Discussion with defensive coordinator gets Batavia’s Luke Gardner starring role at safety. ‘Just want to play.’

Discussion with defensive coordinator gets Batavia’s Luke Gardner starring role at safety. ‘Just want to play.’

It was a discussion that Batavia sophomore safety Luke Gardner never expected but now one that the Bulldogs needed more than they even knew at that time. Last year as a freshman, Gardner was a receiver promoted to play on the scout team as Batavia reached the Class 7A state championship game. In the offseason, Gardner figured he would be on the sophomore team this fall, seeing that the Bulldogs were loaded at receiver. But Batavia defensive coor…