Geneva's offense explodes again to keep playoff streak alive
If the Oak Forest coaching staff watched game film of Geneva's record-setting 69 points against Larkin last week, it qualified as a frightening film fest befitting of Halloween.
But to have it happen in real life turns it into a genuine nightmare, and that's what the Vikings poured on visiting Oak Forest by hitting that 69 number for the second week in a row in a 69-28 rout in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs Saturday afternoon.
The victory set up a second-round showdown with undefeated Lemont (10-0).
The Vikings busted open a close game in the second quarter and demonstrated a balanced offense that compiled 507 total yards, with 363 of those coming on the ground behind an offensive line that was getting most of the postgame accolades.
"It's the offensive line, the offensive, the offensive line, that's all I have to say," said Geneva quarterback Matt Williams, who threw three touchdown passes and ran 29 yards for a score. "I just can't give them enough credit, everyone was making their reads and knowing their assignments."
That kind of precision was coming from linemen Kevin Dwyer, Jake Bastin, James Buban, Brett Willman, Jake Mills and tight end Connor Einck. And it allowed tailback Connor Quinn to have a monstrous first half with scoring runs of 4, 1 and 21 yards, while gaining 119 yards in 19 carries.
Quinn didn't play in the second half, but it wasn't entirely clear if he was nursing an injury.
"I feel fine, just staying fresh for next week," Quinn said. "It definitely all goes to our offensive line, they make a good push every time, and when it is like that, it is just a lot of fun."
Geneva's offense was so dominant, the Vikings scored touchdowns on 10 of their 11 possessions in the game, with the 11th being a nonfactor as backup quarterback Ben Rogers was taking a knee to let the final seconds tick off.
"A playoff run is extremely special," Geneva coach Rob Wicinski said after his team improved to 8-2 and continued the tradition of the Vikings never losing a first-round playoff game. "The kids need to appreciate it and have fun, take care of business and do what they do.
"And who knows where the chips may fall," Wicinski added. "You can't rush it because you can lose fast, but you can't win fast."
That theory may have held true through the first quarter when Oak Forest quarterback Tim Longawa (18 carries, 116 yards) scored on a 12-yard run, and tailback Tevin Coleman (11 carries, 97 yards) pulled in a 58-yard scoring pass over the middle to answer Quinn's first two scores.
But when the Geneva defense turned in a couple of stops, the Vikings kept answering by rattling off 27-second quarter points.
Quinn took off on a 21-yard touchdown run, and Williams scored on his 29-yard keeper just a few minutes before throwing a 50-yard strike to Rogers for another score. The rout was in full throttle when the Vikings scored as time expired, this time on Rogers pulling out of his holder position on a field-goal attempt and throwing a 13-yard scoring strike to Vincent Kraig for a 41-14 halftime lead.
Even though Oak Forest (6-4) scored a touchdown to open the third quarter when Longawa found Kyle Hullinger with a 6-yard pass, Geneva reserves kept the pressure on as Dylan Nobregas ran 5 yards for a score, Einck pulled down a 9-yard touchdown pass from Williams, and Parker Woodworth ran for fourth-quarter touchdowns of 31 and 13 yards.
Wicinski wasn't able to pinpoint exactly how his team could establish a school record by scoring 69 points each of the last two weekends.
"It depends on the team we're playing," Wicinski said. "A lot of times we'll run to set up the pass, other times we'll pass to set up the run, and we've had success both ways.
"It goes back to the line, and them being able to give us time and to move people when we do want to run."