Geneva @ Batavia – 7:30 pm – Van Detta Stadium
| BataviasBest.org
Friday, October 3, 2014
Key Players: Delmarius Jackson (Geneva); C.K. Mason (Geneva)
Tonight, the Batavia Blue Devils welcome the Geneva Panthers to Van Detta Stadium for what will be the Devils’ toughest test of the 2014 season. Like Batavia, the Panthers have worked their way to a 3-1 start over the first four weeks of play while putting up several lopsided victories along the way. Losing to Penn-Yann in their Week 4 match up, however, Geneva will certainly be ready to go tonight with their eye on getting back on track with a victory against the Blue Devils.
In order to keep the Panthers off the track for just one more week, though, Batavia will really have to put the majority of their focus on stopping Geneva quarterback Delmarius Jackson and the weapons that surround him.
Jackson, who missed the first half of last week’s game due to what I’m guessing may have been disciplinary reasons, came on in the final two quarters of play with his team down by a few points, but was barely unable to bring his team all the way back. However, despite the loss, Jackson performed well in the second half and will likely carry the confidence he gained, over into this week.
The Panthers quarterback has shown that he is an incredible dual-talent who kills teams with both his legs and his great arm. Although he has displayed on film the ability to connect with receivers deep down the field, it is the quarterback’s legs which scare Batavia head coach Brennan Briggs the most. With his extreme quickness and his bounce-like movement through the holes in the offensive line and to the outside, Jackson can do it all.
Other than the QB, the Panthers also possess several other talented players on offense.
Malyk Daley-Pinkard, who had an incredible game against Pal-Mac earlier this year, will present a unique challenge for the Devils on the outside – the likes of which they have yet to face this season. Against the Red Raiders, Daley-Pinkard finished with over 100 yards receiving along with deep touchdown catches of 55 and 66 yards. With his speed and quickness at the WR position, Batavia will have to be at their best in the defensive backfield come tonight at 7:30.
Along with Daley-Pinkard, C.K. Mason has also played well for Geneva. Scoring in the fourth quarter of their Week 4 loss to Penn Yann, Mason was also targeted on a two-point attempt, which failed. In addition to Mason, another great talent I was able to uncover on the Geneva offense was running back Mark Suchewski, who totaled 189 yards and 4 touchdowns against Pal-Mac. Suchewski seems to be the workhorse for Geneva and Batavia will need to be physical with the quality running back from the get go in order to slow him down.
With all of their weapons in tow, the Panthers certainly have the potential to light up the scoreboard on any give Friday. So far this season, Geneva has scored 44, 64, 45, and 12 points in their first four contests, with the outlier coming when their quarterback missed half the game. Compared to Batavia’s 16, 57, 41, and 31 points scored during their first four, tonight is sure to be a slugfest which I see likely being decided by a missed PAT or failed two-point attempt.
Although Jackson scares me, and Daley-Pinkard, Suchewski, and Mason are all unique threats to this Blue Devil defense, after careful consideration I’ve decided to go with the homer pick (what a surprise).
Give me Batavia in a tight one.
Prediction: Batavia 35 Geneva 34
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