Wife of Moline assistant coach conflicted as Geneseo honors her dad, Reade

Font Size:

By Craig DeVrieze | Wednesday, September 3, 2008 9:20 PM CDT | () comments

Whitney Woods seemed to have found Solomanic solution to a sticky conundrum last year.

The Geneseo graduate and wife of a Moline assistant football coach wore a green shirt as she sat among old Maple Leaf friends on the visitors side of Moline’s Browning Field.

It said “Moline” across the front.

“It’s very conflicting,” she said of establishing a rooting interest in the high school football rivalry. But, she added: “I have to go where the income lies.”

Mrs. Matt Woods will be even more conflicted when the Maroons visit the Maple Leafs Friday night. Before the game, Geneseo High School names its football field in honor of her father.

Yes, she is the former Whitney Reade and, of course, will be joined by her father, mother and all but one of her 10 brothers and sisters as Bob Reade Field is introduced.

It will be a proud moment for the family of the legendary coach who led the Leafs to a 146-21-4 record from 1962 through 1978, a run that include 53 straight wins and three state championships from 1976 through 1978.

“I am very excited for him,” said Whitney, 34, and the eighth of the Reades’ 11 children. “This is truly an honor.”

Even her notoriously reticent father agrees with that. He will address the crowd, but, as is his fashion, won’t have more than a few words to say.

“People aren’t interested in me,” he said. “They’re there to watch the football game.”

Whitney will be watching too, but this will be the rare week the Class of 1992 grad won’t be pulling for her alma mater.

“I don’t want to come home and find the locks changed,” she said.

Geneseo athletic director Travis Mackey said the ceremony will take place about 6:45 p.m., and a public reception will follow the varsity game in the high school cafeteria.

Comets play for teammate

Sterling Newman running back Nate Robbins said he and his teammates are dedicating this season to senior receiver Jacob Nysather, who suffered a season-ending knee injury for the second year in a row.

“We want to give everything we have for him because we know he would give everything if he was out here,’’ Robbins said. “He was out last year and now he’s out this year. He didn't realize the last play of his football career would be in his sophomore year.’’

Robbins, one of Newman’s co-captains, has 126 yards rushing and caught a 70-yard touchdown pass in a 44-7 rout of Fulton.

Craig DeVrieze can be contacted at (563) 333-2610 or cdevrieze@qctimes.com. Don Doxsie contributed to this report.