Nathan Whitwell sparks Batavia’s comeback win against St. Charles North with 5 TDs and 255 yards

Undefeated conference rivals from neighboring towns facing off. High school football doesn’t get any better. It often takes a little extra something from an important player to turn the tide in such a high-profile game.

Friday in Batavia the Bulldogs found exactly that in Malachi Smith and Nathan Whitwell.

Smith is a six-foot defensive lineman, shorter than college coaches consider ideal. That’s put a chip on his shoulder this season.

“My goal is to try and put my name on the map,” Smith said. “I have a lot of doubters because of my height but I’m just trying to prove them wrong.”

Smith was disruptive and dominating in the No. 5 Batavia’s 45-21 comeback win against No. 12 St. Charles North.

The Bulldogs trailed 14-3 at halftime. Everything changed in the third quarter as Smith and Batavia’s defensive line shut down the North Stars’ running attack and heaped pressure on four-year starting quarterback Ethan Plumb.

The Bulldogs held St. Charles North (3-1, 1-1 DuKane) to one touchdown in the second half, a 67-yard pass from Plumb to Keaton Reinke.

Batavia’s offense came alive in the third quarter as well. Bulldogs quarterback Bodi Anderson and wide receiver Isaiah Brown (five catches, 78 yards) started clicking, and Whitwell took over.

The uncommitted senior running back had 40 carries for 255 yards and five touchdowns. Whitwell’s first three games of the season were excellent, but he was on another level against St. Charles North.

“He’s just such a good runner,” North Stars coach Rob Pomazak said. “He will wear you down. He was an animal out there today.”

All five of Whitwell’s TDs came in the second half. He scored on runs of seven, one, 25, 34 and 15 yards.

“First half on offense we came out thinking too much and in our heads,” Whitwell said. “The second half we said screw it, lets just play football.”

Batavia coach Dennis Piron was worried Whitwell would have to come out after the first play.

“[Whitwell] got hit funny on his hip,” Piron said. “He’ll feel it tomorrow but he’s just so physically tough.”

The momentum changed on the opening kickoff of the second half. St. Charles North was receiving but could come up with the ball and Batavia started the half in North Stars’ territory.

Anderson was 9 for 17 for 125 yards. Eight of the completions were in the second half. The Bulldogs missed their first seven pass attempts of the game.

“We need to grow up,” Piron said. “We finally found our identity a little bit. My goodness is Malachi destructive. And our offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage.”

Special teams were an adventure for Batavia (4-0, 2-0) and St. Charles North. There were fumbles on punts by punters and punt returners.

Nearly every kickoff had some drama. St. Charles North junior Joell Holloman scooped up a fumbled punt attempt from Batavia and scampered 20 yards for the first TD of the game.

Holloman finished with 19 carries for 109 yards and a 27-yard TD. Plumb was 16 of 28 for 190 yards with one TD and no interceptions.