Green Machine: BRAKEdown - Week 7

By Keith Brake
Geneseo Current

Leafs (really) Close, but Prize Yet to Come

Geneseo's crowd was up at a decibel level sufficient to wake up the echoes and shake down thunder.

Quarterback AJ Weller was back in the game, leading the Green Machine down the field late in the fourth quarter, trailing 7-3.

“It was loud,” said Geneseo Coach Larry Johnsen Jr.

“It was total chaos on the sideline, for a while,” Johnsen said. “We were penalized once for having 13 men on the field,” the coach said.

It only seemed like the Sterling defense had that many for most of the night. 

“The coaches couldn't hear each other. The players couldn't hear us,” Johnsen said.

Still Geneseo willed itself forward, getting to Sterling's two-yard line, where the down linemen on each side could hear each other breathing despite the racket. It came down to fourth-and-goal from the six, with 10 seconds left to play.

The Leafs launched running back Jeron Neal into the defense. He hit a seam, then bellied to the right and went down in a churning mass of bodies at the right front of the end zone.

The officials ruled the ball was inches short of the goal line.

Geneseo's crowd was dumbstruck. Everything seemed frozen in time, for just moment.

Sterling's defense had let the air out of Geneseo's green and yellow balloons. Again. Those balloons spit and spun crazily and crashed. There was no horn noise blaring from the scoreboard. Geneseo's celebratory fireworks remained grounded.

Frustration. Elevated frustration.

So, now what? Most Geneseo fans had visions of the Maple Leafs catching – then passing – the Golden Warriors, all in one night. One glorious, in-your-face-Sterling night.

But, what happened Friday may lead to happier moments, yet this season, for this Geneseo team, which was and remains – good.

“Our defense played really well, our best game of the season for the most part,” Geneseo's coach said.

But Sterling's defense was at the top of the story, like it has been for a number of years now.

The Warrior defenders flew around like they usually do, but none better than tackle Kendric Muhammed (#68). “He won his battles up front and made big plays,” Johnsen said.

Still, Geneseo was able to move. The Leafs had 15 first downs to Sterling's six. Geneseo rushed 48 times and netted 136 yards. For Sterling: 24 rushes, 130 yards. Geneseo was five-for-14 passing for 47 yards. For Sterling: two-for-12 passing for 43 yards.

That adds up to 62 plays and 183 yards for Geneseo, and 36 plays for 173 yards for Sterling. Those numbers are lot closer than they have been for years.

Close works in hand grenades, but not in football. It was still no cigar for Geneseo.

“It was just one game. If we don't bounce back, ,. if we lose the next one, than we'll have let Sterling beat us twice,” Johnsen said.

“We're still in the hunt in the WB6,” said Geneseo's coach. “A three-way tie for the championship is still possible, even a home playoff opener is still possible,” he said. “Our goals are still out there in front of us. It's just that now we're not in total control of our destiny.”

Geneseo had first possession against Sterling. The Leafs drove 63 yards in 8:41, but Sterling's quickness on defense started showing up after the Leafs crossed the 50. Brayden Combs kicked a 24-yard field goal to put Geneseo up 3-0.

The Warriors took a 7-3 halftime lead on a nice-but-fourth-and-11 touchdown pass play.

Leafs fans noticed defensive back Weller come off the field during the drive. He didn't come out to start the third quarter.

“Migraine,” Johnsen said. Jackson McAvoy, a sophomore, filled in at quarterback in the third quarter, and did a creditable job.

But Weller came back to start the fourth, and led Geneseo's second major drive, this one also 63 yards in 2:54, ending at the Sterling one-yard line, whereupon the Warriors quarterback ran 99 yards for a score as time ran out.

UP NEXT: MENDOTA

Now comes a non-conference game as Mendota, a rival from the days of the NCIC Southwest division, visits Bob Reade Field.

They last met in the 2009 playoffs. Geneseo leads the series 22-19-1 – and has won the last 19 in a row.

Mendota got its first win last week, over Port Byron Riverdale.

What will be the Leafs' mental state for Mendota?

Speaking on Sunday afternoon, the Leafs coach said. “We'll find out starting Monday.”

PLAYOFF PICTURE - Geneseo became playoff-eligible with its win over Galesburg. One more win guarantees the Leafs a spot in the dance itself. “We've still got a lot to play for,” Johnsen said.

Green Machine: BRAKEdown - Week 6

By Keith Brake
Geneseo Current

Leafs Want to Rekindle Sterling Rivalry

Sterling: An old and respected opponent. But a rival?

“We told the guys after we beat Galesburg last Friday that it's not a rivalry if only one team is winning,” said Geneseo Coach Larry Johnsen Jr.

Sterling has won its last 8 games against Geneseo, including the last three by shutouts.

“The games haven't been close,” Johnsen said. “To us, that's a big deal.”

But don't expect this 5-0 Geneseo team to come out foaming at the mouth about beating Sterling. The Leafs will have their ears back, though. That's the kind of dog you worry about before a fight.

“I'm not ready for Friday,” Johnsen said early this week. “We have got a lot to get done. But we are excited for the challenge.”

Johnsen said Sterling “makes you uncomfortable by taking away things you most like to do.”

On defense, that has meant Sterling playing single man coverage in the secondary, and attacking the Leafs with stunts and blitzes.

The Warriors have gotten to Geneseo's point of attack ahead of the Leafs, sometimes, and messed up the running game. “They've been like sharks attacking,” Johnsen said.

“They have good athletes on defense who can run in space and make plays,” said Geneseo's coach.

On offense, the Warriors are “fundamentally sound, with a system that they repeat and repeat,” Johnsen said.

It's the Sterling version of the wing-T and it works.

“Their quarterback is really fast,” Johnsen said. “And they've got a down lineman who is a Power 5 prospect.”

