Newberry, Batavia improve to 4-0 with convincing win over Lake Park

ROSELLE — Dennis Piron said why not.

The longtime Batavia football coach called a timeout in the final minute of the second quarter instead of letting the clock tick down to halftime.

Instead, he got his Bulldogs the ball back for one final drive before the break.

Quarterback Ryan Boe connected with Eric Newberry for the senior wide receiver’s third touchdown of the opening half – this one a 67-yard catch and run with seven seconds left – helping Batavia to a convincing 42-8 victory over Lake Park in DuKane Conference action Sept. 17.

Newberry finished with four catches for 160 yards and his first three touchdowns of the season. Boe, a sophomore, completed 13-of-16 passes for 291 yards and four touchdowns and had a rushing score for the unbeaten Bulldogs (4-0, 3-0 DuKane Conference).

“His route running is insane,” Boe said of Newberry. “He can literally get open in any coverage and that makes my job so much easier. I have so much confidence knowing that he’s going to find a way to get open and make a big play for us.”

Despite falling behind 2-0 after an early punt snap went out of the back of the end zone for a safety, Batavia rattled off 42 consecutive points in large part because of the Boe-Newberry connection.

The two connected for a 22-yard score thanks to some elusiveness from Boe to avoid being brought down in the backfield before finding a wide open Newberry to open Batavia’s offensive outburst.

The two connected just three plays later on a busted coverage that found the 5-foot-11 Newberry all alone for a 74-yard score.

“It’s nice to see our offense getting better and better this year,” Piron said. “We’ve been relying on [running back Jalen Buckley] a lot this season, but for Eric to have the game he did tonight just provides us with another weapon. Obviously, the more weapons you have, the tougher you are to game plan for and the tougher you are to guard. I think we still have room to grow, but it’s a nice win tonight.”

Newberry said he had a slower start statistically to his senior campaign, but never lacked confidence that results would come if he kept working hard.

“I wanted to make the most of this opportunity tonight,” Newberry said. “I hadn’t had many receptions, but I got into a little rhythm tonight. I just wanted to make a play for my team when I got the ball in my hands. I was repping double moves all week in practice, and Boe made a play and found a way to get the ball to me.”

Buckley certainly was instrumental as well in the Bulldogs’ victory. The running back scored two touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air. He finished with 135 total yards (74 rushing).

While the Bulldogs’ offense finished with 42 points, Batavia’s defense was impressive in sacking Lake Park quarterback Frank Moorman five times. The Lancers (1-3) turned the ball over four times, including an interception by Bulldogs senior defensive back Tony Roberts in the end zone.

Moorman completed 13-of-22 passes for 141 yards.

The Bulldogs’ defense, led by two sacks and a fumble recovery by Brody Osborne, allowed just 75 yards in the first half.

It wasn’t until many of Batavia’s defensive starters were subbed out that the Lancers tallied their only touchdown of the game, a 23-yard strike from Moorman to Desmond Horton late the fourth quarter.

Batavia battles unbeaten Glenbard North (4-0) on Sept. 24.