Genoa-Kingston reloading, learning during the summer as fall camps loom

GENOA – It’s not what he’s seen on the field or even in the weight room that has Cam Davekos most optimistic about the upcoming season.

The Genoa-Kingston coach said his Cogs – with only a handful of returning starters on the roster when the season gets underway next month – have shown an amazing willingness and aptitude toward learning.

“These guys ask all the right questions,” Davekos said. “They want to learn and make sure that they’re doing the proper techniques, and that’s something that teaches even me, you know, taking it back a notch and keeping it simple and making sure that you know the proper technique is done.”

It’s not just the asking of questions, the third-year head coach said. Once they get that information, they put it to use.

“They do a really nice job with that, and then once they’re confident, and with what their questions were, they’re answered, they go 100%. One hundred miles an hour,” Davekos said. “So I can’t ask anything more of them.”

The Cogs went 8-3 last season, reaching at least the second round of the playoffs for the sixth straight season. But they’re going to have to replace a lot of talent from last year.

Nathan Kleba is one of the starters back for the Cogs. He took over at quarterback for an injured Nolan Perry and finished the year under center.

“We’ve had a lot of kids coming in in the morning, working out, giving it their all,” Kelba said. “It’s hard to get up early and work out like that, so something like that, working hard, is great.”

Brady Berwick split time at fullback last season and will transition into a bigger role, Davekos said.

“We’re a run-heavy team but we pass the ball still. I believe in our quarterbacks. I believe in our wide receivers, our tight ends. Even though we’re a run-heavy team we can still sling the ball around.”

—  Brady Brewick, Genoa-Kingston football

He said he’s liked the work ethic the Cogs have shown, and that leaves him confident heading into the season, with practices starting Aug. 7 ahead of an August 25 game at Rockford Christian to start the regular season.

“Our work in the weight room, the summer has got me really pumped up,” Berwick said. “And just everybody’s willing to learn, so that’s got me excited, too.”

The Cogs’ had a full week of workouts in the final week of July, the last before the dead period. They not only had their summer camp but also their 7-on-7 contests.

And even though the Cogs are an old-fashioned, run-first, wing-T offense, Davekos said there still are things to be learned from 7-on-7 camps. Not only is it a good gauge defensively, but it helps with technical issues on offense.

“We get more of a defensive look out of it,” Davekos said. “And then we look at footwork with our backs and our quarterbacks and our tight ends.”

Berwick said it’s also an opportunity to show that the Cogs still can pass the ball, even if the focus is on the ground during the regular season.

“We’re a run-heavy team, but we pass the ball still,” Berwick said. “I believe in our quarterbacks. I believe in our wide receivers, our tight ends. Even though we’re a run-heavy team we can still sling the ball around.”

Davekos said only three or four starters return on offense and three on defense for the Cogs.

And while he hasn’t seen much of the team in full camp yet, he knows that there are some talented players in the group that have been showing up.

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but seeing the faces I see today, it was definitely good to see some of those guys out that were kind of question marks over the summer,” Davekos said. “I’m sure there’s going to be surprises down the road, but right now it’s looking promising for us.”