Key to Leaf Success Starts Up Front
By Keith Brake
Geneseo Current
Wow, a 3-0 Leafs football team, Homecoming, Hall of Fame Night, and multi-times conference champion Moline in for the big game.
It doesn’t get any better than this around here . . .unless . . .unless Geneseo tops it all off with a win over the Maroons on Friday night at Bob Reade Field.
“I’m happy with where we’re at,” Leafs Coach Matt Furlong said after his team beat Rock Island 47-7 last Friday.
“We played closer to a full game than we did the first two weeks.”
Geneseo got away to a quick start against the Rocks, who have a weapon in quarterback Ellis Swartz. He led an offense that achieved balance between passing and running - 172 yards of one,170 yards of the other.
But Geneseo rushed for 420 yards, with the wealth spread between five backs.
“We felt that if we could get an early lead, we could really control the game” Furlong said.
“The key to our success has been our offensive line,” Furlong said. “Our down linemen, tight ends and slots. . .we’ve had very few negative plays,” he said.
Some of those linemen go both ways, and Geneseo has been tough on defense, especially in terms of getting multiple helmets to the football.
Moline has played the toughest schedule in the conference. The Maroons will not look like a typical 0-3 team Furlong predicted.
Rochester, in Moline’s season opener, “has some Division One level athletes and may be one of the best teams in any class,” Furlong said.
Sycamore took its toll on Moline, but not until near halftime, when Maroons quarterback Kasen Ponder broke his thumb on a helmet.
Moline, already missing some linemen, felt their loss against Sterling. The Maroons built a 10-0 early lead. It went to 10-7 by halftime, then the Golden Warriors took over with their quick defensive front in Sterling’s 21-10 win.
“Moline was running more spread stuff, but wasn’t always in sync under center,” Furlong said.
“Moline will try to drive on us, and maybe take a shot down the field from time to time,” Geneseo’s coach said.
PLAYOFFS NOTE - I don’t believe I mentioned this earlier, but the IHSA board of directors has voted to expand this year’s playoff field by adding a 16-team group to each of the 8 classes.
That will likely put some three-wins teams into the field.
