Pueblo West football claims Pigskin Classic again with blowout win over Pueblo County
The 22nd edition of the Pigskin Classic returned to the ThunderBowl at CSU Pueblo on Friday.
It wasn't without a wait, though.
The game started with a one-hour lightning delay minutes after the coin toss.
The Cyclones came out ready to play, while the Hornets struggled to get any rhythm on the offensive or defensive side of the ball. In the end, the highly sought-after Pigskin Trophy once again stayed with Pueblo West as they defeated Pueblo County 41-7.
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Cyclones dominate early
The Hornets could not get anything going early. They went three and out four out of their first five possessions and one of their first quarter possessions ended in an interception returned for a Cyclones touchdown.
Pueblo West, on the other hand, was clicking on all cylinders in the first half. They scored on two of their first three possessions, both coming from running back Jacob Trader on the ground, including a 29-yard scamper up the middle almost untouched.
It didn’t help County’s defense that West’s average starting field position in the first quarter was inside the Hornets' 40-yard line, giving the visiting team a very favorable short field.
The second quarter was much the same from County on offense. They had stalled drives the entire quarter until the very end of the half when they were able to put together a nice five-minute plus drive that ultimately ended with another interception, this time by West's Andrew Plutt.
That set up West for a 65-yard screen pass from Gavin Lockett to Trader to push the lead to four scores. Shortly after, Lockett hit wide receiver Titus White for a 39-yard strike through the air to make it a 35-0 game at halftime.
Shutting the door early
The second half started off with a bang for West. Garrett O'Brien took the opening kick-off and returned it for a 93-yard touchdown.
Because of that return, there was a running clock for the entire second half because of the 40-plus point deficit. County still had no answer for the pressure from West’s defense. The Hornets were getting little to no push from their offensive line on run plays and struggled in protection on passing plays.
Their lone highlight came via a fourth-quarter drive, another long drive for County which finally resulted in a touchdown. But it was too little too late, with the score 41-7.
The backups for West came in and were able to run the clock out against their rivals. For the seventh consecutive year, the Cyclones claimed the Pigskin Trophy.
“We feel good," said West head coach Clint Buderus. "I have to watch the film and see. I think we made a lot of mistakes offensively, didn't block very well on the perimeter. But I mean when the score is 41-7, you've got to feel pretty good about it."
His message to the team was all about taking care of the football and keeping control of the game. They did exactly that, forcing three turnovers overall.
Overall, Buderus was happy to take the trophy back to West and keep the winning tradition going.
“It's huge. It's one of our top three things,” Buderus said. “We will beat County, that's number one. So it's a big deal for the community and for us and it's a cool environment, man. You don't get to play these games very often."
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MVP: Jacob Trader
The MVP of the game was clearly running back Jacob Trader, who had over 120 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns in the game. His performance on the field helped open the game and take control for the Cyclones early on.
“He's just a great kid,” Buderus said. “He's got that toughness, you know? Last week he had a few plays where he should have been tackled and he's just tough, man. He finds a way to get it done.”
Trader is a senior and, in his final appearance in the Pigskin Classic, he left it all out on the field.
“I'm feeling really good, my team played together really good and we were able to get a running clock at that beginning of the second half,” Trader said. “We got that nice kick return and it was nice to get our JV in to get them some reps. All in all, it was a really good game, we came together as a team and now we're going to go on a face (Fountain-Fort Carson) next week”
West was prepared for a battle and Trader in particular was ready for anything the Hornets brought.
“I didn't know what to see with them because last week they did beat South, which was unexpected,” Trader said. “But I felt like our team came together a lot better and we battled through thick and thin.”
Getting a victory in his final Pigskin Classic will be one of the highlights of his career, Trader said.
“It means a lot just because they're one of the biggest rivals since before I was even born,” he said.
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Christopher Abdelmalek is a sports reporter for the Pueblo Chieftain and can be reached at cabdelmalek@gannett.com or on Twitter: @chowebacca
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo Pigskin Classic: West wins 7th straight meeting vs. County
