Green Machine: BRAKEdown - Week 7

By Keith Brake
Geneseo Current

Leafs Want to Kick-Start an Old Rivalry

Here we are, deep in the 2025 football season, and once again the Geneseo-Sterling game this Friday night is important.  

This year, the Maple Leafs, the Golden Warriors and the Quincy Blue Devils are gathered around second place in the Western Big Six race. 

“We're all 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the conference,” said Geneseo Coach Matt Furlong. “That Moline (4-0 vs. the league) is leading at this point isn't surprising,” he said. 

“But these last three weeks will be interesting,” Furlong said. 

Since Geneseo and Sterling joined the conference the same year, the Leafs have beaten everyone in the conference at least once . . . except Sterling. 

“I've been made aware of that,” the coach said. 

If one team wins all the games over a decade, it becomes a series, not a rivalry. Series are well, just not as much fun. 

But, the last two years, the Geneseo-Sterling games have been close. 

“Sterling has a younger group,” Furlong said. “They have been developing an identity and now, after playing a lot of guys, they're stepping into their roles.” 

A key to beating Geneseo the last 10 years for Sterling has been an aggressive defense. “They take chances,” Furlong said. “That does make them vulnerable to the big play.” 

Geneseo just hasn't hit enough of those against the Warriors to pound the ball and pile up points. Both teams like to control the game and in recent years Sterling has been better at that. 

There will be plenty of pomp and circumstance being served up with this game. 

It's Homecoming and Hall of Fame Night. 

The Hall of Fame ceremonies will come between the freshman and varsity games. Homecoming activities will be during halftime of the varsity contest. 

During last Friday's 38-20 Geneseo win at Galesburg, the first Leafs' touchdown was like a blast from the past. 

It was a pitch sweep to the left, and quarterback Jackson McAvoy's pitch to tailback Harrison Hill was a rocket and right on target. You could see Hill's body language light up because his Leaf blockers arrived at the edge they were about to set before the defenders got there. 

Hill hit the jets and rambled 62 yards for the touchdown. It looked like vintage Green Machine. 

Galesburg got its offense rolling a bit in the second half, but the Leafs stayed out of harm's way by doing some heavy duty grinding on the Streak's forward wall on defense. 

Geneseo rushed for 368 yards. Wow! Sounds from the 70s! 

Galesburg made a few plays, but when needed, Geneseo leaned on those big eaters up front to plow the row and EARN their victory the old-fashioned way. 

“Yes, we're better,” Furlong said. “The big difference from last year is our guys are self-adjusting on the field to any changes in blocking schemes our opponents use,” he said. 

It was good to see Geneseo score its final touchdown. A 38-20 final score has a more authoritative sound than 31-20, don't you think? It's sometimes called putting away a game. 

The Leaf freshmen beat Galesburg 40-0, and they continue to play very well.

Green Machine BRAKEdown: Week 6

By Keith Brake
Geneseo Current

It had been a while since I heard a war-hoop rise up from the Geneseo side of Bob Reade Field that was comparable to the one that roared over the soccer fields and out to wake up chickens over north of Atkinson.

The Green Machine, down 33-28 with 1:27 left to go after yielding a late touchdown to United Township, watched UT players celebrate their go ahead score – and draw a penalty for it -while Geneseo's coaches contemplated what plays to use.

Fast forward...with 40 seconds left and the ball still out there near the UT 40, Geneseo sent senior tight end Carter Holke deep down the right side.

There was some bumping taking place, and quarterback Jackson McAvoy's pass went up there . . .way up there. “I thought it would never come down,” said Maple Leafs Coach Matt Furlong.

It did, Holke surrounded it, and caught it. At or near UT's 10-yard line.

Next play: A pitch that sailed behind running back Harrison Hill and lost 15 yards.

Next play: “A throwback, to Carter,” said Furlong. It really was our third option.”

But Holke had slid past the left side of the Panther defense and was by himself, alone. He caught the football, turned around and took one step, maybe two, into the end zone.

Now it's 34-33, Leafs. Kye Weinzierl ran it for two points and got in easily. 36-33, with 22 seconds left.

The kickoff was downed inside UT's 25. Two incompletions followed, then Weinzierl sacked the quarterback near the goal line to end certainly the game of the year, so far, for Geneseo.

It was played hard, and clean, and was a treat compared with some of the games we've seen since Geneseo joined the Western Big Six.

“That was a win that could help us in a lot of ways,” Furlong said.

Like the playoffs, the conference race, and maybe more important things, said Geneseo's second-year coach.

“UT had been picked by the coaches to win the conference this year,” Furlong said.

“But our guys handled adversity better than they have been,” said the coach.

“Our mindset is improving and I'm including the coaches on that,” Furlong said. “They're all getting a better understanding of what we're trying to do.”

“Like on that last series, when we had a short field to defend, the kids saw that our coaches had kept their composure. That helps the boys' confidence level.”

“UT is really on the rise,” Furlong praised. “Their talent is a good as any in the conference.”

So this Friday the Leafs play at Galesburg, which is 2-3 overall and 1-2 against the league.

Geneseo, 3-2 overall and in second place in the WB6, will face off against a Silver Streaks team that is a mix of seniors and sophomores. “They will run some of what other teams in the conference run,” Furlong said. “We have to pick up on their schemes.”

NOTES: Geneseo ran 71 plays to 50 by UT; The Leafs outgained the Panthers 369 to 302; Geneseo won the first down battle 21-17, and on third downs it was 7-11 for Geneseo, to 1-5 for UT.