Week 2 Review: Pueblo County Hornets vs Pueblo West Cyclones

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A look at the five best performances from this cross-division, nonconference matchup.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Review</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While Week 2 was a weekend that had several marquee matchups, the game between the Pueblo County Hornets and the Pueblo West Cyclones was one that didn't carry much anticipation, as most expected the Cyclones to run away with this game early. Unfortunately for the Hornets, that's exactly how it played out, as Pueblo West jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the 1st quarter and carried a commanding 35-0 lead into the locker room at halftime. The Pueblo County offense would eventually get on the board in garbage time, but it didn't do anything to change the lopsided 35-7 victory for the Cyclones of Pueblo West. One can assume that from a game as uneven as this one, a majority of the great performances were on the winning side, which would be true but there was still at least one player from Pueblo County who had a good night. With that being said, here are the five players who I felt had the strongest performances in this matchup.</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) – In my mind, Lockett had the strongest night of any player in this game, as he was responsible for 4 total touchdowns. Lockett made his presence felt through the air and on the ground against the Hornets, as he went 10 of 13 (77%) for 146 yards passing, a passing touchdown, and a QBR of 138.6 while also adding 77 yards rushing and 3 rushing touchdowns on the ground for good measure. When you dive into the tape of Lockett's night against the Pueblo County defense, 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, which feels low given his potential. Regardless, if Lockett can continue to play at a high level, the Cyclones will be tough to beat this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brock Keck, Pueblo West Cyclones (WR)(Jr.)(11) – While Keck might not have been dominant against the Hornets defense, he made key plays for the Cyclones at the most important times. Despite not posting all-world numbers, Keck still made his presence felt against the Pueblo County defense, registering 14 yards receiving and the Cyclones lone receiving touchdown, with those numbers not doing Keck's role for the Pueblo West offense justice. 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, nevertheless, is an incredibly talented player that will be a key piece in Pueblo West's pursuit of a state title this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='553061' first='Johnathan' last='Gonzales'], Pueblo County Hornets (WR)(Sr.)(4) - Despite being on the losing side of a lopsided matchup, Gonzales was still the most prolific receiver on either team in this game. The Hornets might have struggled as a whole but Gonzales certainly didn't struggle on an individual level as he registered an impressive 115 yards receiving on 5 receptions (23.0 YPR). When you dive into the tape of Gonzales' performance against the Pueblo West defense, you can see that he is a big-bodied receiver (6'3, 175 lbs) with outstanding overall athleticism that makes him an extremely difficult matchup for most DBs on the boundary. Combination of excellent top-end foot speed and explosiveness out of his stance allows him to separate consistently against most DBs on fade routes and go routes up the sideline. Very technically sound receiver that can create separation against the opposing DB with both speed and physicality. Exceptionally precise route runner that has experience working every level of the field whether it be short, intermediate, or deeper breaking routes. Displays good hand strength and body control when working against defenders for contested catches, whether it be on receptions over the middle when he's working through traffic or on jump-balls over opposing DBs. Shows tremendous ability as a blocker on the perimeter, often flattening the opposing DB before they have a chance to stack-and-shed his block. Gonzales is currently ranked the number 17 WR and the number 154 player overall for the class of 2024, which seems low given his potential and production against good competition. Either way, Gonzales will be an important player for the Hornets this season.</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 had about as well-rounded a performance as you can hope for from a defender against the Hornets, making his presence felt in every phase. The Pueblo County offense couldn't get anything past O'Brien on the ground or through the air as he accounted for 8 tackles, a tackles for a loss, and a pair of pass deflections. Diving into the film of O'Brien's night against the Hornets offense, 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 is an extremely talented player regardless. O'Brien will be a key piece on both sides of the ball for the Pueblo West Cyclones as they pursue a state title this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='251218' first='Josiah' last='Perez'], Pueblo West Cyclones (DL)(Sr.)(52) – If O'Brien was the stalwart of the defensive backfield than Perez was the stalwart for the defensive line. The Pueblo County offensive line had no answers for Perez, as he registered an impressive 6 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, a sack, and a pass deflection. When you turn on the tape of Perez's performance against the Hornets 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 Perez showing on a weekly basis why he has the recruiting buzz that he does. If he can continue to play at a high-level, the Cyclones defense will be a tough outing for any opposing offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->