Do you know me? They do now.
Nathan Whitwell isn’t a household name yet for Batavia, but if the senior running back keeps this up, he soon will be.
Glenbard West’s public-address announcer struggled Saturday pronouncing his name, calling the 5-foot-11, 185-pound workhorse “Whitewell” and even “Whitfield” before eventually getting it right.
Perhaps the exercise became rote with Whitwell carrying the ball 35 times for the Bulldogs.
“No one will be surprised anymore,” Batavia coach Dennis Piron said after the marquee matchup in the season opener. “But I’m gonna tell you, you didn’t get to see all he can do. He is special.”
Temperatures reached the mid-80s on a clear, sunny day, but Whitwell seemed unfazed, piling up 182 yards and producing touchdown runs of 52, 3 and 24 yards in leading the Bulldogs to a 35-28 win in the battle of suburban powers.
“At the end of the first half, I was pretty gassed,” said Whitwell, who opened the scoring in the first quarter, going around left end and beating several defenders. “At halftime, I was just trying to catch my breath from all those areas I was getting smacked out there.
“When I came back, I was feeling good.”
Whitwell isn’t a complete unknown, even to the Hilltoppers (0-1). He was fourth on the team in rushing last season for Batavia with 78 carries for 439 yards and nine TDs.
Getting nearly half that many carries in one game is unusual. Piron traditionally utilizes several backs.
“Coach told me today I’m gonna get the ball a lot,” Whitwell said. “I didn’t expect to get it this many times, though.”
It won’t happen every week, according to Piron, who acknowledged circumstances had something to do with it.
“We knew he was going to have to make big first downs,” Piron said of Whitwell. “He’s the most fit kid in the program and a state sprinter. He’s an ironman and the king of the combine. He’s a stud, flat out. You think you’ve got a run on him and he’s gone. Wait till he gets going.
“We’ve got really good receivers and other backs who will get going. This was just the kind of a game we had to fight through.”
Junior quarterback Bodi Anderson made his first start and fared well for Batavia (1-0), connecting with senior wide receiver Isaiah Brown on four receptions for 62 of his 100 yards passing.
Special teams and the defense came up big as well as the Bulldogs built a 28-7 lead and held on.
Anderson scored on a 1-yard run and senior defensive end Xavier Blanquel on a fumble return following a strip sack by junior linebacker Nick Jansey.
“I didn’t see the ball at first but didn’t hear a whistle,” Blanquel said. “Then we were both trying to pick it up, and I kind of pushed (Jansey) and took it to the end zone.”
Junior cornerback Andrew Culotta recovered an onside kick and a muffed punt return and senior safety Chase Osborne added an interceptions as Batavia forced four turnovers.
Glenbard West forced two, intercepting Anderson early and getting the ball midway through the fourth quarter on a fumbled handoff exchange between the quarterback and Whitwell.
“We were feeling some heat,” Anderson said. “Honestly, that play, we were just disconnected. I tried to get the ball out too quick. He might’ve stepped too quick.”
Twice in the fourth quarter, Batavia’s defense forced big turnovers on downs, halting drives at the 25- and 44. Senior linebacker Jake Feller had sacks in each drive and Blanquel added one.
“Fellers is insane,” Blanquel said. “He’s always in the backfield, even at practice.”
Fellows, though, was focused on Whitwell’s effort.
“That was crazy,” Fellows said. “He’s strong. He’s built. He’s got the speed, too. Every day, going against him is a great challenge. I’m prepared for everything.”
