Patrick Young, hungry Genoa-Kingston ready for postseason return

GENOA – One touchdown separated Genoa-Kingston from the postseason last year.

Patrick Young could only watch as the Cogs had their streak of seven straight postseason appearances snapped after losing 20-12 to Rockford Lutheran last year in Week 9.

Back after missing almost all of last year, Young’s expectations for the Cogs are very high.

“It was kind of tough watching us come into close games,” said Young, a senior running back. “I was kind of on the edge of my seat when we were in some [close] games. It was kind of tough. I wanted to be there with them on the field.”

He’ll be on the field this season, as a running back in the Cogs’ wing-T offense. He scored a touchdown in the season opener against Rockford Christian last year but only managed a handful of plays before a hip injury sidelined him for the season.

Coach Cam Davekos said Young is going to be a threat in the Cogs’ opener, whenever it ends up being. Rockford Christian won’t be playing an 11-man football schedule this year, leaving the Cogs searching for a Week 1 opponent. If they can’t find one, they’ll get a forfeit win and open with North Boone at home in Week 2.

“He’s back, he’s feeling good,” Davekos said of Young. “Hopefully we can get the ball to him a few times a game. He brings a level of experience and knowledge. Even though he sat out last year, mentally he was taking reps of what we were doing and learning still. It shows he knows where to be and when to be there. He’s just a competitor, and he’s going to do everything he can to compete and make others better.”

Young joins returning senior running backs Peyton Meyer and Tyler Atterberry. Nathan Kleba will be the starting quarterback for the third year.

Kleba said coming so close to the postseason last year but missing out is a motivating factor for this year’s team, which returns seven players, mostly skill positions.

“I’m expecting more than last year definitely,” Kleba said. “We were young last year, so I’m hoping that this year we can pick it back up and continue where we left off, not last year, but the year before.”

Kleba has a towering 6-foot-4 senior target at tight end in Hayden Hodgson. Davekos said even with an experienced quarterback and tight end with proven big-play capability, the bread and butter for the Cogs is the ground attack.

The big plays will come, he said.

“We tell the kids just trust the process,” Davekos said. “I know those types of players like those big explosive plays down the field, but we trust the process of our offense. Those things will happen and they understand that. They’ve done a good job of making sure they get the correct steps down and running routes. They’re doing a good job of making sure they wrap their head around trusting the process this year.”

Davekos said Kleba has really come along in the secondary and as a quarterback. He’s making reads better on defense while improving his mastery of the offense.

“He knows every single position and what they do so he can better help the offensive line, the wings, the backs,” Davekos said. “He has stepped into a major, major leadership role for us. We’re excited about that.”

Kleba said the goal is to make it back to the postseason.

“We all want to make the playoffs, and it was a tough break last year, lost by a touchdown,” Kleba said. “But we definitely have some motivation to go out there and make playoffs this year.”

Genoa-Kingston at a glance

Coach: Cameron Davekos

2023 record: 4-5 overall, 4-5 Big Northern Conference

Top players: Nathan Kleba, sr., QB/DB; Hayden Hodgson, sr., TE/FS; Patrick Young, sr., RB; Peyton Meyer, sr., RB/LB; Tyler Atterberry, sr., RB/DE; Liam Joseph, sr., OL/DT, Connor Todd, sr., OL

Schedule: Aug. 30 TBA; Sept. 6 North Boone; Sept. 13 at Oregon; Sept. 20 Dixon; Sept. 27 Winnebago; Oct. 4 at Byron; Oct. 11 Stillman Valley; Oct. 18 at Rock Falls; Oct. 25 at Rockford Lutheran