Morgan Park races by Geneva
The entire game changed on a three-play sequence late in the first half.
Geneva traveled to the South Side to play traditional Public League power Morgan Park, which was coming off a dramatic victory over highly regarded Providence last week.
The Vikings, meanwhile, were trying to avert an 0-2 start after falling at Rock Island in Week 1.
The Mustangs, nursing an 8-7 lead late in the second quarter, were backed up deep in their own end after a chop-block penalty, facing third and 23.
But quarterback Raymond Hammond threw a bomb to a streaking Darrell Lee-Crowder, who caught the pass in stride for an 86-yard touchdown reception.
Morgan Park recovered the ensuing onside kick, and Hammond did the rest, needing a mere play to scamper for 34 of his 118 rushing yards.
The Mustangs' high-octane offense, bolstered by three 2-point conversions, had delivered a knockout blow in 16 seconds.
The Vikings never recovered at Gately Stadium, falling 30-17 in nonconference action.
"(Lee-Crowder) was my last option," said Hammond, who wreaked havoc on the Vikings' inexperienced defense with 261 combined rushing and passing yards. "I didn't play too well the game (against Geneva) last time. I had a chip on my shoulder."
Geneva (0-2) showed promise at times on both offense and defense, but fundamental breakdowns - dropped passes, missed reads and costly penalties - could not be overcome against Morgan Park.
"We're still trying to figure ourselves out," Geneva coach Rob Wicinski. "We're not real explosive right now offensively."
Connor Quinn was the Vikings' saving grace on the offensive side of the ball.
The bruising tailback had 175 all-purpose yards; the senior took a short pass from Matt Williams and broke against the grain for 40 yards to bring Geneva within 8-7 midway through the second quarter.
But the Hammond-generated electricity completed altered the complexion.
"That was a dagger," Quinn said of the Mustangs' two scores with 1:31 and 1:15, respectively, remaining to play before the break. "It's a game of momentum. It hurts to lose."
Geneva still had chances to make inroads in the second half, only to see its first third-quarter possession end on a loss of downs.
The Vikings then had to settle for a Ben Moore 36-yard field goal to reduce their deficit to 24-10 entering the final quarter.
Once again, Hammond had the equalizier, finding Devonte Jackson - with whom he had opened the scoring with a fourth-down conversion in the second quarter - for a back-breaking 23-yard pickup on third and long.
The Mustangs' potent running duo of Devone Williams and Brandon Peppers did the rest; the pair combined for 203 yards rushing, and Hammond closed the Mustangs' outburst with an 11-yard scamper in the fourth.
Williams, who was 13-for-25 for 192 yards for Geneva, found Doug Berthold for a 9-yard touchdown to account for the final score.