Green Machine Clocks Thornridge In Homecoming Win

October 11 - Bob Reade Field
Green Machine 55 Dolton Thornridge 7

1st Quarter
G-Carter Holke 25 yard pass from Jackson McAvoy (Holke PAT) (7-0)
G-Kye Weinzierl 82 yard pick six (Holke PAT ) (14-0)

2nd Quarter
G-Weinzierl 1 yard run (Holke PAT) (21-0)
G-Kolten Schmoll-Burton 1 yard run (Holke PAT) (28-0)
G-Schmoll-Burton 10 yard run (Holke PAT) (35-0)
G-Schmoll-Burton 12 yard run (Holke PAT) (42-0)
T-95 yard kickoff return (PAT) (42-7)
G-Malaki Jackson 12 yard run (Holke PAT) (49-7)

3rd Quarter
G-Ethan Galloway 23 yard run (2PT Failed) (55-7)

4th Quarter
No Scoring

Overall Record: 4-3 (1-3 WB6)

Underclass Score
Freshmen 42 Thornridge 0

BRAKEdown - Leafs Make a Subtle Move Forward

By Keith Brake
Geneseo Current

Coach Matt Furlong said he has been looking forward to the Sterling game since he signed on with Geneseo.

“They're very well-coached,” he said, at least three times during our post-game interview.

“They ran a defensive scheme against us we haven't seen, Furlong said. “We made some adjustments, then we started to move.”

But, it took a while, during which time Sterling built a 13-0 halftime lead.

Sterling won, 13-6. I'm sure you're aware that means something positive was happening on Geneseo's side of the ball in the second half.

A long run set up a short touchdown run for Sterling's first quarter score, but the Golden Warriors missed the PAT kick. Which didn't turn out to be important, but it could have been.

The Warriors completed at least a half-dozen bubble screens out to the boundaries. They didn't lead to much in and of themselves, but they might have helped to set up Sterling's second quarter score.

That was an 82-yard bomb down the sideline. Quarterback Drew Nettleton caught the Leafs in single coverage and dropped a dime on Kaedon Phillips, his top receiver.

That made it 13-0 with 6:33 left in the half.

After that, an ever-so-subtle change settled in.

The Leafs started getting positive yardage – first down runs on zone plays - from fullback Kolten Schmoll-Burton. But, the Leafs weren't able to string those kinds of gains together the rest of the half.

Note that the Leafs outscored Sterling 6-0 the rest of the game.

“There's a learning curve that comes with our offense,” Furlong said.

Leaf quarterback Jackson McAvoy had a Sterling surge roll over him on attempted option plays.

“As a blocker, that makes you start thinking,” Furlong said. “Then, you tend to come off the ball high which slows you down. We have to learn to stay locked in,” he said.

Geneseo didn't complete a pass through three quarters.

On fourth-and-12 from Sterling's 42, quarterback Jackson McAvoy ran play action and found Kye Weinzierl open in the left flat.

“Kye made a nice catch and made a good run after it,” Furlong said.

The play set up a short run by Schmoll-Burton for Geneseo's touchdown, which made it 13-6 with 3:12 left in the game. The Golden Warriors blocked the PAT kick, and scoring was complete.

Big lesson learned: “Make quicker in-game adjustments on the field, based on what the opponent is doing,” said Geneseo's coach.

“Ain't education a wonderful thing?” Red Skelton's Clem Kadiddlehopper character used to say.

It's the delayed gratification we're looking for..a lifetime of learning.

“Well fellas, fellas, it's the desired procedure” the late, great Geneseo coach and teacher, John McCormick, said, on a daily basis.

So now, it's homecoming, with Dolton Thornridge coming to Bob Reade Field on Friday night.

Thornridge? Think basketball, at the same time as Kewanee had a couple of state-class teams.

Since then, I've lost track of the south suburban Falcons, who are just about 100 students larger than Geneseo in enrollment.

