Any questions the Rochelle football team had after losing a stellar senior class was answered Friday with a resounding 41-14 nonconference win over Geneseo in Rochelle.

One of the biggest questions was replacing seven starters on the offensive and defensive lines.

“We looked like Rochelle football was supposed to be,” Hub line coach Erick Olson said. “But, it helps having two backs (Dylan Manning and Roman Villalobos) with over 1,000 yards coming back.”

Manning, who head coach Kyle Kissack feels could be the best ever to play at Rochelle, started the game with an 89-yard kickoff return. Geneseo appeared to have the 5-foot-11, 185-pound junior bottled up at midfield, but Manning broke free and outran everyone to the goal line.

“Actually, before the game, I envisioned a kickoff return,” Manning said. “I’ve never had one before in high school. Maybe because I was too slow before. One thing I try do when running is not let the first guy tackle me.”

He did that all night long, rushing for 173 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.

“Dylan is so dynamic, with great vision and agility,” Kissack said. “He doesn’t come down easy. He is such a humble individual, too.”

Manning’s running mate, Villalobos, also tore through the Maple Leaf defense. A state-caliber wrestler, Villalobos added a pair of scores and had 91 yards up the middle from his fullback position.

The Hub offense was unstoppable until late in the game when the starters were out and Rochelle attempted its only punt.

“Rochelle is what they are advertised to be with their physicality,” said first-year Geneseo coach Matt Furlong, who took over after being the defensive coordinator for Cary-Grove. “They get off the ball well. We didn’t tackle or block good enough.”

Dating back to the genuine slugfests of the 1970s, Geneseo and Rochelle renewed its storied rivalry for the first time in several years. For now, Rochelle demonstrated it has the upper hand.

After trailing 14-0, the Leafs strung together a 16-play, 68-yard scoring drive, with Furlong showed his coaching chops by going for it on a pair of fourth downs. Quarterback Jackson McAvoy scored on a 3-yard keeper, but his real gem was a last-second pitch to Kye Weinzierl, after nearly being thrown for a loss, on a fourth down attempt.

The Hubs quickly made it 20-7 on a 5-yard touchdown by Manning. Then, they caught the Leafs off guard with a well-executed onside kick by Aaron Hernandez that was recovered by Jon Andrist.

With two minutes left in the first half, Rochelle was in the end zone again, taking a 27-7 lead on a Manning score.

After forcing a punt, Rochelle took possession at its own 20-yard line with 1:30 left. Quarterback Van Gerber, one of many new starters, efficiently led the Hubs downfield to the 12-yard line before time ran out at half.

Geneseo put together a solid drive to start the third quarter, but Rochelle’s top defensive returner, Brode Metgzer, blew up a third down attempt and the drive stalled at midfield.

Villalobos then had Rochelle’s longest run of the game, a 34-yarder, setting up his own TD three plays later to make it 34-7.

On its next possession, Geneseo pulled within 34-14 on a Weinzierl 33-yard score. During the drive, the Leafs converted its fourth of five fourth down attempts.

Tyler Gensler, younger brother of all-staters Grant and Garrett, put the game out of reach with a fourth quarter score for Rochelle.

Geneseo was held to 155 net yards, an average of 2.9 yards per play.

“We stayed disciplined and read our keys,” said Hub DB Mark Green, who led both sides on defense with 10 tackles.

The only glitch for Rochelle was eight penalties for 55 yards, twice allowing Geneseo drives to stay alive.

“It was a great start,” Kissack said. “We had a lot of holes to fill and it was a challenge for our kids to prove that they could.”