RB Scaccia real handful
Runs for 184 yards, three TDs in Bulldogs’ rout
Batavia linebacker Anthony Thielk calls running back Anthony Scaccia ‘‘Swivel Hips.’’
Playing on a cold, windy Saturday at Rockford Boylan, Scaccia was more power ranger in leading the Bulldogs to a dominant 38-6 victory against the Titans and a berth in the Class 6A title game next weekend.
‘‘Look at that kid,’’ Batavia coach Dennis Piron said. ‘‘ You see him? Does he look to you like the bad [dude] that he is? He’s a power running back disguised at 157 pounds. Power football. It was awesome.’’
The 5-7 Scaccia carried 41 times for 184 yards and three first-half touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs (12-1) to their 11th victory in a row.
‘‘Big, physical line. Great running back,’’ Boylan defensive lineman Ian Riggs said when asked what made Batavia so hard to stop. ‘‘[Scaccia], he runs hard. He’ll definitely be going somewhere in the future.’’
Next stop? DeKalb and NIU’s Huskie Stadium, where the Bulldogs will meet Richards at 1 p.m. Saturday for the 6A title.
Four Titans turnovers in the first half and another strong effort by Batavia coordinator Matt Holm’s defense were equally important in what Piron termed ‘‘brutal conditions.’’
The Bulldogs’ first possession was a 14-play drive that ended when they turned the ball over on downs at Boylan’s 10. Batavia defensive end Josh Leonhard recovered a fumble by Nick Pumilia on the Titans’ 24 three plays later.
Scaccia bulled in from two yards out with 41 seconds left in the first quarter, but Howie Morgano’s extra-point kick was blocked.
Extra points proved to be the Bulldogs’ only problem, and Piron blamed it on the frozen turf, which didn’t allow kickers to get traction.
Fortunately, it wasn’t a problem for Scaccia and his offensive line. Batavia was 5-for-6 on fourth-down conversions (three by Scaccia) in the first half.
Scaccia added touchdown runs of four yards and one yard, but the dagger came when Rourke Mullins returned an interception 56 yards for a score with 1:06 left in the half that made it 24-0 at the break.
‘‘It was pretty tough,’’ Boylan quarterback Demry Croft said. ‘‘I lost the feeling in my fingers in the first quarter. It was tough to feel the ball.’’
Scaccia kept grinding, and so did the Bulldogs’ defense. The firststring defense has limited foes to seven points or fewer points in 10 consecutive games. Croft scored the Titans’ only points on a fiveyard run as time ran out.
Batavia quarterback Micah Coffey passed for 205 yards, including second-half touchdowns of 32 yards to Michael Moffatt and 90 yards to Jordan Zwart.
It was only the second loss in four years for Boylan (12-1), which went undefeated in claiming backto-back state titles in 2010-11.