Windsor High awakens in 2nd half
to beat Casa Grande in football opener
LORI A. CARTER

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT | August 17, 2018

WINDSOR — After a lackluster first half that left them trailing 14-7 at halftime, the Windsor Jaguars came out with a sense of urgency in the third quarter and turned the tables on visiting Casa Grande, ultimately winning 30-22 in the opening game of the 2018 high school football season.

In their opening drive of the second half, the Jaguars pounded the ball through the Gauchos’ defense, scoring on an 11-play drive, 10 of which were rushing plays.

Lorenzo Leon powered through the middle for a six-yard score with 7:31 left in the third quarter, followed by Otis Cain’s point after to tie the game at 14.

Leon ran the ball four times on the drive, while Jerimiah Pignataro and Octavio Vega each ran three times in the drive.

Windsor coach Brad Stibi, making his debut in charge of the Jags, had high praise for his rushing corps.

“Lorenzo Leon ran the heck out of the ball,” he said. “Octavio Vega was looking good. Pignataro was a third threat.”

The Jaguars were a different team to start the second half, he said.

“That’s what we were waiting for. We just decided to play,” he said.

After Casa went four-and-out on its next drive, Windsor continued its momentum, spurred by a 20-yard punt return by Landan Estrella and a 12-yard run by Leon.

Leon scored again on a 13-yard rush. Cain’s point after gave Windsor a 21-14 lead and a clear sense that the Jaguars could win the game.

“It’s not just one guy; it’s the whole team,” Vega said. “When someone gets hyped, everyone gets hyped.”


Casa couldn’t move the ball on its ensuing possession, going four-and-out again at its own 20-yard line.

Then the punt snap was high, soaring well past the kicker and out of the end zone, resulting in a safety and two points for Windsor, giving the Jaguars a 23-14 lead nearing the end of the third quarter.

The rushing trio of Leon, Vega and Pignataro again led the Jags on another 11-play scoring drive midway through the final quarter. Vega had runs of 9 and 8 yards before Pignataro scored on a 4-yard run with 5:51 left in the game.

Cain’s point after gave Windsor a 30-14 lead.

While that may have felt like a commanding lead, Casa didn’t lie down.

The Gauchos’ combination of quarterback Jadon Bosarge and wide receiver Dominic McHale connected on 20- and 12-yard plays before teaming again on a 5-yard touchdown.

That pulled Casa to 30-20. A two-point conversion, again from Bosarge to McHale, made it 30-22 and put the Gauchos within striking distance with 3:47 left.

Windsor, however, drew out the last three minutes, with Pignataro and Leon bearing the burden again. After whittling down the clock to 32 seconds, the Jags turned the ball over on downs at the Gauchos’ 32-yard line.

Casa aired it out but Bosarge couldn’t connect for enough yardage to threaten.

Windsor is now 1-0 and Casa Grande 0-1 in non-league play.
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Jags footballers turn back Casa Grande, 30-22 in season opener

Windsor will get big litmus test this Friday versus Freedom

The Jaguars opened the 2018 football campaign in winning style on Friday, using a strong second half to turn back former league rival Casa Grande, 30-22.

Windsor did it the old fashioned way, dominating the line of scrimmage in churning up over 300 yards on the ground to give head coach Brad Stibi his first victory.

Junior quarterback Nick Pariani (8-11, 60 yards, TD passing) directed a bruising ground attack led by junior running back Lorenzo Leon, who amassed over 100 yards rushing with a pair of touchdowns. Also turning in solid ground efforts were senior Octavio Vega and junior Jeremiah Pignataro.

“Being able to run the football was definitely the key to the game,” Stibi said, praising the work of offensive linemen Austin Jacob, Julian Pell, Christian Jernigan and Jacob Thrall. “Overall, I think we’re developing at a good pace and gelling as a group.”

The Jags will get their first litmus test this Friday, Aug. 24 when they play host to Freedom High School of Oakley, a perennial playoff team that handed Windsor a 49-0 loss last season. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.

“Our plan defensively is to try to get to their running back as fast as we can and not miss tackles,” Stibi noted. “We need to make that first contact count.”

Strong finish keys win

Casa Grande drew first blood in the opening period on Friday when quarterback Jadon Bosarge connected on a 20-yard touchdown pass to receiver Dominic McHale for an early 7-0 lead at the end of one.

Pariani got the Jags on the board in the second quarter when he found junior receiver Jake Seivers on a 15-yard scoring strike. Otis Cain added the PAT kick and the game was knotted at 7-7. Casa Grande finished the half with another 15-yard touchdown pass and the Gauchos led 14-7 at the break.

Windsor began to control the line of scrimmage in the third quarter, as Leon finished off a pair of strong drives with scoring runs of six and 13 yards as the Jags surged to a 21-14 advantage. A safety after a bad snap by the Gauchos on a punt attempt made it 23-14 at the end of three.

Windsor gained separation midway through the final period, mounting an 11-play drive culminating in a 4-yard scoring burst for a 30-14 cushion. Casa added a 4-yard touchdown pass late in the game but the Jaguars hung on for a 30-22 win.