Geneva stays undefeated with shellacking of Lake Park

ROSELLE – An efficient Geneva offense executed nine plays to score five touchdowns against Lake Park in the first quarter of the Sept. 20 DuKane Conference game at Lake Park’s West Campus.

The defense contributed a sixth touchdown on a fumble return to give the Vikings a commanding 42-0 advantage over the Lancers after the first 12 minutes.

Highlight reel worthy plays in the third quarter kept the lopsided contest entertaining in Geneva’s 63-13 win.

The dynamic duo of quarterback Anthony Chahino and receiver Talyn Taylor sparked the first-quarter scoring barrage by teaming up for three of the touchdowns.

“We have a very explosive offense. No. 1 (Taylor) and 12 (Chahino) are very, very good players,” Geneva coach Boone Thorgesen said. “Anytime we get those guys going early like tonight, it’s a good thing. They are a very hard matchup.”

After a quiet second quarter with only one Vikings TD, the third quarter featured three touchdowns in a row, two by Geneva (4-0, 2-0) and one by Lake Park (2-2, 0-2).

“We have great kids. They played physical and really hard. We weren’t the better team tonight. We were banged up on defense and that really hurt us,” Lake Park coach Chris Kirkpatrick said.

The Vikings wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Chahino connected with Taylor for a 57-yard scoring pass on Geneva’s first play from scrimmage.

Starting from the Lancers’ 6-yard line on its next possession, Geneva needed only one play again – a Michael Rumoro scamper – to cross the goal line for the second time.

The Vikings’ third and fourth TD drives of the quarter needed only two plays. Taylor’s 26-yard TD catch from Chahino ended the third possession. Finnegan Weppner finished the Vikings’ fourth TD drive of the opening period by hauling in a 58-yard touchdown pass.

Linebacker Troy Velez grabbed a ball knocked loose by the Vikings’ defensive line on Geneva’s 45-yard line and returned it all the way to the end zone to put the Vikings up 35-0 with 4:48 left to play in the quarter.

“I was being patient, letting my boys do their job,” Velez said. “I saw the ball on the ground, scooped it up and took it home.”

The Vikings’ last scoring drive of the first quarter needed only three plays. It ended with Taylor’s third touchdown, a 31-yard reception.

“Everything was working,” Taylor, a Georgia commit, said about the first quarter. “The O-line, the QB and the defense all had a great week of practice and it showed tonight.”

After completing his fifth scoring touchdown on a 43-yard pass to Bennett Konkey with 4:40 left in the half, Chahino turned over quarterbacking duties to junior Brock Phillip.

During Lake Park’s opening third-quarter drive, the Vikings’ Owen Homewood snared a George Tzamouranis pass at Geneva’s 42-yard line for a pick-6.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Lancers’ Kendan Ratini caught the ball at the 30-yard line and returned it for Lake Park’s first touchdown of the night.

“Ratini continues to rush the ball well. He’s a rising star to keep an eye on,” Kirkpatrick said.

On the first play of Geneva’s next drive, Dominic Dileonardi scrambled 80 yards for the Vikings’ final score of the game.

Lake Park scored its second TD on a 2-yard Tzamouranis run in the fourth quarter.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20240920/prep-football/geneva-rolls-to-an-easy-victory-against-lake-park/