Give Geneva another A

If Geneva senior linebacker Matthew Schuman ever goes into teaching, here's a tip - avoid his class.

This kid's a tough grader.

What do you give a team that's 8-1, a loss in terrible conditions against Rochelle away from a third straight perfect regular season?

"Maybe B-plus," Schuman said.

B-plus? What do you have to do to get an A?

"Maybe A," Schuman said, reconsidering. "There were times we could have done better but overall look at our record? We pulled it off."

Yes they did, now four-time Western Sun champs after shutting out Batavia 23-0 Friday night, the first time the Vikings have shut out the Bulldogs since a 20-0 win in 1988.

Turns out his coach agrees with that A grade.

"For the turnover we lost and having the kids that had no experience at all, I think they have done fantastic," Rob Wicinski said. "I would give them an A. We're one game away from being perfect. I'm proud of these guys. And I'm proud of the coaching staff too for holding it together."

Middle linebacker Bret Shannon didn't have to think twice.

"Definitely A," Shannon said. "These kids are working hard. We had a lot of kids leave us last year but that hasn't stopped us. All these kids want to play, a lot of them are stepping up now. We're just real excited to get in the playoffs."

Defensive lineman Andrew Mariotti saw those A's and raised it a notch.

"A-plus," Mariotti said. "We've come together a lot with our team chemistry. It's just been a fun year. We put it all the field and we won."

I can't argue with anyone. Any season that ends with a conference championship is an A in my book. Even though it's been a struggle at times, even though many of the scores have been closer than we're used to, this team gets another A. Easy.

Linebacker Asa Bielenberg probably sums up my view the best. Even with so many key players graduated from last year's Class 7A state runners-up, and even though you know it's not going to be the same Geneva team without Michael Ratay and all those other outstanding seniors, it's a little hard to get used to seeing the Vikings struggle to put games away that they won so convincingly a year ago.

But all that matters? They keep on winning them.

"Compared to last year's team, we'd rarely punt, we'd stop teams on three plays, it's hard to be as good as we were last year," Bielenberg said. "But I think given the fact we are undersized compared to last year, we're doing well with what we have. I think I'd give us an A. We've been playing good football."

Looking ahead: For the first time in seven years, Batavia coach Mike Gaspari won't be finding out where his Bulldogs are going in the playoffs when the pairings come out tonight.

Batavia's six-year playoff run ended this fall. The Bulldogs' next game will come in Week 1 of the 2010 season at Marmion, the first of a two-year contract with the Cadets.

And Gaspari is going to have a different Saturday night than he's used to.

"It's going to be really strange," Gaspari said. "I'm not sure yet what I'll do. I'll be interested obviously in how the other schools in our league do. Six schools from our schedule are in. We are going to be rooting for every one of them. Make us look good."

jlemon@dailyherald.com