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Batavia falls in battle of defending state champs

Something had to give.

With defending Class 6A state champion Batavia facing last year's 7A state champion Mount Carmel in the opening round of the 7A playoffs Saturday afternoon, one of these highly respected programs would see its season come to an end.

Trailing 10-7 after 3 quarters, the Caravan (6-4) rallied with a pair of 3-yard touchdown runs by junior tailback A.J. Lewis (21 carries, 85 yards) and fought off a valiant late Bulldogs rally during their 21-16 victory at Bulldog Stadium.

"We felt it was going to be tough for them to stop our offense because they don't see our offense," Caravan coach Frank Lenti said of his team's veer option attack that generated 199 rushing yards. "They get to prepare in three days what we do for three months so it's difficult."

Mount Carmel marched 80 yards in 10 plays on its opening drive, capped by Anthony Thompson's 32-yard touchdown pass to Avery Saffold.

However, Batavia answered with an 8-play, 77-yard scoring drive of its own as quarterback Kyle Niemiec's 19-yard keeper tied the game at 7-7 after the first quarter.

The Caravan drove inside the red zone again on their second possession until Batavia defensive back Eddie Golden ripped the ball from receiver Bobby Stasaitis and recovered the fumble at the Bulldogs' 18.

Midway through the second quarter, Nick Bernabei blocked a punt that Jon Wall pounced on at the Caravan 11.

Three plays later, the Bulldogs faced a 4th-and-16 situation at the 17.

"It pushed us a little out of field goal range," said Batavia coach Dennis Piron.

Junior free safety Foster Williams sacked Niemiec for a 7-yard loss to thwart the Bulldogs' scoring opportunity.

"Not to get any points there was tough," said Piron. "In retrospect, I think Jonny wished he had scooped it (ball) there because you can return that."

Batavia grabbed its first lead of the game on Howie Morgano's 23-yard field goal with 4:42 left in the third quarter.

Senior quarterback Evan Acosta, who split time with Niemiec during the regular season, completed all 4 of his passes for 43 yards on the drive for the Bulldogs.

Late in the third quarter, a Mount Carmel drive bogged down as 3 consecutive penalties forced a 4th-and-23 play from its own 42.

Once again, Bernabei shot through the line and appeared to get his hands on a punt attempt by Mount Carmel's Patrick McDonagh.

However, officials saw things differently and called a roughing the kicker penalty on the Bulldogs that gave the Caravan an automatic first down at the Batavia 44.

Five plays later, Lewis' 3-yard TD run gave the Caravan a 14-10 lead with 11:38 left in the fourth quarter.

"It was a huge play in the game," Piron said of the roughing the kicker call. "That kid (Bernabei) is a 31 ACT, honor roll student and he told me he tipped it. The ball went shooting sideways because he tipped it. The official said he didn't see it."

"That roughing (penalty) was as good as a turnover for us," said Lenti. "We were good enough to take it down and turn it into seven points."

Lewis' second 3-yard TD run of the game upped the Caravan lead to 21-10 with 2:37 remaining.

Batavia answered with a 3-yard TD pass from Niemiec to Canaan Coffey (7 catches, 89 yards) with 1:12 left but the ensuing onside kick was recovered by Mount Carmel's Kyle Czubak, ending the Bulldogs' season sooner than anticipated.

"We gave it our all," said senior defensive end Josh Leonhard.

"It's hard, it's difficult, it's just too bad," said Piron, who has guided the team to a 42-5 record in 4 years at the helm. "My son (Peyton) is a senior so it is even tougher. These kids have been at my house for a long time.

"Like Coach (Mike) Gaspari said, we're going to be very disappointed as coaches when we go back and watch the film but this group of boys played their hearts out to the very end.

Now 0-3 in 7A postseason games, Batavia may have been dealt a cruel pairings hand this time around.

"We think we're as good as most teams in the state of Illinois in Class 7A," said Piron. "We would have loved an opportunity to play a few more of them. I'm disappointed for these kids that they don't get another game and that this had to be their last game because they're never ready for it."

Images: Batavia vs. Mt. Carmel, football playoffs

  Batavia quarterback Kyle Niemiec stretches for extra yardage as he is tackled by Mount Carmel's Colin Knusta during the fourth quarter of Saturday's game. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Batavia's Nick Stuttle catches a pass during Saturday's game at against Mount Carmel. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Batavia's Canaan Coffey, left, celebrates his fourth-quarter touchdown with teammate Jack Breshears during Saturday's game at against Mount Carmel. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Batavia's Jake Hlava reacts after his team's punt was blocked during the fourth quarter Saturday's game at against Mount Carmel. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Batavia's Nick Breshears reacts to Saturday's loss to Mount Carmel. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Batavia's Eddie Golden, left, recovers a fumble by Mount Carmel's Bobby Stasaitis as teammate Joseph Gross closes in during Saturday's game. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Batavia's Jon Wall recovers a blocked punt during Saturday's game at against Mount Carmel. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
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