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Sports

FINAL: Morgan Park Defeats Geneva 30-17

Gately Stadium proves to be unfriendly confines as the Vikings fall to 0-2 on the season.

A frenzied sequence of plays in the final two minutes of the first half helped Morgan Park to a 30-17 win over the Vikings at Gately Stadium in Chicago.

Morgan Park scored first on a 28-yard touchdown pass from DaeShaun Hurley to Devonte Jackson, and Devone Williams ran in the 2-point conversion to put Morgan Park up 8-0.

It stayed that way until 2:18 left in the half, when all heck broke loose.

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Matt Williams thew a short out pass to Connor Quinn on the right side. Quinn cut it back, juked a Morgan Park defender, picked up some blocks and outran the rest of the Mustang defense for a 60-yard touchdown.

The Vikings actually had the Mustangs pinned back on the 9-yard line with the clock ticking. But seconds later, Hurley hit Dareil Lee-Crowder on an 86-yard touchdown pass after a Viking defender fell down. Morgan Park ran in the 2-pointer and led 16-7.

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That was a game changer. If Geneva makes a stop there, it might have been a "totally different ballgame," said Connor Quinn, who played well on offense and defense Saturday.

"It was a game of momentum," he said. "We had it. They scored. That's when they got it. That's when they ran with it."

The Mustangs squibbed the kickoff and it worked like an onside kick. Morgan Park recovered and scored on Hurley's 34-yard run with 1:16 remaining. After the 2-point conversion, the Mustangs led 24-7 at the half.

The Vikings added a 36-yard field goal by Ben Moore in the third quarter, but Hurley scored again on an 11-yard run with 10:33 showing in the fourth quarter for a 30-10 lead.

These Vikings just do not quit, though. A 32-yard pass to Quinn set up a 9-yard touchdown pass to Doug Berthold, cutting the deficit to 30-17 with 5:41 remaining. Morgan Park held onto the ball in the final minutes to seal the win.

Geneva moves to 0-2 on the season. Coach Rob Winsincki said after the game this the first time since 2003 that the Vikings went through the non-conference part of the schedule without a win.

"We're still trying to get our wheels underneath us," Wicinski said. "We're not explosive right now offensively and we're not getting it done defensively. 

"We've just got to make some plays and keep working, that's all. Nobody said it would be easy."

It's not like Geneva has had it easy. The Vikings lost last week at Rock Island 42-28 to another playoff-caliber team.

Geneva returns to Burgess field next week for their first home game of the season and first-ever Upstate Eight game. The opponent is St. Charles East.

"We've had two long roads," Quinn said. " It will be good to get home with the home fans, get some community behind our team."

Stats:

Dylan Nobregas—4 carries, 11 yards

Matt Williams—4 carries, -8 yards

Joe Cella—4 carries, 13 yards

Connor Quinn—12 carries, 92 yards

Williams completed 13 of 25 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns.

Total rushing yards: 112

Total offense: 306 yards

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