By Keith Brake
Geneseo Current
We lived to see it – Geneseo threw the football for a touchdown - on its first play from scrimmage(!)..in the Leafs' 55-7 cruise past Dolton Thornridge last Friday, Oct. 11 at Bob Reade Field.
“Sometimes you have to mix it up!” laughed Coach Matt Furlong.
Sometimes, such as when the opposing team stacks almost its entire defense near the line of scrimmage.
This week, the Quincy juggernaut rolls into Geneseo. Second-rated in Class 7A last week with a 7-0 record, the Blue Devils have a complete assortment of bells, whistles and what have you.
Guess what? Furlong's emphasis is on Geneseo, on continuing to develop the mind and skill sets he is expecting to be under the Leafs' helmets from now on.
“Friday we executed like we need to, on both sides of the ball,” Furlong said. “Things went like we thought they would if we executed.”
Not perfect, “but the cleanest we've had,” the coach said.
Geneseo was whistled for six penalties in the first six minutes of the game. “That is uncharacteristic for us,” said Furlong. At least one was for disputing a call. “We don't want that,” the coach said, “But I don't mind some (penalties) if we're showing fight and aggression.”
Geneseo's first-play score was on a 28-yard pass by Jackson McAvoy to tight end Carter Holke off play action.
The second came on an 85-yard pick six by Kye Wienzierl.
After that, it was a parade. Weinzierl scored on a pass play. Fullback Kolten-Schmoll Burton got a couple touchdowns as the Leafs ran their counter isolation plays to perfection.
Malachi Jackson ran for a touchdown as the Leafs led 49-7 at halftime.
The Leafs gave up a kickoff return touchdown, but otherwise “our pursuit angles and tackling were better,” Furlong said.
“What we're seeing now,” said Geneseo's coach, “is some carry-over from one game to the next. Our consistency is real encouraging. I'm happy with our work ethic and progress. That's what it's all about.”
“Five wins get you in (to the playoffs),” Furlong said. Right now, Geneseo has four, with two games to play. One of them is Quincy.
“Quincy is extremely talented. They score a lot of points. Defensively they're solid as well,” Furlong said.
“I think we'll present some styles other than what they've seen,” said Geneseo's coach.
“Their big scores this season won't change anything we've been doing. We're looking for win number five. If we're going to compete against teams like that, we've got to figure out ways to do it.”
Quincy needed just 13 offensive plays plays to score four touchdowns in the first seven and one-half minutes in a 63-6 win last week.
Rick Little, the Blue Devils' coach and the quarterback's father, told the Quincy Herald-Whig, “this is a special group and what's happening here is magnificent.”
The quarterback is Bradyn Little. Geneseo has faced him before and yes, he's good.
So is running back Jeraius Rice, Jr.
“We're good everywhere, but I think we're super special up front,” Rick Little said, indicating the defensive line might be the best part of Quincy's team.
“We have a bunch of guys who can make plays,” Rick Little said. “We are very fortunate to have this combination of our offensive line, quarterback, running backs and receivers all come along at the same time.”
And, the defense.
Let's hope some of what Quincy has will rub off on or be mentally absorbed and processed by this young and eager Geneseo team.
Geneseo fans know good football when they see it and when it comes from the Leafs, be sure and let them hear it!