Geneva QB Ben Peterson Throws Up Before Leading Vikings Past Carmel

Geneva senior quarterback Ben Peterson threw up before Saturday night’s game against Carmel, but the physical reaction did not stop him from leading the Vikings to a 49-30 victory in the Class 6A first round of the IHSA playoffs.

Peterson, a 6-foot-4 commit to Eastern Michigan, passed for 256 yards and four touchdowns. The senior had never vomited before a football game until this season’s playoff debut. He entered the contest with 2,677 career passing yards and 34 touchdowns.

“This is one of the harder teams we could’ve played in the first round, so coming out and putting up the numbers we did is very big,” Peterson said. “I’m a little nervous before every game, but I did puke before this one. I’ve never puked before.”

Senior receiver Bennett Konkey, a commit to the University of Illinois, provided a steady target for Peterson. Konkey caught five passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns. His first score came on a 63-yard reception on Peterson’s second pass of the game. Konkey, who was recently offered a scholarship by Ohio State, credited the duo’s long history together for their on-field success.

“It’s something special,” Konkey said. “We’ve been playing football for a long time and we’re just showing it out here on the field now. When we’re at our peak, there are no mistakes and we’re executing every play.”

The Geneva offense also relied on senior running back Nelson Wendell, who rushed for 83 yards and two scores. Wendell punched in a 2-yard touchdown in the first quarter and a 5-yard score in the second. The balanced attack helped the Vikings build a 35-10 lead at halftime.

“It was just the big boys up front,” Wendell said. “They’re making wide open holes. My job’s easy and their job’s hard. I’ve never played on an offense like this before. It’s really fun.”

Carmel, the 4-7 Corsairs, opened the scoring with a 45-yard field goal by Milun Katdare with 4.7 seconds left in the first quarter. The Corsairs trailed 21-3 before answering on a 15-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Reed Dangel to Kyron Hart. Dangel finished with 277 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Geneva extended its lead in the second quarter when Peterson connected with senior Lincoln Mercado for a 20-yard touchdown. Cornerback Tate Beran then intercepted Dangel with under 41 seconds left in the first half, returning the ball 30 yards for a pick-six. Peterson added a 39-yard touchdown pass to Konkey in the third quarter and a 23-yard score to Mercado in the fourth.

Carmel coach Jason McKie noted that his team made self-inflicted errors, including traps and dropped footballs. He praised the seniors for their resilience despite a season with many changes. Geneva will face DuKane Conference rival Wheaton North in the second round next weekend.