Week 0 Review: Pueblo West Cyclones vs Grand Junction Tigers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A look at the two best offensive and defensive performances from this 4A nonconference matchup.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Review</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coming into this contest, most expected it to be a fairly one-sided affair with the Cyclones being a playoff team in 2022 while the Tigers finished a paltry 1-9. The game, unfortunately for Grand Junction, played out exactly as most would have predicted, with Pueblo West jumping out to a 12-0 lead in the 1st quarter and a 25-0 lead at halftime. The football gods must have felt bad for the Tigers, as the game was called due to inclement weather at the start of the 4th quarter - preventing the Cyclones from extending their 32-0 lead, with that score being the final from this lopsided matchup. With how thoroughly Pueblo West was able to dominate Grand Junction, it should come as no surprise that both offensive players and both defensive players on this list came from the Pueblo West sideline, but here were the four players who I felt had the strongest showings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players of the Game</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='251317' first='Gavin' last='Lockett'], Pueblo West Cyclones (QB)(Jr.)(3) - Lockett was completely unstoppable against the Tigers, easily being the best player on the field regardless of team or position. Lockett made his presence felt in every facet of the offense, remarkably accounting for all 5 of the Cyclones' touchdowns - throwing for 2 scores and rushing for 3 more in just 3 quarters of action. Lockett's tape from his night against the Grand Junction defense might be some of the most impressive I've seen from the QB position, as the first thing that jumps out to you is his athleticism, as he shows elite level explosiveness and top-end foot speed as a ball carrier. Displays excellent vision and patience as a runner to find space/set-up his blocks, and more than enough explosiveness to pull away from 2nd and 3rd level defenders. Highly elusive ball carrier in one-on-one situations with defenders in the open field, that is a threat to take any scramble or designed run the distance. Displays great arm strength as a passer, consistently displaying the ability to hit throws at all three levels of the field. Exceptional accuracy and ball placement to all levels of the field, showing the ability to consistently squeeze throws into tight throwing lanes. Shows incredible accuracy on throws off-platform with different arm angles and while on the run. Lockett is currently ranked the 7 QB and the number 26 player overall in the class of 2025, with that ranking almost guaranteed to rise if he can continue to stack performances like the one he had on Friday. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brock Keck, Pueblo West Cyclones (WR)(Jr.)(11) - Keck was arguably the Cyclones most prolific receiving threat against the Grand Junction defense, proving to be near unstoppable in jump ball situations. Keck made his presence felt as a deep threat all game, being the team's leading receiver while also registering a touchdown reception. Watching the film of Keck's night against the Tigers defense, you can see he's a tall, long, big bodied receiver (6'5, 217 lbs) that has the frame and strength necessary to box-out defenders and high point the ball on fade routes in the red zone and other jump-ball scenarios. Great tracking ability when working back on under-thrown balls, working vertically up the sideline, or when high-pointing the ball in the red zone. Shows good ability after the catch, displaying a physical running style as a ball carrier in space. Strong, reliable hands when working shorter and intermediate routes through traffic when making contact with defenders. Good, consistent blocking ability on the perimeter on run calls, consistently showing the ability to seal the edge on the DB. Keck is currently unranked on recruiting boards for the class of 2025 but regardless, will be a key piece to a return trip to the 4A state playoffs for Pueblo West.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='251218' first='Josiah' last='Perez'], Pueblo West Cyclones (DL)(Sr.)(52) - Perez was easily one of the more dominant defensive players for the Cyclones defense, as the Grand Junction offensive line had no answers for him. Perez was a consistent presence in the Tigers backfield, being a tackling machine and leading the team in tackles for a loss. When you turn on the tape of Perez's performance against the Grand Junction offense, you can see that he shows an extremely explosive first step coming out of his stance that consistently overwhelms the opposing tackle. Ridiculously high motor player that never quits on a play or in his pursuit of the ball carrier. Shows great closing speed while crashing downhill, routinely knifing into the backfield to stuff the ball carrier. Displays exceptional pop/force at the point-of-contact with opposing blockers and ball carriers, consistently driving them back through the initial contact. Show a good speed rush with good bend that can push the edge of the pocket when pushing the opposing tackle's outside shoulder. Perez is currently ranked the number 7 DL and the number 59 player overall for the class of 2024, with that ranking appearing to be well-deserved given his night against the Grand Junction offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='986648' first='Garrett' last='O'Brien'], Pueblo West Cyclones (DB/WR)(Jr.)(9) - O'Brien might have had the most well-rounded performance of any player in this game, as he made significant contributions on both sides of the ball. O'Brien was all over the place for the Cyclones as he registered a receiving touchdown on the offensive side of the ball while also registering a pair of tackles for a loss and an interception on the defensive side of the ball. For the sake of this piece, we'll just focus on what he showed on the defensive side of things. Diving into the film of O'Brien's night against the Tigers, you can see he displays an incredible and uncanny knack for finding the football - with this being the result of a combination of great foot speed, lateral agility, and tracking ability while the ball is in the air. Exceptional athlete with remarkable first step explosiveness that allows him to hit top gear quickly. Displays excellent top-end foot speed that allows him to crash downhill quickly in run support or act as an eraser in pass coverage. Shows great ability as a run defender, routinely being asked to move into the box for run support. Displays an impressive ability to generate significant force at the point-of-contact with the ball carrier when making a tackle. O'Brien is currently unranked on recruiting boards for the class of 2025 but will be an unbelievably integral piece to the Cyclones pursuit of a birth in the state playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->