WINDSOR — When you play a football team from Pueblo, expect that blue-collar, hard-hitting mentality associated with the Steel City.
Just ask Windsor quarterback Trevor Okamoto.
Okamoto and the Wizards jumped out to a 20-0 lead and then held on for a 33-20 victory in Class 3A’s first round Saturday at H.J. Dudley Field.
“They just lower their head and they hit you as hard as they can, every single play,” said Okamoto, who had nine of his rushes go for negative yardage. “We definitely felt it.”
Next for Windsor (9-2) is a trip to Steamboat Springs (11-0) for a quarterfinal game against the Sailors and their star quarterback, Austin Hinder, next Saturday.
“We’re excited,” Wizards coach Chris Jones said. “It’s just another challenge for us.”
Pueblo County finished 7-4.
The Wizards scored early and often, thanks to strong play from their special teams and defense. The game’s opening kickoff was retuned 55 yards by Aaron Schmidt to the Hornets’ 24-yard line. One play later and just 17 seconds in, Windsor’s Conner Glenn scored the first touchdown on a 24-yard gallop.
Byron Brakke ended a Pueblo County possession with the first of two interceptions thrown by Austin Wallingford.
After Okamoto’s 55-yard scamper put the Wizards in the red zone, Glenn again finished the drive with a 13-yard touchdown run.
Okamoto’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Schmidt on their next possession seemed to wake up the Hornets.
“They are a tough, scrappy team and they are not just going to roll over and die,” Jones said of the Hornets. “They are going to keep coming, and our guys had to be ready to play four quarters of football.”
The Hornets, playing with an injured Brett Avila (their leading rusher), responded with an 11-play, 73-yard drive that culminated in Mike Hasenack’s 2-yard TD plunge.
Pueblo County made it a 20-14 game going into halftime and seemed to have the momentum on both sides of the ball.
With a defense led by senior linebacker Scott Lindenmuth, the Hornets were giving the Wizards’ triple-option offense fits in the third quarter.
“They just outhustled us and gave it to us,” Lindemuth said of the Wizards’ second wind. “We thought we had a run in us, but they were the better team.”
Glenn, who finished with 89 yards on 19 carries, scored his third touchdown of the game to start the fourth quarter and help the Wizards advance.
“Windsor is a very good football team and sometimes you have to bring your ‘A’ game against teams like that,” said Hornets coach Jeff Wilson. “We didn’t.”
Pueblo County 0 14 0 6 — 20
Windsor 14 6 0 13 — 33
W — Glenn 24 run (kick failed). W — Glenn 13 run (Lobmeyer pass from Okamoto). W — Schmidt 8 pass from Okamoto (kick failed). PC — Hasenack 2 run (Wallingford run). PC — Rodriguez 19 pass from Wallingford (run failed). W — Glenn 3 run (run failed). W — Walker 17 pass from Okamoto (Hause kick). PC — Rodriguez 14 pass from Wallingford (run failed).
Jon E. Yunt: 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com
