Parsons' fall clinches Geneva's win over Kaneland

Colin Parsons was not about to watch the 18-point wrestling lead Geneva enjoyed fade into oblivion.

The Vikings' senior had other ideas when taking the mat for the final match against Kaneland Saturday afternoon.

Kaneland was in the midst of a stirring comeback, slicing its one-time three-fall deficit down to 3 points as the schools sent out their last remaining competitors at 132 pounds in the Knights' triangular.

Parsons did not allow Jacob Shearer to score through two periods, and the senior completed the Vikings' 42-33 victory with a dramatic third-period fall.

Geneva improved to 9-6; Kaneland fell to 9-5 in Maple Park.

"I had to fight to win that last match," Parsons said. "We have some sick kids (in our lineup). They fought through their matches and got pins."

Shearer made a mental error, and Parsons wasted no time in applying a fatal move.

"It's a split-second decision," Parsons said of his maneuver. "It's just kind of instinctual."

The schools were both coming off wins over Rock Island.

The match began in almost mundane fashion as the Vikings' Jordan Soto and Mike Huck had simple decisions.

But then the fireworks were unleashed.

The next nine matches were maximum 6-point verdicts.

Brock Perry doubled the Vikings' lead to 12-0 with a fall at 152 pounds, only to see the Knights' Riley Vanik put Kaneland on the board with a second-period pin.

But Mitchell Bradberry, the Vikings' lone returning state veteran, soon restored the Vikings' 12-point cushion at 170 pounds.

"We have had a lot of good matches today," Bradberry said of the Vikings' 43-31 win over Rock Island and the equally thrilling win over their longtime former conference rival. "All and all, I thought it was a good day."

The Knights' Zac Parker and the Vikings' Austin Chaon then exchanged pins as Geneva retained its 12-point spread.

But Kaneland was soon in major trouble after not being able to field a competitor at 220 pounds.

Staring at a 30-12 deficit, the Knights' bookend athletes - heavyweight Zach Thielk and 106-pounder Austin Kedzie - had back-to-back first-period falls.

Once again, though, Kaneland had to forfeit the 113-pound class to fall back into a double-digit hole.

"I still felt like we were in control of our destiny," Kaneland assistant coach Mike Thorgesen said of the 12 points surrendered on forfeits. "We have to control what we can control - and that's not get pinned."

But the caravan of 6-point matches was still in full swing when Adam Mish had a quick pin for the Knights at 126 pounds.

"The first match (against Rock Island) I lost by pin fall, and I looked at that and I really wanted to get the win in the second match," Mish said.

The Knights' Matt Redman then brought Kaneland to within 36-33 with his 4-0 triumph at 132 pounds.

But Parsons' fall only accentuated the Knights' collective heartache.

"We're good enough of a team that we could have got (the forfeited points) back," Vanik said.

"Giving up two forfeits, we can't go to our backs and expect to be successful all the time," Thorgesen added.

Geneva coach Tom Chernich knows the feeling.

"I lost a lot of (dual) meets this year because guys couldn't make weight," Chernich said. "Most of our losses have been close against tough competition."

Kaneland eked past Rock Island 36-32.