East St. Louis shrugs off Geneva's challenge to win Class 6A

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ORMAL, Ill. — East St. Louis is the best high school football team in Illinois. The Flyers beat some of the top teams in the country, only losing to powerhouse prep school IMG Academy from Florida.

Geneva, in the state finals for the first time since 2008, gave East St. Louis (13-1) a stout challenge before losing 48-28 in the Class 6A state championship on Saturday at ISU’s Hancock Stadium.

It was the most points allowed by the Flyers all season.

Quarterback Anthony Chahino led the Vikings’ upset bid. He was 20-for-39 for 323 yards and three touchdowns.

“We start the week off by watching film and I take that very seriously,” Chahino said. “I saw a couple [weak] spots and I took advantage of it.”

Georgia recruit Talyn Taylor had eight catches for 116 yards and a touchdown for Geneva (12-2). Finnegan Weppner caught six passes for 111 yards and a TD.

“I built up a friendship with the whole receiver corps since middle school,” Chahino said. “This season meant a lot to us. It was our last shot to get where we wanted to be and we grinded our tails off.”

Weppner’s 28-yard touchdown catch with 7:01 left in the third quarter cut East St. Louis’ lead to 34-28. The Flyers responded with two TDs in the next five minutes.

“These guys left their mark on Geneva football,” Vikings coach Boone Thorgeson said. “They made it to the mountaintop. The whole town, school, everybody is so proud of them.”

Larevious Woods had 10 carries for 113 yards and three touchdowns for the Flyers. Ronnie GoMiller caught five passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns.

East St. Louis quarterback Kendrick Lyons, who played for winless Granite City last season, was 14-for-21 for 225 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

“They are a fantastic team,” Thorgeson said. “They have weapons all over the field. Their defensive line is big and fast. That was the biggest thing. I’m proud of our kids and the fight. It was a six-point game in the third quarter.”

It’s the 11th state title for East St. Louis.

“I don’t like to compare teams,” Flyers coach Darren Sunkett said. “We’ve had teams with more four- and five-star recruits, more stars.

“But this group learned and listened and stuck together and played as a team. Sometimes that means a lot more than having stars.”