Batavia powered past St. Charles East 31-13 Friday night at Bulldog Stadium for its sixth win of the season. The DuKane Conference victory also clinched a Bulldogs playoff berth for the 14th year in a row.

Batavia dominated on offense, gaining a total of 418 yards to the Fighting Saints’ 237.

“The goal was to come out here with a win tonight and set us up for really good competition at Wheaton Warrenville South next week, which will be a very important game for seeding and conference,” Batavia coach Dennis Piron said. “I liked the way we were efficient early on tonight. As the night wore on, the atmosphere was a little weird, but I thought the kids came through when they had to.”

“It great to get the sixth win and advance to the playoffs,” said Bulldog Brett Berggren. “It’s a standard that we always set out to accomplish every year.”

Batavia (6-2, 5-1) got on the scoreboard early, scoring on its first possession of the game. Quarterback Michael Vander Luitgaren ended the 80-yard, 13-play drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Darin Ashiru with 7:13 left in the first quarter.

Vander Luitgaren completed 14-of-22 passes for 141 yards. Ashiru was the junior QB’s favorite target, catching five passes for 64 yards.

Batavia’s second score in the second half needed eight plays to make to the end zone. The 56-yard drive ended with a 1-yard Vander Luitgaren plunge.

St. Charles East (1-7, 1-5) halved the Bulldogs lead with 3:18 left before halftime on a 25-yard pass from Fighting Saints QB Cruz Herrera to Gavin Matejko.

The Bulldogs wasted little time in widening the gap back to two scores. On the first play from scrimmage on Batavia’s ensuing drive, Berggren raced 80 yards down the left sideline to cross the goal line with 3:05 left before halftime for a 21-7 halftime lead.

“My O-line gave me a great hole,” Berggren said. “I saw the safety was flying down so I cut in and after I knew I had to get in the end zone.”

The Fighting Saints gained 288 yards on the ground. Preston Brummel carried the ball eight times for 60 yards, Henry Hahn rushed 45 yards on eight carries and Charles Rosegren gained 45 yards on five attempts.

Batavia expanded its lead on the Bulldogs first drive of the second half. Ashiru scored his second touchdown of the night on a 18-yarder from Vander Luitgaren.

St. Charles East returned the margin to two scores late in the third quarter when Herrera connected with Thomas Prescott in the left corner of the end zone for a 12-yard scoring pass.

Herrera completed 16-of-37 passes for 160 yards

A 29-yard Caleb Peters field goal with 3:52 left play completed the Bulldogs’ scoring.