Lady Leafs Recent Results & Remaining Schedule

The Lady Leafs were defeated by Bettendorf 50-28 in the IHMVCU Iowa-Illinois Shootout on Saturday January 6th at Wharton Field House. GHS will travel back to Wharton on Thursday January 11th to take on Moline (7:00pm).

Remaining Varsity Schedule
01/11 7:00pm at Moline

Freeport Tournament
01/13 Lanark Eastland
01/13 Fulton

01/18 7:00pm Quincy
01/20 4:00pm Chicago/QC Downstate Shootout (at Molines Wharton Field House)
01/23 7:00pm at Peoria Manual
01/25 7:00pm Sterling
01/27 1:30pm at Rock Island
01/30 7:00pm LaSalle-Peru (Senior Night)
02/01 7:00pm at Galesburg
02/03 1:30pm at Kaneland Shootout
02/05 7:00pm Alleman (Pack The Place & Autograph Night)
02/08 7:00pm at UTHS

Maple Leafs Recent Results & Remaining Schedule

The Leafs (1-14, 0-5 WB6) fell to Moline 61-17 on Friday December 5th at Wharton Field House. January 9ths scheduled game with Galesburg has been postponed until Monday January 15th.

Remaining Varsity Schedule
01/12 7:00pm at Sterling
01/15 7:00pm Galesburg
01/19 7:00pm at Quincy
01/23 7:00pm at UTHS
01/26 7:00pm at Alleman
01/27 2:30pm Canton
02/02 7:00pm Rock Island (Senior & Autograph Night)
02/03 5:00pm at Orion
02/06 7:00pm Moline
02/09 7:00pm at Galesburg
02/13 7:00pm Sterling

Keeli Frerichs Undergoes Heart Procedure after Health Scare – By Claudia Loucks

By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

It was weight loss and a medical condition that took Keeli Frerichs to seek medical attention that eventually led to the diagnosis of a serious heart condition.

Frerichs, the daughter of Curt and Karna Frerichs, is a 2020 graduate of Geneseo High School where she was a standout three-sport athlete, having played volleyball, basketball and soccer. After graduating from GHS, the young woman took her talents on the soccer field to St. Ambrose University, Davenport, where she was on the soccer team until a medical condition brought that part of her life to a halt.

On that first medical visit in January of 2022, Frerichs was diagnosed as having Bradycardia, described as a condition in which the heart beats at an unusually slow rate.

“My resting heart rate was in the 40s (bpm) during the day and would drop as low as 30 when I was sleeping,” she said, and added that she had no symptoms in the beginning.

She had been playing soccer at St. Ambrose prior to when her doctor found her low heat rate…”Because of ongoing medical issues and my low heart rate, my doctors pulled me from sports and I had to stop all exercise,” she said.

She was sidelined and had to miss the entire spring soccer season of her sophomore year and the entire season of her junior year at St. Ambrose.

She was sent to a cardiologist in the Quad Cities and had to use multiple heart monitors, underwent EKGs and a stress test, but yet nothing revealed why her heart rate was so low.

“My doctors thought gaining weight would fix my low heart rate,” Frerichs said. “However, that did not help my heart rate at all.”

Her health mystery continued for more than a year and she said, “I was not allowed to play soccer that whole time. Finally, my primary care doctor referred me to the University of Iowa Hospital because my low heart rate was dangerous for my health.”

It wasn’t until Frerichs and her family went to the University of Iowa Hospital and met her doctor that they realized just how dangerous her Bradycardia was for her health, she shared…”Dr. Paari Dominic, an electro physiologist, took on my mystery case at the University of Iowa Hospital.”

“At my first appointment with Dr. Dominic, I explained my condition to him, how it had been impacting me for over a year and nothing had been done to help,” Frerichs said. “It was then that he put my condition into perspective and informed me and my parents that I was at risk of dying and not waking up every night when I went to bed because of how low my heart rate would get.”

Within the first hour of her very first appointment with Dr. Dominic, he had a diagnosis and presented her with a possible treatment plan to cure the Bradycardia.

Three weeks after that first appointment, on April 21, 2023, Frerichs underwent a heart procedure referred to as Cardio euro ablation.