Lucas Austin is the 6-7, 255-pound lineman. Offensively, the quarterback has averaged 94 yards and 4.6 per carry in two conference games, and has completed 16-of-26 passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns.

Sterling lost its first two games, 28-17 to tradition-rich Metamora, (now 3-2) and 42-28 to a strong Wheaton St. Francis team (3-2).

In league play, the Golden Warriors were 23-19 winners over United Township and 45-14 over Galesburg.

Then last week, Sterling played an interesting “crossover” game at another former NCIC school, Princeton, which started the season as the top-rated team in Class 3A.

Princeton led 8-6 at halftime, and wound up winning 28-6. “Princeton has a very nice, physical team,” Johnsen said.

It's no secret that this is one of the more physical teams Geneseo has had in a while.

But, you've got to mix skills with quickness and brawn. Are the Leafs better-equipped to handle Sterling's blend than in recent years?

“We'll see,” Johnson said.

Johnsen's keys to bringing down Sterling:

“Penalties affected us Friday against Galesburg,” he said. “We can't afford to be behind the chains.”

“We have to be prepared for their blitzes and pick them up,” Geneseo's coach said. “They'll show you a lot of second-level movement and you have to pick it up.”

“And, we need to get their offense off the field,” Johnsen said.

That doesn't sound like a difficult formula.

“No, but it can be against a good team,” said Geneseo's coach. “Video might tell you one thing, but it can be altogether different when you go against it live. You can't replicate an opponent's speed or quickness in practice.”

Geneseo running back Jeron Neal and quarterback AJ Weller ranked first and third, respectively, in WB6 rushing after the first two league games. Neal was averaging 131 yards per game and 9.4 per carry. Weller was at 120 yards per game and 8.2 carry.

That sounds like something out of the '60s or '70s.

Speaking about time gone by, this has been Geneseo's homecoming week and Friday is Hall of Fame Night at Bob Reade Field.

There's a lot riding on this game.

Expect a tsunami of sound!

Green Machine: BRAKEdown - Week 5

By Keith Brake
Geneseo Current

The Big-Eaters Up Front Are Plowing the Row!

For some of us, watching Geneseo engulf and devour UTHS 55-21 was a trip back in time.

The Leafs' space eaters up front went forward, and the UTHS linemen went back. Or down. On both sides of the ball.

“The guys did a really good job,” Coach Larry Johnsen Jr. said.

Johnsen said he wanted to see his team score on every possession.

How about eight possessions, eight touchdowns? The Leafs did that. (They had a ninth possession, with reserves driving against reserves, and time expired).

“I thought both of our lines controlled,” Johnsen said. Numbers bear that out: Geneseo ran 69 plays, to UT's 42.

And check this one out: 416 yards of rushing by the Leafs, on 60 carries. Including all 8 touchdowns.

Geneseo runs a number of substitutes into both lines. “We want to keep fresh legs in there,” Johnsen said.

When was the last time a Geneseo varsity team put up those kind of numbers on the ground?

Quarterback AJ Weller added 106 passing yards, to it, so that totals out to 522 total yards by the Leafs.

UT gained 334 and that's a lot for a team on the short end of the score. But, it was a tribute to the skills of quarterback Matthew Kelley, who hit Geneseo with three masterful plays.

“UT has an experienced offensive line,” Johnsen said, “and Kelley and his receiver, Korey Randle, made some fantastic plays.”

One of those plays put the Panthers up 7-0 early, the first time in this 4-0 season that Geneseo has trailed.

There was no panic, as the Leafs quickly answered with 7.

“I was looking for a letdown, after a big win (Moline), but we didn't get that, and that is a good sign,” Johnsen said.

“We're doing things we haven't been able to do in the recent past,” Johnsen said. “But remember, we're playing with older kids this year. And they have some abilities.”

“Our backs ran hard, too,” Johnsen said.

Weller gained 192 yards on 18 carries including six touchdown runs as the Leafs hammered UT with quarterback sweeps. “AJ has good instincts,” Johnsen said.

The Leafs ran inside to set up the outside stuff. Running back Jeron Neal gained 125 yards on 18 carries, one for a score. He was complemented by Joshua Steines, who added 65 yards with 14 runs. “Those two really complement each other,” Johnsen said.

Kolten Schmoll-Burton continues to split seams on his carries.

“Our inside running game forced UT to make some adjustments, with their backs having to come up to make more plays,” Johnsen said. Geneseo then hurt UT with Weller's quarterback sweeps.

This week: Galesburg

Friday night, the Leafs visit 1-3 Galesburg and the same message applies: Dominate up front. “We have to control both lines, tempo and limit their possessions,” Johnsen said.

“They have some nice players. They're young, it's their homecoming, and we better be ready for a test on the road,” Geneseo's coach said.

“They have three guys who are electricity in a bottle,” Johnsen said.

After beating Limestone 41-7, the Silver Streaks were buzzed 53-14 by a very good Dunlap team. They then lost 35-14 to Indian Lake of Trafalgar, Ind., then 45-14 last week to Sterling.

Defense has been a problem for the Streaks, who were 3-6 last year. A Sterling reporter's research revealed that all three wins came against opponents that finished with one win each.

Galesburg was 0-5 against playoff-bound teams, and during a 1-5 stretch, the defense yielded a minimum of five touchdowns per game.

Running back Amarie Richardson and quarterback Gino Williams have some quick feet, as does defensive back Markis Lewis. The Streaks also have a defensive lineman who is said to be a college prospect.

Oh, one more thing: Geneseo's kickoff coverage gradually improved during the UTHS game. “If you can't kick it to the end zone, at least kick it high,” Johnsen said, “so that your defense can run down and make a play.”

“Little things,” Johnsen said, “lead to big things.”