ELGIN – The Geneva football team ended the regular season on a high note.
The Vikings spoiled Larkin’s senior night with a 50-6 rout.
The victory secures Geneva a second-place finish in the Upstate Eight Conference River Division with a 4-2 mark.
Batavia’s 49-6 victory Friday over Streamwood prevented the Vikings from ending in a tie with the Bulldogs for first place.
“It’s the difference between night and day,” said Geneva coach Rob Wicinski about the change in his team’s play when compared to last Saturday’s 36-21 loss to South Elgin. “You got to come to play and we didn’t come to play last week. We didn’t come with energy, intensity or focus last week.”
Wicinski said he is “extremely pleased” with his team’s 7-2 overall mark and an IHSA Class 7A playoff berth.
“It’s an extremely fine line between winning and losing,” Wicinski said. “We could easily be sitting at 2-7.”
Geneva dominated the game from the start.
After forcing a three and out on Larkin’s (3-6, 2-4 UEC River) opening drive, the Vikings needed only four plays to score their first touchdown.
Running back Parker Woodward scampered for three yards to cross the goal line at the 2:15 mark of the first quarter.
The Vikings scored on all but their last drive of the first half and were on Larkin’s 5-yard line when the second quarter ended.
They went to the locker room with a 43-0 lead.
In addition to the first tally, Woodward scored three more touchdowns in the first 24 minutes, all on runs. Junior Bobby Hess scored the team’s third touchdown at the end of the first quarter on a 6-yard run.
“He has run hard all year,” said Wicinski about Woodward. “He’s been a real pleasant surprise.”’
Geneva scored its sixth touchdown of the half on a 49-yard Williams pass to Ben Rogers with 3:43 left to go in half.
The Vikings relied more on their running game to rack up their big lead in the first half.
Quarterback Matt Williams attempted six passes and completed five of them for 109 yards.
Geneva gained 206 yards on the ground. Woodward ran for 62 yards on seven carriers and Williams gained 93 yards on five carriers.
Wicinski rested most of his starters during the second half.
Larkin finally got on the board early in the fourth quarter.
Damon Parnham replaced Kyle Newquist at quarterback and passed to Newquist who in turn pitched the ball to Justin Banks. The senior running back race 63 yards down the side line for the score.
The Vikings answered with their last touchdown of the night on the ensuing kick off. Bobby Hess returned it for the seventh score of the night.
GENEVA 50, LARKIN 6
GENEVA 22 21 0 7
LARKIN 0 0 0 6
HOW THEY SCORED First Quarter G – Woodward 6-yard run (Dunlop kick) 9:45 G- Woodward 3-yard run ((Dunlop kick) 5:58 G- Hess 6-yard run. (Williams pass to Einck) 1:57 Second Quarter G – Woodward 8-yard run (Dunlop kick) 11:38 G – Woodward 9-yard run (Dunlop kick) 7:40 G – Rogers 49-yard pass from Willaim (Dunlop kick) 3:43 Fourth Quarter L – Banks 63-ya 3:36rd run 3;43 G - Hess 80-yard kick off retrun (Dunlap kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING – LARKIN: Jackson 5-40, Mosley 1-2, Newquist 2-7, Smith 9-36, Bank 1-11 Perez 2-1 Totals: 18-77. GENEVA: Woodward 7-62, Willaiams 5-93, Hess 3-24, Kafer 3-74, Herrera 1-3, Total 19-261: PASSING – LARKIN: Newquist 15-28-0-119, Banks 2-3-0-46 GENEVA Williams 5-6-1-109, Cartrnell 1-1-6 RECEIVNG – LARKIN: Banks 13-97, Mosley 1-28, Newquist 2-46 Totals 16-171 : . GENEVA: Rogers 2-83, Hess 1-5, Hickey 1-3, Einck 2-22 Total 6-111 TOTAL OFFENSE – LARKIN 248 , GENEVA 376.
SOPHOMORE GAME – Geneva 27 Larkin 18