Geneva Wins First Title Since 2008

May 30, 2018 - Geneva defeated Wayne 13-2 to win the Section Five Class C Championship.  This is the first win for the Panthers since 2008.  Geneva was led in scoring by junior midfielder Sam Miller with 3g-2a.  Miller was named Most Valuable Player for the Class C All Tournament Team.

The Panthers led in scoring 4-2 after the first quarter and just pulled way after that.  They added another 4 in the second quarter, 1 in third and 4 in the fourth.  The Screaming Eagles scored the first goal of the game with Zach Boyatzies feeding Spencer Quinn at the top of the restraining line.  Geneva responded with three unanswered goals.  Jonah Latimer, Miller and Blake Knifley scored for the Panthers.  Knifley joined Miller and was named to the All Tournament team.  He scored the goal off a feed from Noah Eightmey after he drove to the cage and pulled the defense out of position.  Wayne’s final goal was scored with 1:01 remaining on the clock. Ryan Cahill scored on a single drive from the top side.  Geneva added one more goal as time expired.  Dugan Doeblin scored the first of his 3g-1a with 0:01 remaining on the clock.  Doeblin was also named to the All Tournament Team.  Geneva led 4-2 after 12 minutes.

The Panthers slowly added to their count while holding Wayne scoreless for the final 37 minutes.  Of note came a scoring run in the fourth quarter where Knifley scored back to back goals only 0:13 apart.  Both goals were scored on face-off fast-breaks.  The first was unassisted and the second was assisted by Doeblin.  The majority of the face-offs were taken by Nick Askin, who was also named to the All Tournament team.  In the cage for Geneva, Jacob Drennan finished with 13 saves and was demonstrative during the game.  He was named to the All Tournament Team at the conclusion of the game.  The last player for the Panthers named to the Team was defenseman Jagger Kerr.  Kerr, a sophomore, had a standout performance on defense.  He recorded an assist and five takes during the game.

For Wayne, three players were named to the All Tournament Team.  Boyatzies at the attack, John Reagan at the midfield and Jonathan Graziose in the defense.  In the cage for the Screaming Eagles, Jack Acker recorded 10 saves.  From the Semi Finals, there were two representatives.  Newark Parker Casselman and HFL defenseman Henry Millard.  Geneva moves on to the State Tournament where they will face Section Six Champions.  West Seneca East faces Eden tomorrow May 30th at 7:30