Pueblo – Midway through the 2007 regular season, Pueblo County couldn’t be much happier.
“We’re right where we want to be,” coach Jeff Wilson said Friday night after his Hornets thoroughly handled visiting Florence 37-6 in The Denver Post game of the week.
The Hornets Nest buzzed and the Pueblo County players delighted their crowd by rocking and rolling the Huskies to improve to 5-0 overall, 2-0 in the Class 3A South Metro League.
Known for its considerable size and power, Pueblo County, ranked No. 1 in The Denver Post/9News 3A poll and the 2006 state runner-up, consistently controlled the line of scrimmage, received hard running from a series of backs and took advantage of numerous miscues by the second- ranked Huskies, the 2005 champions.
A year ago, the Hornets downed Florence 7-6, an eye-opening victory that was noticed throughout the classification.
This time, they wanted to leave no doubt.
“We wanted a better showing,” Hornets tackle-middle linebacker Buddy Gonzales said. “We’re working hard and we wanted to show we deserved it.”
Said Wilson: “I would have never imagined (this type of scoring deficit). Florence has put it on us like that. You can’t turn the ball over in big games like this.”
The Huskies (4-1, 1-1) had five turnovers, three in the fourth quarter, among their problems. Untimely penalties, being a step slow and not handling the Hornets up front on either side of the ball also made it a long night, despite the first half taking only 45 minutes to complete.
“They have a lot of meat going forward,” Florence coach Mark Buderus. “They just got after it, nothing fancy … just getting off the ball and making plays.”
Behind two touchdowns each by Joe Pullara and Gio Rider, Pueblo County recovered from an opening three-and-out series, before dominating.
Rider capped a 97-yard drive in the first quarter – aided by a 47-yard run by quarterback J.T. Greenhood to the Florence 15-yard line – with an 11-yard touchdown run.
Pullara’s 12-yard run on the second play of the second quarter led to a 16-0 bulge, then Florence continued its array of errors.
Other than Tyler Ridgeway’s 5-yard scoring run late in the third quarter, the rest of the Huskies’ drives ended in running out of time in the first half, four punts, two interceptions, three fumbles and giving it over on downs.
“We need to go home, regroup and figure out ways to get first downs,” Buderus said.
Pullara’s 4-yard touchdown run made it 23-0 in the third quarter, then the Hornets sealed it with a 56-yard scoring run by Rider and an 18-yard burst by Josh Greenhood in the final quarter.
Gonzales, Jarret Martinez and Jared Sanders helped keep the Hornets firm at the point of attack, including on defense.
“That’s what we try to do,” Wilson said. “That’s what we always try to do and that’s taking care of that front.”
Florence 0 0 6 0 – 6
Pueblo County 8 8 7 14 – 37
PC – Rider 11 run (J.T. Greenhood run). PC – Pullara 12 run (Pullara run). PC – Pullara 4 run (Molina kick). F – Ridgeway 5 run (pass failed). PC – Rider 56 run (Molina kick). PC – Josh Greenhood 18 run (Molina kick).
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
