BRAKEdown - Week 2

By Keith Brake
Geneseo Current

Find the horse, saddle back up, and move on 

There has been some enthusiasm in the two communities prior to Friday night's Geneseo vs. Assumption battle at Bob Reade Field. 

Both teams stirred up that excitement with their improvements heading into the final weeks of last season. 

The Maple Leafs carried a “we belong here” attitude into their two playoff games. 

It was the same with Assumption, which put things together before falling to Iowa Class 3A champion Dubuque Wahlert in the quarterfinals. 

Then came last week and a low bridge for both. 

For the Knights, it was a 36-13 loss at Solon, a traditional eastern Iowa power. 

For the Leafs, it was a 41-14 humbling at the hands of Rochelle, an old rival from NCIC Conference days. 

Whoever wins between Geneseo and Assumption will get credit for a major emotional comeback in just one week. 

The Maple Leafs will be looking for exactly that as they swing into Western Big 6 play against Rock Island and Moline the next two weeks. 

We saw Geneseo's scrimmage against Pleasant Valley before the season started, and the Leafs looked pretty sharp in drills against the Spartans.  

Both teams were organized beyond what they had been when Geneseo and PV scrimmaged last season. 

We expected to see two tough lines run into each other and we did, but the Leafs moved the ball quite a bit better than last year.  

Then, Pleasant Valley beat Bettendorf when they met in their season-opener on Saturday morning. 

For Geneseo, Rochelle was . . .Rochelle+plus. If you can imagine Team X playing a Geneseo team from the 70's, that's about what it looked like.  

Rochelle plays in Class 5A now and they made it to the quarterfinals last season. 

You can expect the Hubs to make another deep run this season. They're air-tight up front, their backs are precise and hit their holes very quickly. 

But it was not a complete wash-out for the Leafs. Geneseo's offense improved as the game went on. The Leafs generated 200 yards rushing, which isn't bad considering Rochelle had just over 300.  

That tells me Rochelle was playing against another pretty good team. 

It also tells me that Geneseo aspires to be good and the kind of effort that they put into that will determine it. 

Things can work out. Geneseo isn't far removed now from playing in Class 5. The Leafs could meet Rochelle again, and they'll want to be ready . . .

Friday's game? Expect a mix of pass and run from Assumption. 

Geneseo takes its snaps from under center, and is run-first, but not run-only.


2025 Green Machine Rosters

Good Luck Green Machine!

Varsity
1: Ian McShane (10 - 5'9 - 140 - RB/DB)
2: Ethan Galloway (11 - 5'9 - 169 - QB/DB)
3: Jack Mickley (11 - 6'1 - 167 - RB/DB)
4: Kye Weinzierl (12 - 6'1 - 191 - RB/LB)
5: Lincoln Barnett (12 - 5'10 - 156 - RB/DB)
6: Cyrus Babcock (10 - 6'0 - 166 - TE/LB)
7: Brennan Lambin (12 - 6'2 - 202 - TE/DL)
8: Landen Vincent (10 - 5'8 - 148 - FB/DB)
9: Carson Peters (11 - 5'9 - 160 - SE/DB)
10: Jayden Wexell (11 - 5'10 - 135 - RB/DB)
12: Luca Turigliatti (10 - 6'0 - 160 - QB/DB)
14: Jackson McAvoy (12 - 6'0 - 174 - QB/DB)
15: Quin Nichols (10 - 5'8 - 144 - QB/DB)
16: Quinn VanHyfte (12 - 5'10 - 172 - RB/LB)
17: Hayden Schaaf (12 - 5'10 - 168 - TE/LB)
18: Isaiah Melton (10 - 5'11 - 140 - RB/DB)
19: Kie Smith (11 - 6'0 - 163 - TE/LB)
20: Micah Nicke (10 - 5'11 - 160 - RB/DB)
21: Payton Hofer (12 - 5'9 - 163 - FB/LB)
22: Braxton Carlson (11 - 5'10 - 156 - SE/DB)
23: Nick Vyas (12 - 5'9 - 157 - SE/DB)
24: Harrison Hill (10 - 5'8 - 181 - RB/LB)
25: Keaton Ariano (11 - 6'0 - 198 - RB/DB)

