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There have been more than a few surprising results or happenings in the Western Big 6 Conference football landscape already in three weeks. Those in the Moline camp wish fewer of those involved the Maroons. However, that’s how the season has started for the two-time defending league champs, who had high hopes coming into the season. Injuries and tough losses have been the storylines for the Maroons this season and those continued Friday evening at Browning Field. Down three starters — including junior quarterback Kasen Ponder — and dominated by Sterling’s defensive front, the Maroons dropped to 0-3 with a head-scratching 21-10 setback to the Golden Warriors. “That never crossed my mind,” said veteran Moline coach Mike Morrissey when asked if he ever envisioned this start for this year’s club. People are also reading… It was an uphill climb in Friday’s league opener against a tough Sterling squad. Moline's offense never got on track except for 11 explosive plays that were big individual efforts from Marc Cary or Eli Warren that went for at least 10 yards. Otherwise, it was a lot of short gains or negative-yardage plays. “I felt like their defensive line controlled the game when we were on offense,” said Morrissey of an undersized Golden Warrior defensive front. “They had better get-off. They were more physical and caused problems. We ran behind some blocks and missed some blocks.” The tenor of the game totally changed in the third quarter. Trailing 10-7 after a TD late in the second quarter, Sterling took the opening kick of the third quarter and called for a holding penalty. The Golden Warriors then ran 25 plays, clicking 10:21 off the clock. It was a weird possession, going one step forward and one step back with three penalties pushing Sterling (2-1, 1-0 Big 6) back 40 yards. Covering 77 yards, the Golden Warriors didn’t even get points as the snap on a 30-yard field goal attempt was bobbled and lost. But it also wore out the Maroons – who were called for an unsportsmanlike penalty as well in that possession. “I’m very happy the scoreboard looked the way it did,” said Sterling coach Jon Schlemmer. “This is one that we needed; we found a way to bounce back.” Moline answered with a solid 11-play drive that took the Maroons to the Sterling 23-yard line before stalling on a failed fourth-and-two rush. “We got stops, we got stops,” said Schlemmer. “We didn’t let them score in the second half. Those running backs are good and to get stops against people like that is tough. They make it hard.” Sterling, without top receiving target Koltyn Chapman who was removed from the game after two unsportsmanlike penalties on that huge third-quarter drive, answered with touchdowns on its next two possessions in the fourth quarter. Senior Quincy Maas caught a 22-yard pass from Brady Berlin and sophomore DeAndre Maas turned a simple jet sweep into a 29-yard scoring jaunt down Moline’s sideline. The younger Maas caught a 15-yard TD strike with 1:03 left in the first half to get the Golden Warriors on the board after drives stalled with a missed 25-yard field goal and a lost fumble on the two possessions before the score. Early on, neither team looked smooth, resulting in a scoreless first quarter. The Maroons opened the scoring when Warren caught a short pass and turned it into a 31-yard scoring play. Junior Jonas Fiagan added a 29-yard field goal with 2:47 left in the second to give the hosts a 10-0 lead before Sterling answered with a seven-play, 67-yard drive to make it 10-7 at the half. Then Sterling’s offense took over in the third. “They controlled the ball,” said Morrissey. “It comes down to a lot of things that we did to beat ourselves at times, too. We are not the most disciplined team yet on both sides of the ball and here are things that we still have to work on and try to get this group ready to go next week.” That task doesn’t get any easier as the Maroons travel to face undefeated Geneseo, a 47-13 Friday winner over Rock Island at Public Schools Stadium. Then again, nothing has been easy for the Maroons yet this season. Facing a powerful Rochester team in the opener two weeks ago, Moline dropped a 21-17 decision with top running backs Marc Cary and Eli Warren getting nicked up and losing an offensive lineman. “The injuries in that game probably hurt us a little bit,” admitted Morrissey of the opening setback to Rochester. It was in last week’s 38-22 setback at Sycamore when Ponder broke his thumb, hitting a helmet following through on a pass attempt. He was on the sidelines on Friday with a cast on his right hand and could be out at least four more weeks, according to Morrissey. “Sycamore just mauled us physically,” said Morrissey. “I think some of our juniors up front, especially, are still trying to learn the physicality of things and what it takes to get off from that standpoint. “We’ve got to figure it out sooner or later.”