Genoa-Kingston blanks Burlington Central

Genoa-Kingston was happy to finally put a complete game together. Unfortunately for Burlington Central, it came at the Rockets’ expense.

The Cogs led 24-0 after one quarter and cruised to a 43-0 win on Homecoming Night in Genoa Friday.

The Cogs’ offense was efficient and the defense dominant in the Big Northern East matchup. Sal Lopez ran for 111 yards and 3 touchdowns, while quarterback Griffin McNeal threw for 89 yards and a pair of scores.

Rockets’ quarterback Casey Matthews was solid, throwing for 111 yards that included several completions while under heavy pressure. However, the Rockets’ running game netted just 24 yards on 19 carries.

“We need to continue to block a little better,” said Central coach Rich Crabel.

Genoa took an early lead on McNeal’s 7-yard pass to Eli Thurlby. The score was set up by Tyeler Lhullier’s 60-yard punt return. A fumble on the Rockets’ next play from scrimmage set the Cogs up in good field position again and they cashed in one play later. McNeal found Lhullier for a 20-yard score.

After holding the Rockets, the Cogs moved 62 yards in just 5 plays. Thurlby threw a 30-yard strike to Lhullier at the 2-yard line, from where Lopez took it in.

Lopez scored a second time early in the second quarter, but the Rockets’ defense stiffened after that. Central’s offense reached the Genoa 15-yard line late in the first half, but stalled there.

The Cogs didn’t take the Rockets lightly, despite their 1-3 record.

“We finally put a full game together,” said Genoa coach Travis Frederick. “We preached all week that they had some good talent on offense and we were susceptible to big plays all year. Every game we had given up 30, 40, 50-yard touchdowns. We told them all week that (the Rockets) were a ‘good’ 1-3. They should have had Harvard last week. The kids knew that and they bought into that.”