26: Brayden Cox (10 - 5'9 - 160 - RB/DB)
27: Mark Nelms (11 - 5'9 - 185 - FB/LB)
28: Carter Holke (12 - 5'11 - 190 - TE/LB)
29: Mayson Lambin (10 - 5'11 - 195 - TE/LB)
30: Grant Bomleny (12 - 6'0 - 176 - FB/LB)
31: Aiden Hawkins (10 - 5'11 - 155 - TE/DB)
33: Ben Simosky (9 - 5'10 - 187 - FB/LB)
36: Cedrick Kehoe (12 - 5'10 - 147 - SE/DB)
37: Jordan Ramirez (12 - 5'11 - 148 - SE/DB)
39: Dawson Hull (10 - 5'9 - 159 - TE/LB)
43: Bryce Diehl (10 - 5'8 - 145 - RB/LB)
44: Nolan Burton (10 - 5'8 - 135 - FB/LB)
45: Grady Hull (12 - 5'11 - 165 - RB/LB)
52: Freddy Jimenez (12 - 5'9 - 192 - OL/DL)
53: Erik Bjorkman (11 - 5'10 - 215 - OL/DL)
54: Ethan Leetch (10 - 5'8 - 190 - OL/DL)
55: Colten Mooney (11 - 5'11 - 215 - OL/DL)
56: Evan Sundeen (12 - 5'10 - 248 - OL/DL)
57: Daniel Medrano (11 - 5'9 - 224 - OL/DL)
58: Joshua Stahl (11 - 6'2 - 274 - OL/DL)
60: Landon Rogers (11 - 5'9 - 226 - OL/DL)
62: Taefyl Freeman (11 - 6'0 - 193 - OL/DL)
65: Ethan Brown (11 - 6'2 - 220 - OL/DL)
71: Jaydn Shipman (10 - 6'1 - 285 - OL/DL)
73: Malachi Troester (10 - 5'9 - 205 - OL/DL)
74: Landon Barnett (10 - 5'6 - 205 - OL/DL)
75: Flynn Arnett (11 - 5'8 - 220 - OL/DL)
76: Wyatt Neumann (12 - 6'2 - 218 - OL/DL)
77: Kenny Weber (10 - 5'10 - 227 - OL/DL)

Head Coach: Matt Furlong
Assistant Coaches: Bob Thomas, Brian Hofer, Mike Harrington, Brad Monier, Carl Freeman, Nick Verbeck, John Kroener, Jeremy Mosier, Nate Ackert, Mitch Munda, & Matt Simosky
Trainer: Matt Kelly
Strength & Conditioning: Angelo James
Assistant Trainers: Bella Bailey ,Zara Anderson, Graycn DeShane, & Jordyn Miller
Ball Boys: Lincoln Babcock, Bryant Furlong, & James Kroener

Freshmen
 2: Jack Snook
 3: Martez Sefton
 5: Wyatt Mickley
 7: Jett Znamenacek
10: Owen Jacobi
11: Callen Black
12: Kayden Rusk
14: Tad Moore
16: William Henry
17: Eli Cotty
19: Kasen Mosier
22: Matthew Krause
24: Cameron Proehl
25: Ben Schnowske
27: Emmett Hill
33: Ben Simosky
37: Davin Deboef
38: JW Seals
44: James Mackenzie
51: Owen Pollock
54: Adam Sneed
57: Kellan Miller
64: Alex Darnall
66: KaVon Kimmins
69: Easton Hornback
79: Sawyer Fortsythe
89: Issac Ropp

Meet Our Bench Backers: Powering Local Sports Coverage

Sports in Geneseo are more than just games — they’re traditions, community pride, and memories in the making. From Friday night lights to cross-country meets, every score, highlight, and story connects us as a town. And behind all of that coverage stands a team of supporters who make it possible: our Bench Backers.

What Are Bench Backers?

Just like athletes rely on the strength of their bench, The Current relies on community partners to keep our local sports coverage strong. These Bench Backers are businesses and organizations who have stepped up to ensure that Geneseo’s athletes — and the fans who cheer them on — get the spotlight they deserve.

Their sponsorship helps us bring you:

  • Game highlights & scores you can count on each week.

  • In-depth features on athletes, coaches, and programs.

  • Photo galleries capturing the moments that matter.

  • Season-long coverage that keeps families and fans connected.

Why It Matters

In a world where local journalism faces challenges, our Bench Backers play a vital role. Their investment isn’t just in advertising — it’s in community. By supporting coverage of Geneseo sports, they’re helping preserve the stories and spirit that define our town.

Thank You to Our Bench Backers

We’re proud to launch our new Bench Backers page, where you can see and celebrate the businesses fueling our sports coverage. When you support them, you’re not just shopping local — you’re helping keep the heartbeat of Geneseo sports alive.

📣 Take a moment to check out our Bench Backers page and join us in thanking the local partners who make it possible.

Together, we’re building more than a team. We’re building a community.