They were 0-9 last year, but took a 3-2 record into Friday's matchup against Crete-Monee, arguably one of the state's best programs. Crete-Monee won, 67-0.

“Thornridge has some explosive athletes,” Furlong said. “They have talent enough to be a problem, when they're executing. When they're clicking they look like a good team.”

Geneseo's coach said homecoming is about as “much of a distraction as you let it be.”

You need to think of the football game as the centerpiece of homecoming, he said.

“On the whole, Sterling was our best defensive effort of the season,” Furlong said. “We executed well.”

“Overall, I am happy for the progress we're making, both on film and in practice,” Furlong said. “Our guys are seeing things, especially our younger ones.”

PLAYOFF BOUND?

At 3-3, Geneseo sits two wins away from being assured a spot in the post-season, and those extra reps in practice would be good for the program in its first year under Furlong.

That good thing is within reach.

BRAKEdown - Leafs 'Finish' One And Look For Another

By Keith Brake
Geneseo Current

One in a row! And we'll take it!

The goals against Galesburg were to finish plays, finish drives, and finish the game.

Missions accomplished in Geneseo's 28-21 win over Galesburg last Friday at Bob Reade Field.

The Leafs absorbed a 350-yard, three-touchdown assault from Silver Streaks running back Jamar Range.

“We found a way,” said Geneseo Coach Matt Furlong.

The “finish” by the Leafs was an 80-yard scoring drive, that took more than four minutes and ended with 1:14 left to play on an option run right by quarterback Jackson McAvoy.

The touchdown was the first in the second half a game by Geneseo since the season opener against Chicago Comer.

Range, who is listed at 5-11 and 180-pounds, is a piece of football work. He follows his blocking and does some intricate hip-hop cutting. Defenders reach for him and after he isn't there, he hits the afterburners and he really is gone.

Furlong recited a short list of Chicagoland backs he had faced over 19 years. “Range would be on that list, toward the top,” the coach said. “The thing we didn't note on the films we saw was his strength.”

Galesburg didn't go to him on two key plays late in the game. A quarterback sack by Kye Weinzierl put the Streaks back on the 20-yard line, whereupon a 37-yard field goal attempt into a stiff north wind didn't make it.

Later, a fourth-down pass toward the boundary was low and batted down by the Leafs.

Furlong admitted the Geneseo staff was surprised – and happy - when Galesburg didn't call on Range then in its hour of need.

Galesburg outrushed Geneseo by about 100 yards, but with the Leafs nearing 300 on the ground, that's not so bad.

Halfback Weinzierl and fullback Kolten Schmoll-Burton did some heavy running, especially on Geneseo's 80-yard winning drive.

This week, it's on to Sterling, where a pair of 3-2 teams with playoff aspirations collide over the ball.

Furlong said the Leafs “defended the pass pretty well” against Galesburg, which does have some playmakers on the edges.

They'll likely get a bigger dose of that against Sterling quarterback Drew Nettleton, who threw for a school-record five touchdowns in the Golden Warriors' 40-3 win over Galesburg a couple weeks ago.

Furlong knows Geneseo's recent history against Sterling, an old NCIC Northeast rival that remains the only WB6 team the Leafs haven't beaten since both teams entered the conference.

Sterling has won nine in a row over Geneseo, limiting the Leafs to one touchdown – or less – in eight of them.

“They're aggressive. They play box-heavy on defense,” the coach said.

“They take things away from you.”

“We're excited to play Sterling,” Furlong said, noting he hopes Geneseo's changed offensive schemes this season can isolate some Warriors on a defensive island during the game.

“But first, we've got a mental block we need to get past here,” said the coach.

“Sterling is well-coached, and it appears they're getting better as the season goes along,” he said.

“We overcame some adversity against Galesburg,” said Geneseo's coach. “It wasn't our best game, but we got some stops on defense. . . and we closed it out. The kids were excited.”

