Vikings celebrate a conference title
Move over Rocky. You too, 1980 U.S. hockey team and Jim Valvano's 1983 N.C. State Wolfpack.
You've got company among the great sports upsets.
Meet the 2008 Geneva boys track and field team.
A stretch to put the Vikings with that company? Just watch their reaction to the meet-closing, come-from-behind win in the 1,600 relay and you'll see a celebration that rivals any of the ones above.
Anchor Jeff Foster found himself in a swarm of nearly every member of the Geneva team after he crossed the finish line, having overtaken Batavia on the final leg of the relay to seal the Vikings' first conference championship in at least 20 years.
"We all ran really hard," said Foster, after the last of his teammates had been peeled off him. "We wanted to come out and beat anyone. It's definitely nice to beat (Batavia), though."
Geneva won with 155.5 points to Batavia's 132.5. Kaneland took third at 86 followed by Sycamore (82) and Glenbard South (55).
The Vikings entered the meet 26-point underdogs based on the seeds, according to Geneva coach Gale Gross.
"Batavia was a very formidable challenge," said Gross, who thought Geneva's last conference title might have come in the mid or late 1980s. "I told the kids we are the underdogs and I like it because we come in and the pressure is off. It was incredible. Every single kid came with all his heart."
Gross could point to individual heroes up and down the Vikings lineup, from Joe Augustine to Andrew Nelson to Frank Boenzi to Storm Obuchowski and many others.
But what he liked even more was how the individuals came together as a team.
"I try to push them very hard in the team aspect and they showed it tonight," Gross said.
Batavia coach Dennis Piron was just as impressed with the Bulldogs' fight. Piron thought the meet swung on the brilliance of Nelson, who won the 800 and 1,600 and handed off to Foster to close out Geneva's win in the 1,600 relay.
"It was back and forth, it was an awful lot of fun," Piron said. "There were a couple turning points. I think the key was Nelson doubling back in the mile."
Another turning point came in the 200. Geneva's Augustine won by the slimmest of margins, 22.55 to Batavia's Bai Kabba's 22.56, with Geneva's John Wilger third at 22.65.
Augustine also nipped Kabba in the 400, 49.56 to 49.85. Kabba finished second in three events and anchored Batavia's winning 400 relay to score 34 points for the Bulldogs.
"I loved the way our kids competed," Piron said. "The kids just battled."
Obuchowski took second to Nelson in the 1,600, while Batavia's Brad Wloszczynski finished behind Nelson in the 800.
"Conditions were great," Nelson said. "I came out ready to run today and it turned out well."
Geneva won both the 3,200 and 1,600 relays, while Batavia took both of the shorter relays. Sophomore John Yelle ran the third leg on Geneva's winning 3,200, joined by Chris Higgins, Drew Hickey and Obuchowski. Higgins, Foster, Nelson and Jay Graffagna ran on the winning 1,600.
"The first lap I tried to relax and the second lap I tried to give whatever I had left," Yelle said.
Geneva got a big lift from the field events with titles from Boenzi in the shot put and Augustine in the high jump. The two finished second in the discus and triple jump, respectively.
Batavia countered with a win from Javaris Covington in the high jump. The senior set his career high with a 6-5 jump, giving Batavia a boost at the start of the meet. He finished third in conference at 6-2 a year ago.
"I was looking forward to winning this year," Covington said. "It was cloudy at first, but when the sun broke it is going to be all marvelous. And the sun broke out, it was like, 'Yes, It's going to be a perfect day.' "
Kaneland had a pair of winners: Logan Markuson going 13-3 to take the pole vault and Phil Christensen's 173-6 to win the discus.
A week ago Christensen broke the Kane County meet record at 184-11.
"I am pretty happy to have an off day and still throwing 173," said Christensen, who also placed third in the shot.