Name: Jeff Wilson.
School: Class 3A Pueblo County Hornets, South Metro League.
Record: 3-2 overall in 2006, 2-0 league; 47-44 career.
Coaching résumé: Assistant at Pueblo County, 1989-94 and Pueblo South, 1995-96; head coach at Pueblo West, 1997-99; head coach at Pueblo County, 2000-present.
Life lines: Age 42. Native of Pueblo. Graduated from Pueblo County in 1981 and Northern Colorado in 1988, earned degree in mathematics and master’s degree in educational leadership in 1993. Teaches mathematics and weight training at Pueblo County.
Back in his day: Was a running back and strong safety at Pueblo County, first team all- Southern League at defensive back as a senior (1980).
What he has done lately: They play rock ’em, sock ’em football in many parts of Colorado, particularly in the southern area.
So the Hornets’ 7-6 victory Friday night on the road over previously undefeated and defending 3A state champion Florence, ranked No. 2 in The Denver Post/9News 3A poll, was that much sweeter.
“Florence is such a great football team,” Wilson said. “To hold (the Huskies) to six points … in every aspect we played fantastic.”
The Hornets, who also ended Florence’s 15-game winning streak in league (the Huskies hadn’t dropped a league game since Week 8 in 2003, to Alamosa), were especially good on defense. They led 7-0 early on Zach Martinez’s 79-yard touchdown run and a conversion kick by Garrett Hannafious that proved to be more than an afterthought. It was the deciding point.
Florence got within 7-6 on an 8-yard touchdown pass and missed its conversion kick. However, Pueblo County was called for a personal foul. Florence elected to go for a two- pointer, but misfired on a pass attempt.
Throughout the second half, Pueblo County bent a little, but didn’t break. And the Hornets were big on Florence’s final offensive series. With first-and- goal and less than a minute to play, the Huskies, who began the drive at their 20 with 2:43 to play, used two running plays to get to the 2-yard line, then another rush put them just inches from the goal line.
“We just stuffed them,” Wilson said. “On the film, we had nine guys get off the pile. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Florence then attempted a field goal from what amounted to extra-point distance … and the kick went wide left with eight seconds remaining.
The Martinez brothers (no relation to Zach), senior Myles and junior Ty, both outside linebackers, and sophomore Jarrett, a nose guard had big games, as did quarterback J.T. Greenhood.
“You have to win some games in the summertime, in the weight room, and it showed,” Wilson said.
Note
The Denver Broncos high school coach of the week, in its 11th year, will have 10 honorees in the regular season. NFL Charities will present a check for $1,000 to the school’s program. Lakewood’s Mark Robinson, Pueblo East’s Rick Upchurch, Cherokee Trail’s Monte Thelen and Wheat Ridge’s Reid Kahl are previous winners in 2006. A coach of the year will be announced at the Broncos’ Dec. 31 game against the San Francisco 49ers at Invesco Field at Mile High and receive $2,000. Coaches are selected from a panel consisting of Neil H. Devlin, The Denver Post; Billy Thompson, the Broncos; Marcia Neville, KCNC-4; and Andy Lindahl, KOA 850 AM.
