EDWARDSVILLE - Kennedy Gieseking is a senior running back and receiver for the girls flag football team at Edwardsville High School, and on Sept. 24, 2026, she might have made her biggest catch o the season.
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Gieseking made an off-balance catch of an Ella Wallace conversion pass after Wallace hit Stella Worman in the end zone for a game-tying touchdown in Edwardsville's stunning 13-12 win over Belleville East at Tiger Stadium to keep the Tigers undefeated, and clinch the Southwestern Conference championship for the second year in a row.
It's been a good season for Gieseking, who's caught 19 passes for 239 yards and five touchdowns with three games left in the regular season. Defensively, in the backfield, she's also pulled nine flags, six solo, and has made great contributions tot the Tigers' success this season.
Kennedy is an Edison's Entertainment Complex Female Athlete Of The Month for the Tigers.
In a postgame interview conducted after the win over East, Gieseking was very happy with how things turned out.
"I'm feeling great," Gieseking said. "I"m really proud of our team. We didn't play our best, but I'm glad we came out with a win."
The win kept Edwardsville undefeated at 10-0 for the year, and the Tigers have kept rolling right along.
"I'm so glad we're 10-0," Gieseking said. "We've really been fighting, we've been working hard every day in practice. I'm just glad it's really showing out on the field."
The game-winning score came about on good plays by both Wallace and Worman, while her extra point catch was being in the right place at he right time.
"Stella got that winning touchdown, she walked it right in," Gieseking said, "and then on the extra point, I just happened to be there in the right spot at the right time."
The goals for herself and Edwardsville haven't changed, even late in the season.
"We're hoping to go to state," Gieseking said, "and win state. That's the main goal, and I know we can really do it."
The playoffs start across the state next week, and it's something Gieseking is looking forward to with her teammates.
"I'm looking forward to it," she said. "Our first game is on Tuesday (against Alton). We're ready."
Gieseking is very hopeful about good things happening to her team as their campaign for the state berth starts up.
"I'm hoping we can win the first couple of games," Gieseking said. "Hopefully, we can win conference, and then, regionals, sectionals, and state."
But first, there's the matter of concluding the regular season, which has three games remaining, and Gieseking is cautiously confident of a successful conclusion.
"I'm hoping we win it all," Gieseking said.
