Western Sun getting better from top to bottom

The days of 51-11 -- the average margin of victory for Geneva against Yorkville the past three years -- are over.

You could tell that as early as the opening kick Friday night at Burgess Field in Geneva, when Raul Leon rambled 43 yards to give the Foxes great field position.

Friday presented a perfect opportunity to see a shift for the balance of power in the Western Sun Conference.

You could see first hand if the so-called have-nots like Yorkville have caught up with the haves like Geneva.

Yorkville -- 2-7 each of the last three years -- provided evidence all 48 minutes that they indeed have caught up.

"Our boys can play," Yorkville coach Jim Still said. "(Geneva is) a legitimate program, and that's where we want to be. They have been in the state semifinals what two of the last three years."

The long kickoff return was just the start of big plays for the Foxes.

• They blocked a punt to set up a 3-yard scoring drive.

• They went for it on 4th-and-1 in their own territory, converted, and drove for a field goal and 10-0 lead.

• They forced a fumble on the opening kickoff to start the second half, and again took the lead until late in the third quarter.

• Even when it looked like Geneva had finally put the game away, Foxes quarterback Andrew Rosati returned from injury to lead a 58-yard scoring drive in only 34 seconds to bring the Foxes within 27-24.

You can only wonder how the outcome might have been different if Rosati hadn't been knocked out for three drives late in the fourth quarter -- drives that ended with a pair of interceptions and a botched punt.

Even so, this is a whole new look for the Western Sun. A much more exciting one, if you ask me.

The last two years I've always heard Western Sun coaches talk about how "two or more losses" could win the conference, and I couldn't help but think that was coming straight from the Lou Holtz book of coach-speak.

You know, respond to the question with a politically-correct answer. Try to make the bottom half of the teams feel better about themselves.

Then the scores come in. You see Kaneland 56, Glenbard South 13…Geneva 56, Yorkville 7…Batavia 48, DeKalb 0…and any talk about how the Western Sun is anything other than Batavia vs. Geneva vs. Kaneland is a flashback to Holtz talking about how hard it will be for Notre Dame to stop William & Mary.

After Friday, these coaches like Mike Gaspari and Rob Wicinski aren't just being classy when they talk highly of the Western Sun, top to bottom. They are telling the truth.

Geneva holds off Yorkville 27-24 a few minutes after Batavia scores late to beat Glenbard South 13-6. It's a different kind of race this year.

With all those big plays Yorkville made Friday, Geneva knew right away it was in a fight for its lives. And the Vikings responded.

Quarterback Michael Mayszak threw two touchdown passes in about a 2-minute span to give the Vikings the lead just before halftime. But it was the play he made in the third quarter to escape what looked like a sure sack and then turn it into a first-down run that might have been the turning point.

Mayszak capped the run by showing no regard for his own health, launching his body into the air to get the first down. Michael Ratay scored two plays later and Geneva never trailed again.

The list of Geneva stars goes on and on. Jordan Boser made a key strip and fumble recovery on a kickoff return. Brennan Quinn hammered Yorkville all night, including the hit that knocked Rosati out at a critical juncture in the fourth quarter.

Ratay and Joe Augustine both made great moves in the open field to break free for long touchdown receptions just before halftime, giving Geneva a 13-10 lead after Yorkville had the advantage nearly the entire first half. Trevor Hyslop came up with a key special teams play on a Yorkville punt and then intercepted a pass.

Matt Caliendo recovered Yorkville's last onside kick. Coach Wicinski rolled the dice, throwing a pass to Augustine in the final two minutes instead of running the clock and possibly giving possession back to Yorkville. Augustine turned the pass into a long gain and a game-clinching first down.

A clinching first down that came with a minute left -- a far cry from Geneva's 56-7 win over the Foxes last year.

"I usually don't give credit to other coaches," Wicinski said. "I have to give coach Still, his staff and players a lot of credit."

The result of improved programs like Yorkville? The days of Geneva, Batavia and Kaneland going 7-1 and sharing the title might be over, or at least are not going to be an annual occurrence. Maybe we were a little spoiled by all their dominance in 2006.

It's a good thing to see the Western Sun getting even stronger. You'd go to games like Geneva-Yorkville last year and be sitting there at halftime wondering when the 40-point running clock would start.

Now you are at Geneva-Yorkville at halftime wondering who will win the game. And if the rest of the season is anything like this game, or Batavia's 13-6 win over Glenbard South, you will still be wondering who will win the game with a minute left.

That's a good thing. It's fun to anticipate more drama-filled games, with the outcome riding on every play in the fourth quarter.

That's what we got Friday at Geneva. And that's what we have to look forward to the next six weeks.