Batavia vs Livonia – Saturday, 3:00 pm – Sahlen’s Stadium
| BataviasBest.org
Thursday, November 6, 2014
At a glance:
Players to watch:
Livonia
RB Josh Henderson
RB Ethan Perham
RB John Greeley
QB Brandon Snyder
TE Jack Horan
LB Bobby Krause
LB Nick Kallio
Batavia
QB Greg Mruczek
RB/KR Anthony Gallo
RB Dom Mogavero
WR James Cryer
WR Malachi Chenault
OL Gunner Rapone
OL Devon Koepp
Coaches Corner: Batavia’s Brennan Briggs
AB: What did you accomplish tonight?
BB: “Tonight we practiced at GCC on their turf field. We continued to rep our defensive unit on the game plan this week and also continued to work on getting better at what we do offensively.”
AB: What challenges will Livonia present to your defense this week? Anything you didn’t see the first time around?
BB: “They have a strong offensive attack and it presents problems because you have to be very disciplined when reading your keys. They have a few new wrinkles I have seen but it doesn’t change our reads.”
AB: Having not made it this far as a program in recent memory, do you believe the excitement of being in the finals has been providing extra motivation for your players?
BB: “Yes it’s definitely motivating the guys. But I want them to stay loose and be themselves this weekend. I don’t want them getting caught up in all the hype. Their preparation will lead to positive results when they play relentless football on Saturday.“
AB: Coming equipped with a few key Seniors this year, what role have they played the past few weeks in terms of leadership as you approach such big games?
BB: “They have done a good job all year. They know they can go out on top and I think they are excited for the opportunity they’ve earned.”
AB: Is the possibility of revenge playing into your guys’ emotions at all this week?
BB: “I haven’t talked about it once this week. I don’t really think it’s about revenge. It just so happens Livonia is the team standing in the way of the title that we’re striving for. I wouldn’t want it any other way though.”
AB: Do you feel proving your worth against a team who already beat you, and continued to play quality football all season, could be the final step for you guys as a team in terms of your achievement?
BB: “Not at all. For all the people out there who still don’t give my guys credit, we have defeated a 6-3 Geneva team, 6-3 Penn Yan, 8-1 Bath, along with five other teams. We don’t need to prove anything more. Saturday we have a great opportunity to bring home a title. It’s two very good teams and one of us will win and the other will lose. Either way, I am proud of what these young men have accomplished.”
AB: Last question – throughout your conversations with your players this week, what has been the most common emotion that you have observed?
BB: “Confidence.”
Quotes from the Players:
Junior Danny Williams
AB: Going into this week, what is it going to take in order for you guys to walk away with the title?
DW: “We have a lot more focus but we can’t let this game change us and the way we play. We can’t let all the nerves get the best of us.”
AB: Do you think you guys are ready for this game? Have you prepared as best you can?
DW: “Yes. We have played them before and we lost, but now we are just trying to do the best we can to beat them. We know what they’re capable of and if we do what we are coached to do, we should be more than ready.”
AB: What do you remember from the last game with them that you have been concentrating on going into this week? What will you carry over that will help you on Saturday?
DW: “Being a defensive end, I have to read the tight end and we have to stop their blocking scheme. If we do that our linebackers can do their jobs.”
AB: What have you seen from the other guys in the locker room this week? What have they been doing in order to prepare themselves?
DW: “We are kind of treating it as if it were just another game in order to take most of the nerves away. Some guys rose up this week and showed more leadership and we have just been studying film and doing a lot of drills in order to get the gameplay down to the best of our abilities.“
AB: Last question – what would it mean to bring one home for the Seniors?
DW: “It would mean a lot to us. They play their hearts out every game and we all know it would mean a lot to them as well.”
_______________________________
Junior Adonis Davis
AB: What will help you come away with a win this week?
AD: “Changing everything in the last minutes of that game (in Week 1 against Livonia) that could’ve went our way and didn’t is the #1 thing. If we can do that and play with a chip on our shoulder, it will help our defense and offense.”
AB: Who do you feel may come up big for your team this week? Who is due to break out?
AD: “Offensively I would say Trevor Sherwood, and defensively I would say Trenton McGraw. Those two are probably the two sleepers on our team and I think it is their time.”
AB: What phase of the game is most important this week?
