Trailing 21-14 in the second quarter, the Moline Maroons steamrolled Geneseo the rest of the way, taking the lead 24-21 at halftime and scoring 27 more points in the second half for a 51-21 win in the Western Big 6 opener for both teams, Friday night at Bob Reade Field in Geneseo.
The Maroons kept it on the ground, with QB Eli Taylor completing 2-of-3 passes for 33 yards. But the running game was dominant. Adrian Cooper totaled 98 yards, including scoring runs of 12 and 39 yards. He also blocked a field goal that Corbin Schnell returned for a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. Cooper was named the Godfather’s Pizza Moline Maroons Player of the Game.
Also in on the rushing attack: Schnell, with 2 TDs and 36 yards, Marc Cary, with 49 yards including a 5-yard TD, and Eli Warren, who had 82 yards on just 5 carries before leaving with an injury in the second quarter.
The Maroons went from trailing in the second quarter to being able to pull their starters with 4 minutes remaining in the contest.
Moline (2-1, 1-0 in Western Big 6 play) hosts #9 (in Class 7A) Quincy (3-0, 1-0) next Friday, in the game that figured to be a big factor in deciding the ultimate conference champion. Geneseo (2-1, 0-1) goes to United Township.