Rock Island runs over Geneva
ROCK ISLAND - The Geneva football team drove a long way to get to Rock Island on Friday night, only to get run over by Nikko Watson and the rest of a crushing Rocks team.
The 235-pound Watson rushed for 4 touchdowns and 228 yards to lead the Rocks past the Vikings, 42-28 in the season opener for both teams.
"They physically did a number to us upfront," Geneva coach Rob Wicinski said. "They had a lot of offense. We felt (Watson) and if you don't stop the fullback in this offense, you're dead in the water."
Rock Island (1-0) only attempted a single pass, but rushed 59 times for 443 yards.
Geneva (0-1) started strong, using 9 plays on the opening drive before junior quarterback Matt Williams scampered in for a 2-yard score. But, the Rocks answered all evening, jumping ahead 14-7 after one quarter on a 15-yard Watson run and a 12-yard score from Chris Glover.
Geneva tied the score at 14-14 with 3:50 left in the second quarter when Connor Quinn (19 carries, 125 yards) blasted through the Rocks' defense for a 6-yard touchdown.
"We were pretty happy with how we came out offensively," Quinn said. "Mentally we just need to stay focused and film we'll help us with some things too."
The Vikings would battle back and tie the Rocks on three occasions, including a scoring drive in the final 33 seconds of the first half, set up by a Williams 28-yard pass to Doug Berthold and finalized by an easy 2-yard scamper by Williams.
"I thought our junior quarterback managed the game well," Wicinski said. "The line has been questionable all along and they came off the ball."
Geneva couldn't carry the momentum into the second half as the Rocks used 15 plays and nearly the 8 minutes of the beginning of the third quarter to jump ahead 28-21 on a 3-yard touchdown run by Watson.
But, they once again bounced back. Dylan Nobregas (10 carries, 69 yards) was rewarded for his handwork during the drive. He was given the ball in 6 of the 9 plays of the possession, including a 12-yard touchdown run to open the fourth quarter.
It appeared like the game could've been swinging the Vikings' way after Nobregas knotted it at 28-28 and the Geneva defense shutdown the Rocks on their ensuing possession, forcing them to punt for the only time in the game. But, the Vikings offense laid an egg afterward, failing to convert a first down on their next possession.
"Our defense was really fighting hard and they stopped them and we turned around and went three-and-out," Wicinski said. "I don't know if that was a turning point, but I was really disappointed then."
Rock Island took the lead for good with 5:24 remaining on a 21-yard touchdown run by Watson. The Rocks put the game out of reach with 1:35 left when quarterback Nathan Gray turned a 4th-down-and-3 into a 47-yard touchdown run.
"That was a great high school football game," Rock Island coach Vic Boblett said. "We had been preparing our kids because I've known how good Geneva's program has been. We knew this was going to be a playoff atmosphere and it was every bit of that."