AD: “Definitely special teams no doubt. Especially because last game they returned a kick for a touchdown and that shifted a lot of the momentum. We can’t give them easy points like that and expect to win.”
AB: You guys turned the ball over a bit last game. Have you been talking about protecting the football this week as a key to victory?
AD: “Yes, a significant amount. Against good team we can’t give them more chances than they deserve.“
AB: The weather report is calling for a slight chance of rain on Saturday. How do you feel that may play into the game if it is to rain?
AD: “I think it could help us potentially. Their quarterback doesn’t like to pass much as it is, so if we can stop the run like last game, then the rain may help us defend their passing game. Greg has also shown he can throw the ball no matter the conditions.”
AB: Last question – what is the level of confidence amongst the guys this week?
AD: “I don’t even think there is a level that could measure it. Honest answer.”
Game Preview:
With each side bringing their own strengths to the table this Saturday, I expect to see a great back-and-forth game for the entirety of 48 minutes. While the Bulldogs will carry a huge wave of momentum following their destruction of Geneva last week, the Blue Devils will be provided some excitement of their own when they hit the field at Sahlen’s Stadium, after running off a string of impressive wins in a row.
This challenge is relatively unknown to a Batavia program, who has spent years suffering through several stages of futility, but they find themselves rising from the ashes in their head coach’s third season at the helm. After missing the playoffs for several seasons in a row leading up to this incredible run, and from everything I have watched this season, the Devils seem ready to finish what they started in August.
In the two side’s previous matchup during Week 1 of the regular season they each seemed rather even throughout the duration of the contest. Showing glimpses of greatness on either side of the ball, while also making a plethora of early-season mistakes during their first duel, the Dogs and Devils have improved greatly since then and will showcase their progression this Saturday in front of all of Section V.
While the excitement builds around Genesee County as well as County’s beyond, this one is sure to quench any football fan’s thirst for solid, hard-fought competition.
Above the Fold:
1. Although Livonia’s rushing attack will be the most statistically-sound of the two teams, Batavia’s running game will be the most important. If the Blue Devils cannot run the ball successfully and they are forced to throw exclusively, I believe they will get themselves into trouble, turn the ball over, and perhaps find themselves in a hole late. Dom Mogavero and Anthony Gallo have done great things for this team all year and will really need to bring it all to the table once again here today.
2. In the first matchup between these two, Batavia QB Greg Mruczek was a completely different quarterback. Now heading into Game 2, he has progressed greatly, limited his mistakes for much of the season, and has also shown the ability to throw the ball over the middle of the field with confidence – something he struggled to do Week 1. Today, watch for Mruczek and whether or not he can find his receivers for big yardage between the hashmarks, which is where I believe the Bulldogs will be the most vulnerable.
3. In a game of such high magnitude, sometimes coaches elect to empty the notebook so to speak, and go with even their most unconventional play calls offensively and on special teams. It would not shock me if one of these head coaches in today’s game pull a surprise onside kick or a fake punt or field goal of some sort.
4. Another item on special teams which you should be aware of is the fact that, in Game 1, Livonia was able to return the opening kickoff of the second half which greatly improved their chances of winning the game. If Batavia had not hiccuped on that return, I truly believe they would have won in Week 1.
5. Batavia has won just 1 Sectional Title in their history, coming in 1991 in Class BB. Will lighting strike twice?
Prediction:
Although I see the rushing attack of the Bulldogs being almost impossible to contain for Batavia this weekend, I also see the Batavia passing game providing a huge problem for Livonia. While Batavia QB Greg Mruczek showcased the ability to throw no matter what the conditions, and his receivers displaying high-effort on many 50-50 balls against Penn Yan, the aerial attack of the Blue Devils will be a major factor here – especially with the lack of athleticism on part of the Livonia secondary.
However, with both offenses clicking on all cylinders coming into the game, it seems almost certain to be high-scoring. With that said, I am very confident in the Blue Devils despite the 1-point spread. Give me Batavia to win the title.
Batavia 35 Livonia 34
Other articles you may like:
Batavia blasts Penn Yan: Blue Devils overcome early mistakes – earn Finals berth
Week 1 Batavia vs Livonia: Scouting Report & Game Prediction
Mruczek, Dobbertin, and Rapone confident as Batavia Football looks ahead to Livonia in Week 1