Green Machine Ends Two Game Skid, Hold Off Galesburg To Pick Up First WB6 Win

September 27 - Bob Reade Field
Green Machine 28 Galesburg 21

1st Quarter
Ga-Jamar Range 64 yard run (PAT) (0-7)
G-VanHyfte 9 yard run (Holke PAT) (7-7)
Ga-Range 80 yard run (PAT) (7-14)
G-Kolten Schmoll-Burton 5 yard run (Holke PAT) (14-14)

2nd Quarter
G-Schmoll-Burton 8 yard run (Holke PAT) (21-14)

3rd Quarter
Ga-Range 1 yard run (PAT) (21-21)

4th Quarter
G-McAvoy 7 yard run (Holke PAT) (28-21)

Underclass Score
Freshmen 21 Galesburg 14

BRAKEdown - 'Finishing' Includes Putting Things Together

By Keith Brake
Geneseo Current

Finish plays. Finish . . .drives. Finish . . . .games!

“Finishing” might be a mantra for the Maple Leafs this week as they await Galesburg's invasion Friday night at Bob Reade Field.

Geneseo is 2-2 on the season, but it's the last two that have left marks on the Leafs' way of thinking.

Respected opponents, Moline and United Township, were clearly in the Green Machine's sights as halftime arrived in both Western Big Six games.

The Leafs trailed Moline 24-21 at half, and led UT 16-14 at intermission.

Moline wound up winning 51-21 and UT beat the Leafs 35-16.

“Our points of emphasis this season are growth and improvement,” said Geneseo first-year coach Matt Furlong. “We want to be playing our best football in weeks seven, eight, nine and into the playoffs.”

“But when plays go against you,” said Furlong, “some self-doubt can creep into your mind.”

Galesburg brings a 1-3 record in, the victory being over a winless Bartonville Limestone team. They lost to Dunlap, Morrison and Sterling.

The Silver Streaks “have explosive ability and can create problems in that regard,” Furlong said. “They're like UT in that they want to get the ball to fast guys out on the edge. And they have a back who rushed for almost 400 yards in one game.”

Against UT, the Leafs led 9-0 after one quarter and took it out to 16-7 midway through the second period.

The Panthers hit a 20-yard touchdown pass to cut it to 16-14 with 2:23 left in the half.

Geneseo drove, but missed a late 27-yard field goal attempt.

And then came something that hasn't been friendly to Geneseo's offense the last three games – the second half.

The Leafs didn't score in the second half in their win at Clinton, Wis., nor in the second halves against Moline and UTHS.

“UTHS played well defensively, but they gave us some space,” Furlong said. “We've got to be able to attack that.”

The coach had no criticism of any sort about how backup quarterback Ethan Galloway ran Geneseo's offense. “He did what he needed to do,” Furlong said.

He noted that usual starter Jackson McAvoy should be ready to go against Galesburg.

“We continued to limit our penalties,” Furlong said. “When we all do our assignments and play well as a unit, we play well,” said the coach. “When we don't, we struggle.”

UT's pass blocking was air-tight as the Panthers struck twice through the air in the third quarter.

Trailing 28-16 after the third, the Leafs still had a mathematical chance.

The Panthers finished things with a 90-yard scoring drive that ended about two minutes before the final buzzer.

“Our kids' effort has been great,” Furlong said. “Now, we've got to get everything to come together.”

Panthers Rally For Win After The Green Machines Quick Start

September 20 - Soule Bowl
UTHS 35 Green Machine 16
1st Quarter
G-Hayden Schaaf 5 yard pass from Ethan Galloway (Carson Peters PAT) (7-0)
G-Safety, UT snaps ball out of the endzone (9-0)

2nd Quarter
UT-5 yard run (PAT) (9-7)
G-Quinn VanHyfte 30 yard run (Peters PAT) (16-7)
UT-25 yard pass (PAT) (16-14)

3rd Quarter
UT-1 yard run (PAT) (16-21)
UT-22 yard pass (PAT) (16-28)

4th Quarter
UT-2 yard run (PAT) (35-16)


Underclass Score
Freshmen 16 UTHS 14

Planning To Attend Friday Nights Game At UTHS? Parking/Shuttle Info

From UTHS Athletic Director Mark Pustelnik.....

