WW South runs past Geneva
The Wheaton Warrenville South Tigers downed the Geneva Vikings 45-3 behind a team total 218 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns Friday in Geneva.
WW South senior running back Jake Arthurs had a 79-yard kickoff return to go with 102 rushing yards. Senior running back Prince Lankah had 72 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Tigers coach Ron Muhitch said special teams improvements is what excited him the most coming out of the win.
"Our special teams are getting better in certain ways," Muhitch said. "It was fun to see some good returns on special teams, saw a lot of guys get some good return yardage. It makes the game fun for the fans as well."
The Vikings tried to hold the Tigers close going into halftime, but Geneva coach Rob Wicinski said a short field touchdown by WW South before the break set the stage for a sluggish second half.
"Giving up those seven points before the half really hurt us," Wicinski said. "In the second half, we just tried to get better at the little things we do. I don't know, I'll have to watch the tape."
Junior quarterback Parker Brown got the Tigers on the board on their first offensive snap, connecting with junior wide receiver Kaleb Clousing for a 58-yard touchdown just two minutes into the game. Jack Olson's 30-yard field goal to start the second quarter made it 10-0.
After a Geneva field goal by senior Jonah Hays, Arthurs put the Tigers on the goal line with a 36-yard run. Brown finished the drive with a quarterback sneak touchdown from one-yard out to make it 17-3.
With less than a minute left, a bad snap lead to a Geneva punt being blocked to set up WW South in the red zone. Brown found Arthurs for an 8-yard touchdown throw to make it 24-3 at halftime.
Arthurs set up another Tigers touchdown to start the second half with his 79-yard kickoff return. Wicinski said the Vikings had planned to try and keep Arthurs from getting chances for big plays like that.
"We didn't want to kick to him," Wicinski said. "It just goes back to winning on special teams."
Lankah finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown to make it 31-3. Lankah scored another rushing touchdown in the fourth, while junior running back Derek Almada's 33-yard touchdown made for the eventual 45-3 final.
At 3-0 to start the season, Coach Muhitch said he and his Tigers staff will spend another week preaching identity to his players. The Tigers head on the road next week to face St. Charles East.
"We got one more solid week ahead," Muhitch said. "Our whole goal this week was to find out who we're going to be this year in the conference and the season ahead. We still can get better."
For the Vikings, Wicinski said the prospect of improving over the season still excites him despite an 0-3 start. The Vikings will also have a road game next week, playing St. Charles North.
"In some respects, it's exciting," Wicinski said. "You can get better and that's what we tell them. Get excited about getting better and doing things you've never done before and reach places you haven't reached before."