She explained the surgery was a four-hour procedure in which the doctors burned ganglions of the vagus nerve around her heart.

“This is a newer surgery, within the last 10 years, and I was one of the first and the youngest persons to have this specific procedure done at the University of Iowa Hospital,” she said.

She was unable to exercise or lift more than five pounds for the first week after surgery, but then was able to fully return to all activity and exercise.

“I no longer have Bradycardia and my heart rate has been restored,” she said. “Overall, I feel better and I have more energy. My body temperature is warmer. I exercise daily and can participate in all my favorite activities. I have had no complications since the surgery.”

“I now live a normal healthy life,” she said. My normal heart rate has been permanently fixed.”

Frerichs currently is in her first year of graduate school at St. Ambrose, in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, a 2.5-year program.

Because of the demands of school, she has chosen to not play soccer so she can focus on her studies, but she added, “However, if I wanted to, I could play. I continue to exercise daily, and I play intramural sports occasionally, for fun with my classmates.”

Keeli Frerichs, a 2020 Geneseo High School graduate, is now in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at St. Ambrose University, Davenport.

Coaches Corner: The Search for the next 'Green Machine' Head Coach

By Dalcon DeMaranville
Geneseo Current

Since 1962 the Geneseo High School football program has only had five head coaches. In those six decades, Geneseo football has experienced unprecedented success.

When Bob Reade arrived in Geneseo in 1962, he embraced a football program that had only one win in the last 18 games. The first season, Reades’ goal was simple, just win two games and get the student-athletes excited about football again. That season they won four games. Little did they know it was the beginning of an institution that would not only impact Geneseo, but high school and college football across northern Illinois and beyond.

Many say that Bob Reade saw the field differently and that was the secret to his success. Others will argue it’s because football wasn’t his number one priority. In fact, football wasn’t number two and maybe not even number three on his list.

What we do know is that coach Reade saw the big picture. He knew early on that coaching football to young men was more than teaching X’s and O’s. It’s about obeying the law and being a gentleman, both on and off the field. It’s about being a gracious loser, but that doesn’t mean you have to like it.

The four coaches that succeeded Bob Reade did so willingly and accepted the role and the expectations. They did so with poise, determination, and humility.

For the first time in 20 years, the time has come for the Geneseo football program to find a new leader.

I sat down with Joe Nichols, Geneseo High School Athletic Director, to get the skinny on some of the rumors and to discuss the hiring progress.

“Geneseo Football is a community project. It was designed that way by Bob Reade.” said Joe Nichols. “It’s legacy is instilled in our great community. When you see the signs around town, John Deere tractors and combines, fireworks, all that community involvement goes directly back to Bob Reade.”

I asked Nichols about carrying on the ‘Green Machine’ legacy and how that would be presented to candidates. Nichols replied, “The high school administration understands the weight of this position and we know we need to continue the ‘Green Machine’ legacy and how important it is to Geneseo. There’s a roadmap that has been drawn for us. We need to honor that legacy, but not be afraid to reinvent ourselves. We always need to be working to be better.”

Nichols continued, “We know that community members have their ears to the ground to pick up any detail of information they can about the hiring process.” Nichols noted that GHS has been keeping things close to the chest. “We’re keeping things quiet for a few reasons. The most important is to protect those who may currently be employed elsewhere but are interested in the head football coach position in Geneseo. Any issues with privacy can very damaging to potential hires but also to GHS and we take confidentiality very seriously.” Nichols continued, “People should feel safe in applying for a position they may or may not get.”

“We’re offering what we feel is a great livelihood, what we feel is a great community to raise your kids, it’s a great community to represent, and we want to protect those people who are taking that leap of faith with us. We’ll release more information when it’s appropriate. Interviews will be starting very soon.” said Nichols.

After garnering enough courage, I asked Mr. Nichols a question I thought I could get away with. “Simply put, are you pleased with the applications from potential candidates?” Mr. Nichols replied with a brief statement, “We’re looking for our next great head coach. We’ve received a lot of applications and there are multiple candidates that would make a great Geneseo football coach.”