St. Charles North eases past Geneva
Yards after the catch were the difference for the St. Charles North offense Friday night in Geneva.
"We noticed the (Geneva) defensive backs were playing deep in their Cover-2 defense," St. Charles North wide receiver Alec Kritta said. "We thought the crossing patterns would be there."
Kritta burned the Geneva defense with a 44-yard catch and touchdown run as part of a St. Charles North three-score opening burst in the North Stars' DuKane Conference game with the Vikings.
The North Stars used their early cushion in ruining the Vikings' homecoming with a 24-13 victory.
St. Charles North (3-1, 2-0) kept Geneva (0-4, 0-2) winless on the season by scoring on its opening three possession to take a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Caleb Dehut had a 46-yard reception - off another quick hitter between the Vikings' linebackers and deep safeties - on the first drive that culminated in a Luke Baresi 22-yard field.
The Kritta score capped a seven-play, 72-yard drive for the North Stars.
St. Charles North had to go only 43 yards on its next possession after a partially blocked punt gave the North Stars' plus-territory to start its third straight scoring drive.
Minnesota-bound St. Charles North two-way starter Ty Nubin had a 22-yard reception that was the key play in an eight-play march that ended with Gilbert Braglia hauling in a 3-yard touchdown reception.
Kyler Brown, who took over for his older brother Peyton after the latter was lost to a season-ending Week 1 knee injury, directed the North Stars' attack with a seamless transition.
"Kyler is a (heck) of a player," Nubin said. "He's been making a lot of big plays for us."
But Geneva would play more than admirably for the rest of the game.
The Vikings held St. Charles North scoreless after the break as Brendan Krohe was the offensive workhorse for Geneva.
Krohe had 9 carries on the Vikings' opening second-half possession, a time-consuming march of 77 yards.
Krohe polished off the 15-play drive with a 1-yard plunge.
"We are making progress," Krohe said. "We have high hopes. When we do turn it around, we're going to have something special."
The Vikings thrilled the overflow home crowd late in the second quarter when Aidan Morell, off an improvised scramble from quarterback Alex Williams, had a 47-yard scoring reception.
"I saw my quarterback running," Morrell said. "He kind of chucked it. I dove into the end zone and barely made it."
But Nubin soon restored the North Stars' 17-point lead with a 1-yard keeper out of the Wildcat to make it 24-7 seconds before the break.
"Every single (conference) game is going to be a four-quarter game," Nubin said.