"We will be providing busing from the UTHS High School parking lot to the bowl this Friday night. The three buses will run back and forth the entire night starting at 4:30. As you know, since the main road was redone to provide a bike path, we do not have great parking at the Soule Bowl. Taking the shuttle will save your fans and our fans a lot of walking."

BRAKEdown - Leafs Must Finish Plays – And Drives – vs. UTHS

By Keith Brake
Geneseo Current

Geneseo and Moline were running a neck-and-neck race during most of the first half of their game at Bob Reade Field on Friday, Sept. 13.

But then, LOW BRIDGE!. .on Geneseo's side of the trail.

The Leafs got to their feet, dusted themselves off, got their bearings, and started looking for the horse.

They found the horse and were still in the game.

Geneseo trailed by 10 points with about four minutes left in the third quarter. Facing fourth down and a few, the Leafs' staff elected to try a 27-yard field goal, figuring they could shave three points off Moline's lead then catch them in the fourth quarter.

When you're playing a bigger school, one of their athletes might make a play that turns everything their way. That was the case here.

The field goal try was blocked and linebacker Corbin Schnell scooped up the football and ran 78 yards for a score. Now, it's a 17-point Moline lead, near the mid-point of the third quarter.

Two Leafs were hurt on the play, there was some controversy about blocking on the return, but no foul was called.

Schnell's return ended Geneseo's being close the rest of the way in Moline's 51-21 victory.

That was tough for Geneseo's players.

“Yeah, for sure,” said Geneseo coach Matt Furlong. “Our kids were upset. And they should have been. They had invested a lot of energy and time preparing for that game.”

On Saturday, coaches and players watched the films, with a focus on some good things Geneseo got done.

Furlong said last week he wanted to see his down linemen getting under Moline pads and driving. He said that happened at times, especially in the first half, which ended with Moline leading 24-21.

The Leaf line produced some movement. A play of beauty was an option right, with quarterback Jackson McAvoy making a perfect pitch to running back Kye Weinzierl, who timed his cut perfectly and completed a 49-yard scoring run that helped to put Geneseo up 21-14 at the time.

But Geneseo was outscored 27-0 in the second half; 17-0 over the last four minutes of the second quarter and the first four of the third period.

Furlong said Moline adjusted to Geneseo's wing formations, “then we re-adjusted, but by then it was too late,” he said.

So this week, it's on to Soule Bowl in East Moline for a game against the UT Panthers.

UT comes in at 1-2. They lost 18-16 to LaSalle-Peru, beat overmatched Chicago Muchin 67-0, then were edged 27-26 by Sterling.

The Panthers will be something very different from Moline, but “they pose big challenges,” Furlong said.

“They want to spread the ball around to their athletes out on the edges and let them make plays,” Furlong said.

“Offensively, we must control the ball and eliminate penalties,” the coach said.

“When we execute, it's like I said last week, we're capable of playing with the bigger schools in the conference. That's a point of emphasis for us this week. Our guys have to believe they can do that,” Furlong said.

He added: “We have to do it the entire game.”

Maroons Pull Away From The Green Machine In WB6 Opener

September 13 - Bob Reade Field
Moline 51 Green Machine 21

1st Quarter
M-Corbin Schnell 5 yard run (Nolan Ducey PAT) (0-7)
G-Jackson McAvoy 25 yard run (Carter Holke PAT) (7-7)

2nd Quarter
G-McAvoy 1 yard run (Holke PAT) (14-7)
M-Adrian Cooper 12 yard run (Ducey PAT) (14-14)
G-Kye Weinzierl 49 yard run (Holke PAT) (21-14)
M-Cooper 39 yard run (Holke PAT) (21-21)
M-Ducey 27 yard field goal (21-24)

