Leafs Fumble an Opportunity - For Now
By Keith Brake
Geneseo Current
“Low bridge! . . .ker-PLUNK”
“Get up, cowboy!”
“Dust yourself off...now, go look for the horse.”
The Geneseo Maple Leafs are the “cowboy” in that short scenario. They lost 13-12 to Moline Friday in Geneseo’s Homecoming and Hall of Fame Night game extravaganza.
Like it always is in Geneseo or Moline, what happens on the field, court or mat is important.
The Maple Leafs fumbled seven times, with the Maroons, who helped to cause them, recovering five.
The Green Machine didn’t earn its nickname, or its reputation, by making fumbling part of their routine.
Coach Bob Reade, builder of the Geneseo football tradition, told author William Carter, way back in 1975,
“(We) play simple, play tough, and hang onto the ball - that’s everything we ever teach.”
Carter used that quote in his book, “Middle West Country.”
Tenth-year Moline Coach Mike Morrissey had some surprises in store for the Leafs as he prepared his 0-3, injury-riddled Maroons for 3-0 Geneseo.
On defense he used a five-man front, an alignment the Maroons had not shown in previous games.
On offense, he had been preparing a new quarterback, who operated from a shotgun formation. This from a program that has been married to the wing-T for years.
We’ll start with the five-man front. Moline brought pressure at the point of attack, at times of its choosing. Linebackers and corners helped down linemen make penetration and all grabbed for the football.
Geneseo adjusted some, but not fully. The ball came loose seven times, with Moline recovering five of those. That’s hard to overcome, but late in the game, the Leafs almost did.
As for the quarterback: Evan Ellis was the third one Moline had used this season. He was a wide receiver when he transferred to Moline this fall.
Moline used a backup after the starter was injured at Sycamore, and he played the next week against Sterling. And, he was the starter Friday against Geneseo.
But on Moline’s second series, in came Ellis. What did he do? Complete 9-of-11 pass attempts, good for 169 yards, including an 80-yard catch-and-run touchdown late that wound up being the game-winner.
Moline scored the only touchdown of the first half on a one-yard dive. The Leafs were hoping to cut into that 7-0 deficit, but a 31-yard field goal try on the last play of the half sailed wide left.
Lost fumbles #2 through #5 happened before the Leafs got on the board on a one-yard drive by fullback Mark Nelms with 5:03 left in the game. The PAT kick hit the crossbar, so Moline still led, 7-6.
Geneseo sophomore linebacker Isaac Ropp recovered a Moline fumble, and the Leafs set sail from Moline’s 29 with 4:17 left.
Nelms got the touchdown with 2:28 to go on a three-yard run. Geneseo led 12-7 and went for a two-point conversion, which Moline stopped.
With momentum roaring on Geneseo’s side, Ellis, from he Moline 20, bought some time by rolling out to his right. Meanwhile, Garrett Schram, a speedster, worked his way into a seam, and Ellis put a dime on his hands.
Schram circled into an open area and completed an 80-yard scoring play. Now it’s 13-12 Moline at the 2:15 mark - and scoring was complete.
Moline was 0-for-7 on third down conversions.
Geneseo was 5-for-11.
Moline was penalized 11 times, compared with just 3 whistles against the Leafs.
Geneseo missed a chance to really elevate in the WB6 race. But, half the regular season remains.
What story will the Leafs write about themselves during that time?
Some of Geneseo’s best teams and seasons have developed after the Leafs absorbed what seemed a “catastrophic” early-season loss.
Bob Reade told me once it is not necessary for football teams to win every time.
“Just try to get your team in position to win the last game,” he said.
