June 25, 2025
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Boys Soccer: Shun Yonehara, Geneva shut out Batavia to continue hot streak

Yonehara scores one goal, assists a second in 4-0 Vikings' win

By Joshua Welge

The Vikings are sure happy to have him aboard. Yonehara, playing varsity soccer for the first time, is proving an integral part of what's becoming quite a season in Geneva. He scored an early goal on a penalty kick Thursday, and later assisted a score with a corner kick in the Vikings' tidy 4-0 win over Batavia in the DuKane Conference. (Sandy Bressner)

The Vikings are sure happy to have him aboard. Yonehara, playing varsity soccer for the first time, is proving an integral part of what's becoming quite a season in Geneva. He scored an early goal on a penalty kick Thursday, and later assisted a score with a corner kick in the Vikings' tidy 4-0 win over Batavia in the DuKane Conference. (Sandy Bressner)

The Vikings (9-3-2, 3-0) led 3-0 at halftime to continue a nice stretch of games. "We've won five of our last six and had a tie against a good West Aurora team," Geneva coach Jason Bhatta said. "We're kind of figuring out how we want to play. The guys are getting used to things tactics-wise and figuring things out as a team." Yonehara has figured out how to fit in. He didn't make the varsity team as a sophomore, and went back to his Eclipse club team last fall. (Sandy Bressner)

But Yonehara told Bhatta he was thinking of coming back out at the end of the school year. His penalty kick Thursday, after Matthew Fuller was taken down with 30:05 left in the first half, was Yonehara's third goal of the season. Dominick Peri's goal made it 2-0, and with 6:46 left in the first half Yonehara set up a Christian Diaz score on a corner kick. (Sandy Bressner)

"The past few games I've been hitting the corner kicks short to Christian; I think it's because of my consistency and whippage," Yonehara said. "I'd been thinking of playing high school soccer ever since I started, and thought I'd give it a try. The atmosphere is different from club. The open-mindedness of the team help me fit in." Bhatta, who had Yonehara in class last year, said he's fit in seamlessly with the returning Vikings' group. (Sandy Bressner)

"He came out during the summer and I saw his real quality," Bhatta said. "He just does a great job in that holding midfielder position – breaking everything up, getting tackles, he has good service and distribution. He does a lot for us. It's nice to have him senior year slot into a place that he can make a big impact." He's blended in on a team of personalities, too. "The guys love having him on the team," Bhatta said. "He's a quiet guy but we have a lot of big personalities so they brought everyone in." (Sandy Bressner)

Batavia (1-9, 0-3), meanwhile, saw a tough season continue. The Bulldogs were much more competitive in the field during the second half. Both Batavia goalkeepers who played, Logan Saenz and Brody Seitzinger, made diving stops. "We had a couple chances on frame, a little bit better in the second half," Batavia coach Mark Gianfrancesco said. "They're working hard." (Sandy Bressner)

One of those guys, Isaac Hager, had a direct kick in the second half go wide. Hager said the Bulldogs are keeping their heads up. "It's easy to get demoralized after tough losses, but it's a good group of guys and we lift each other up," Hager said. "We rallied at halftime and got it done a little better in the second half." Geneva's Dominik Barwiolek, after two near-misses in the first half, added his first goal of the season with 10:18 left in the game. (Sandy Bressner)

Meanwhile Osten Lockner and the Vikings' defense has allowed just one goal over the last six games. "Defensively we've been really solid and that starts with our center backs and works up to our forwards that work hard in the middle of the field," Bhatta said. "It's unique to see. Everybody's bought in to what we're doing defensively." (Sandy Bressner)

Geneva's Jack Cannon (6) handles the ball during a home game against Batavia Sept. 26. (Sandy Bressner)

Geneva's Christian Diaz heads the ball during a home game against Batavia Sept. 26. (Sandy Bressner)

Geneva's Mark Migliazzo (16) and Batavia's Dylan Knapp (15) head the ball during a game at Geneva on Sept. 26. (Sandy Bressner)

Geneva's Rodrigo Maldonado (4) and Batavia's Isaac Hager go after the ball during a game at Geneva on Sept. 26. (Sandy Bressner)