Four turnovers contributed to Rock Island’s inability to be a playoff spoiler Friday night, as the Rocks dropped a 34-13 decision to now playoff-bound Geneseo in the regular season finale. Rock Island (1-8, 1-5 in Western Big 6 play) finished 6th in the conference, ahead of Galesburg, while the Maple Leafs (5-4, 2-4) go the postseason for a second straight year.
Rocky took the opening drive to the Geneseo 9 yard line, but on two straight incompletions, they gave up the ball on downs. The visitors then drove 91 yards on 12 plays, going up 7-0 with 1:27 in the 1st quarter on a 20-yard pass from Jackson McAvoy to Kye Weinzierl. Following a Temar Hudson fumble, the Leafs drove to a first-and-goal, but settled for a 26-yard Carter Holke field goal as time expired for a 10-0 halftime lead.
Geneseo opened the third quarter with a 17-yard TD pass to Hayden Schaaf to go up 17-0, before Hudson answered with his 5th rushing touchdown of the season to cut the margin to 17-6. Following another Holke field goal and a pass intercepted by the Leafs, they added McAvoy’s third TD pass, 26 yards to Holke for a 27-6 advantage just before the end of the 3rd quarter.
Kolten Schmoll-Burton (147 yards on 29 carries) then scored from 2 yards out following a second Hudson fumble. On the ensuing kickoff, the Rocks failed to field the ball at their own 16, but Geneseo missed a field goal. On the ensuing drive, sophomore RB Cameron Foley carried 5 times for 67 yards to set up a 4-yard TD pass from Jae’Vion Clark-Pugh to Elijah Venegas. Foley was named Hungry Hobo Rock Island Rocks Player of the Game.