Grady punches Vikings' ticket to Champaign

The Geneva Vikings celebrate at home after defeating Crystal Lake South for a chance to go to state.
(Heather Eidson/Beacon News)

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Sean Grady did a little of everything and because of it Geneva punched a ticket to a football championship for the first time in 33 years.

Grady had 14 tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery, threw a pass for a two-point conversion, kicked a field goal and ran for one yard as the Vikings edged Crystal Lake South 25-21 in a Class 7A semifinal Friday night in Geneva.

Geneva (13-0) took the second half kickoff and drove 59 yards for a touchdown that tied the game at 9 on a 30-yard Michael Ratay run, where he looked like a pinball, bouncing off three defenders. The snap on the extra point attempt was high. Grady picked the ball up and passed it to All-Area defensive lineman Cory Hofstetter for a two-point conversion.

‘‘It’s been four years and this is our ultimate goal,’’ Grady said. ‘‘I can’t put the feeling into words. It’s unbelievable. We always believe it’s a four-quarter game. On that conversion, I said a little prayer and threw it up.’’

‘‘I can’t put this into words,’’ Hofstetter said. ‘‘That was a really tough team and their tight end can really block. On the conversion, we have a fire play and I just went to my spot.’’

The Gators (10-3) came back and after a 50-yard pass play, Derek Mortensen ran 10 yards for a touchdown.

After Ratay scored on a one-yard run, Crystal Lake came right back and scored on a 12-yard pass from Drew Ormseth to Vince Benedetto to go up 21-18.

But Ratay (29 carries, 158 yards), who had his 19th consecutive 100-yard rushing game, burst loose from 52 yards out and scored for Geneva.

‘‘I’ve been thinking about going to Champaign since seventh grade,’’ Ratay said. ‘‘For me, it’s about winning not about records.’’

It is also about Dustin Villarreal, a classmate who tragically died on May 5, 2006. ‘‘State is for you, Dustin,’’ Ratay said.

A fumble recovery by Grady and an interception by Trevor Hyslop preserved the victory.

‘‘I just kept telling myself, don’t lose the ball and we won’t lose the game,’’ Hyslop said. ‘‘I held it a long time, I got mobbed and couldn’t get it to a ref.’’

The Gators took the opening kick and moved inside the Vikings’ 15 before Jose Ponce booted a 28-yard field goal. The big play was a 38-yard run by Cory Galloway on a fourth-and-nine.

Geneva answered with a 34-yard field goal by Grady late in the first quarter.

A punt that pinned the Gators on their 5 seemed to give Geneva some momentum, but aided by a fourth-down conversion on an offside penalty, they moved the ball 95 yards on a drive that took more than seven minutes. Mortensen scored on a four-yard run on fourth-and-three to put Crystal Lake South ahead 9-3.

Max Bush had an interception for the Gators. But Grady returned the favor. A drive in the last minutes got Geneva inside the Gators’ 20, but Steve Rogers picked off a pass.

The Vikings only state title game appearance was in 1975, the second year of the state playoffs, when they lost to Metamora 25-7 in Class 3A back when there were five classes.