomore, tackle Stephen Kemp continues to lead the Vikings in tackles with 61, ahead of safety Sean Chambers' 49 and 45 by linebacker Nate Donati, a force last week against West Chicago. If they stay in the pocket Niemiec and Acosta will be challenged simply to throw over sack leader (6) Matt Loberg and Jack McCloughan, who batted down 4 passes last week. Bull-rushing tackle Thomas Alwin comes off his best game of the season, trouble if Batavia double-teams elsewhere. Geneva's defense listed above is a 4-2-5 but will bring in a third linebacker like Mike Huck and, like Batavia's Bernabei, safety Chris Barger might as well be a linebacker. When push comes to shove, expect Geneva's Pace Temple to be playing in the secondary.

Geneva coach Rob Wicinski says: "I think it's just important that with the line, they've just got to get on (their man) and give me another second. Whatever your job is, just give me one more second."

Batavia coach Dennis Piron says: "I think we're probably the most balanced team they'll have seen this year ... We don't mind taking small gains, we don't mind taking little victories, stuff of that nature. All that stuff is good."

Intangibles: Along with never again having to pay for a meal in their towns, if successful Batavia stands to win its fourth straight UEC River title. Geneva seeks to regain the title it won at 6-0 in 2010.

Next week: Larkin (0-7, 0-5) at Geneva, Oct. 24; Streamwood (2-5, 2-3) at Batavia, Oct. 24.