Pueblo South senior Jeremy Cody (88) is upended by Wheat Ridge junior Anthony Tate on Thursday night. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
LAKEWOOD — It wasn’t the start to the football season Wheat Ridge envisioned.
Pueblo South came into Jeffco Stadium on Thursday night in a Class 4A non-league opener on Zero Week. The Colts looked sharp early, rolling to a 42-0 victory over the Farmers.
“I’m done with Zero Week,” Wheat Ridge coach Stacy Coryell said of the Farmers’ 0-2 record in Zero Week openers against Pueblo South the last two years. “I thought we were more prepared tonight, I really did.”
The Farmers weren’t prepared for the bevy of offensive weapons Pueblo South displayed in the first half in grabbing a 35-0 halftime lead.
“We’ve got some special play makers,” Pueblo South coach Ryan Goddard said. “I don’t think we have ever had skilled guys on the field like this.”
Pueblo South starting quarterback Zach Cozzolino threw four first-half touchdowns. The senior was 7-for-14 passing for 197 yards and the four scores in the first two quarters.
“(Wheat Ridge) was keying hard on the run. Steve (Pueblo South running back Steve Brock) had a killer year last year,” Cozzolino said. “They packed the box and the throwing lanes were there. We’ve got guys who can make plays.”
Pueblo South’s Thomas Pannunzio (2) scores one of his three first-half touchdowns. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
Senior receiver Thomas Pannunzio caught three of the touchdowns that went for 7, 24 and 80 yards. Senior Marcell Barbee caught the fourth touchdown in the opening half.
“The way Zach threw the ball tonight was pretty special,” Goddard said. “I’m proud of the effort we had all together.”
Brock did the damage on the ground for the Colts. The running back had a 4-yard touchdown in the first quarter and his 80-yard dash on the first play from scrimmage in the second half pushed Pueblo South’s lead to 42-0 seconds into the third quarter. The 40-plus lead induced a running clock for the remainder of the game.
Wheat Ridge couldn’t get much going on offense until late in the third quarter. The Farmers got good field position after a poor punt by the Colts. However, Wheat Ridge eventually turned the ball over on downs on Pueblo South’s 15-yard line on what was the Farmers’ best scoring chance of the night.
“It’s good to get that on film,” Coryell said of playing a team with several offensive threats. “I’m sure we’ll make big improvements just watching this film. Our schedule doesn’t get much easier. We need a confidence builder next week for sure.”
Wheat Ridge heads out on the road for its next two games. The Farmers face Palmer at Garry Berry Stadium in Colorado Springs next Thursday night before heading up to Broomfield to take on the Eagles, ranked No. 2 in the CHSAANow.com 4A football preseason poll.
Wheat Ridge senior Payton Dietrich (4) drops Pueblo South’s Steve Brock for a loss. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)
“We’ve got to regroup,” said Coryell, who did point to a positive after the shutout loss. “It was good to see the young guys out there, a lot of sophomores. That’s awesome.”
Wheat Ridge returning offensive tandem of junior quarterback Anthony Tate and senior running back Payton Dietrich where held in check by the Colts. Tate didn’t play the second half after suffering a chest injury.
“We aren’t really big defensively, but we fly around and play hard,” Goddard said. “We knew (Dietrich and Tate) are special players and I still think very highly of them. They will be alright.”
Pueblo South defeated Wheat Ridge 55-21 in Pueblo last season to get off to a 1-0 start. The Colts host rival Pueblo Centennial next Friday night.
Pueblo South senior Steve Brock had a pair of touchdown runs in the Colts’ 42-0 victory Thursday at Jeffco Stadium. (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)