3rd Quarter
M-Marc Carey 5 yard run (Ducey PAT) (21-31)
M-Schnell 78 yard blocked field goal return (Ducey PAT) (21-38)

4th Quarter
M-Schnell 30 yard run (Ducey PAT) (21-45)
M-Samuel Ngongo 3 yard run (No PAT) (21-51)

Underclass Score
Moline 24 Freshmen 8

BRAKEdown - A Need: Getting Under Opponents' Pads and Driving

By Keith Brake
Geneseo Current

The trip to Wisconsin for a game against Clinton filled a need . . .by filling a hole in Geneseo's schedule.

But otherwise, “not exactly,” said Leafs Coach Matt Furlong.

The coach said the Leafs still have some cleaning and polishing to do this week before hosting Moline on Friday in the WB6 opener.

The Leafs went out and hit the Cougars from the smaller school. But the Cougars hit back during Geneseo's 20-6 victory.

“We need better execution – finishing blocks and tackles,” Furlong said. “We have to eliminate the penalties and turnovers.”

Geneseo led 20-6 at halftime and it remained that way against a team that was willing to meet over the football time and again.

Still it was a game that Geneseo seemed to control pace and tempo, despite not being able to easily play add-on with the score.

There was one big telling statistic: Geneseo converted 10 of 11 third down situations. If my memory is correct, six of those were on the Leafs' opening drive.

Geneseo unveiled its version of the wing-T on that overland trek, which ate up most of the first quarter and resulted in a touchdown.

'The offense was moving the ball and we were finishing runs,” Furlong said. “Our backs were getting extra yards and that was one of the areas where we felt pretty good.”

Clinton got moving behind a quarterback who handled the ball well and an offensive line that was willing to mix it up inside and come back for more.

“I wasn't shocked by that,” Furlong said. “On film, their physicality stood out. They had some athletes and some size. They were not typical of a school with less than 500 enrollment.”

So, that part should be useful to Geneseo, if the Leafs can improve some important things this week.

“Moline is typical for them: Solid and physical up front. They'll work in some play action. They'll be a challenge for us both physically and mentally,” said the coach.

“In the WB6, you step up. They'll have talent on the field. Are we ready to make that step? We've got a few days and we'll find out,” Furlong said.

Last year, Geneseo rushed for 300 yards and scored its first conference win over the Maroons in five tries with a last second field goal. That should be a confidence-builder for the Leafs, whose young memories might not include some pre-conference days wins over Moline.

“We think we're good enough to beat teams in the conference,” Furlong said. “But we have to execute and eliminate penalties, and play assignment football on defense.”

“So far, we've been matching pad level with opposing linemen,” the coach said. “We need to get under the other guy's pads and that means getting down.”

“We can get better, but we have to do it the right way,” Furlong said.

Moline comes in at 1-1. The Maroons were on a mission last week at Lisle Benet, after suffering five straight defeats to the Redwings.

It was a 14-14 game at halftime . . on the way to a 49-29 Benet victory.

The question for this week then: “How quickly can we improve?” said Geneseo's coach.

We'll find out Friday night.

Green Machine Wins In Wisconsin, WB6 Play Begins Next Friday

September 6 - Clinton High School
Green Machine 20 Clinton, WI 6

1st Quarter
G-Carter Holke 9 Yard Pass From Jackson McAvoy (Holke PAT) (7-0)

2nd Quarter
C-2 Yard Run (PAT Failed) (7-6)
G-Dylon DeBoef 1 Yard Run (Holke PAT) (14-6)
G-McAvoy 82 Yard Run (PAT Failed) (20-6)

3rd Quarter
No Scoring

4th Quarter
No Scoring

Western Big 6 play begins next Friday as Moline comes to Bob Reade Field. The Maroons will enter the game with a 1-1 record.
Week 1: Moline 41 Fenton (Rockwood Summit), Mo 40 (OT)
Week 2: Lisle (Benet Academy) 49 Moline 29