Geneva’s Fightback Falls Short Against Wheaton North

With senior quarterback Ben Peterson leading the charge, Geneva never feels outmatched. Despite trailing throughout Friday’s game, a comeback felt certain. This belief proved true when Geneva took the lead late. Peterson said, “My coach put the ball in my hands to make plays happen in the second half and play the way we know we can play. It just means the world to me that my coaches and everyone around me has faith in me.”

Peterson finally gave Geneva the lead with 1:23 remaining in the fourth quarter. However, Wheaton North launched a counterattack, clinching a 36-35 victory in a Class 6A second-round matchup. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Peterson completed 15 of 23 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown to guide Geneva (9-2). The Eastern Michigan recruit also added three rushing touch downs, all from 2 yards. Fellow player Bennett Konkey, on his way to Illinois, caught eight passes for 125 yards and a touchdown.

Nelson Wendell contributed with 119 rushing yards and a touch down. But it all started with Peterson. Geneva coach Boone Thorgesen praised him, saying, “Ben is one of the best quarterbacks in the state. He’s a tremendous player. We never lost faith. We knew we were going to come back because Ben was leading us.”

Wheaton North’s sophomore quarterback Grant Neibch was equally impressive, completing 24 of 39 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns. His decisive 17-yard touchdown pass to Johnny Clayton with 1.6 seconds left secured their win. Mac Murray added 97 rushing yards and a touch down.

In a previous matchup on October 9, Geneva had defeated Wheaton North 42-14. Despite this, Geneva fell behind 15-0 and only led in the last two minutes of the game. The Falcons increased their lead to 23-14 before halftime. Nevertheless, Thorgesen remained confident in his star quarterback.

During the game, a memorable moment featured Geneva’s Bennett Konkey and Lincoln Mercado celebrating a 2-point conversion against Wheaton North. A pivotal 2-yard touchdown run by Peterson at the start of the third quarter reduced the deficit to 23-21. Wheaton North answered, but Wendell retaliated with a 3-yard touchdown run. Konkey then executed a successful 2-point conversion, reducing the gap to 30-29.

Geneva had another promising drive, but a blocked field goal with 9:56 left thwarted them. Yet, their defense responded when Alex Abraham intercepted Neibch and returned it 34 yards to the Wheaton North 16. “It was a rush of emotions for sure,” noted Peterson. “Alex is a great player. Him having the year he had means the world to me. I’ve known him the longest of anyone on the team.”

Five plays later, Peterson delivered another 2-yard touchdown run, putting Geneva ahead 35-30 with 1:23 left. Nelson Wendell also made noteworthy contributions during the game. Konkey believed in Peterson’s drive, stating, “That brotherly love, that chemistry we have, it’s like nothing else.”

In a final push, Wheaton North moved 80 yards in 12 plays, sealing the victory and halting Geneva’s aspirations for a state championship. Reflecting on the game, Peterson stated, “I think that’s why all of us are so sad. Not just that we lost but because of the group of people and the connections we made—this coming to an end is a punch in the face and it really stinks.”

Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.