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Geneva seniors shine

The Geneva seniors had impeccable timing in closing out their home careers on Friday night against South Elgin.

Coming out the gates against the Storm with 16 straight points, the Vikings’ wrestlers dominated the schools’ forfeit-marred Upstate Eight Conference crossover to the tune of a 54-19 rout.

Geneva received 18 points via three South Elgin forfeits — at 106, 113 and 182 pounds — while the Vikings were unable to submit a contender at 220 pounds.

But even with the plus-12 points received via the forfeits, Geneva (16-7) had few issues behind its five victorious seniors.

“That was nice,” Geneva 195-pound senior Jake Boser said after needing only half the first period to record a fall. “I think it was my first pin of the year at home. I pinned (my Storm opponent) last year. It actually took me longer (than tonight).”

Tony Castelvecchi was another Geneva senior who maximized his final home dual match.

The 170-pound senior whitewashed his foe, scoring all 14 points in the process.

“It was a good feeling (to win my final home dual match),” Castelvecchi said. “Overall, it wasn’t too bad of a (team) performance. Last year we forfeited five weight classes to them and still won rather handily. We did not talk about (being overconfident as the result of the three South Elgin forfeits).”

The draw came at 106 pounds, and the Vikings’ lead was never less than double figures after Steven MacDonald and Julian Dessens were credited with forfeits at the two lightest weights.

Brad Martens, the Vikings’ lone returning state qualifier, put his signature on what would become a dominant theme: one-sided wins.

The Geneva 120-pounder, who improved his state-ranked record to 19-2 on year, narrowly missed a fall on several occasions in posting a 15-1 triumph.

Cory Pych then provided South Elgin with a much-needed boost of momentum as the Storm reigning state qualifier was also a winner by majority decision at 126 pounds.

“I would say I’m doing well,” Pych said of his season thus far. “I work my stuff, just doing my thing. (Dual meets are) like stepping stones until I get to state.”

Thomas O’Bryan and Grant Salidar exchanged pins, for Geneva and South Elgin, respectively at 138 and 145 pounds to maintain the Vikings’ 16-point team lead.

Any hope South Elgin (5-9) nurtured of a comeback was fatally undermined, though, by senior Mike Villanueva and Castelvecchi.

The duo combined for 10 points with their second-period fall and major decision.

The status of the match only deteriorated for South Elgin when Cody Murphy was awarded 6 more points for Geneva with the last of the Storm forfeits.

Boser than made it anti-climatic with his fall in one minute.

After Vriel Gonzalez received a forfeit at 220 pounds for the Storm, the Vikings’ Jake Anderson concluded the 10-match dual with a fall at heavyweight.

In the most competitive match of the night, South Elgin 160-pounder William Aleman denied the Vikings’ Alex Kunkel in triple overtime.

It was the only simple decision of the night.

“I’m disappointed with our intensity level,” South Elgin coach Mark Cameron said. “That’s kind of how we wrestled tonight — like we didn’t want to be here.”

  Geneva’s Thomas O’Brien wrestles South Elgin’s Lucas Davis at 138 pounds during wrestling at Geneva Friday January 4, 2013. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Geneva’s Keenan Freeman wrestles South Elgin’s Cory Pych at 126 pounds during wrestling at Geneva Friday January 4, 2013. Pych won the match. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Geneva’s Brad Martens defeated South Elgin’s Mike Perez at 120 pounds Friday in Geneva. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
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