Preseason No. 1 preview: Cherry Creek Bruins

Our final preview of the preseason No. 1 ranked teams in Colorado comes on the first Friday night of the 2019 fall football season. Our final look is in Class 5A and the Cherry Creek Bruins, one of the top programs in the entire state. Here is our preview for the Bruins, who kick off against Smoky Hill in Week 1. <strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">2019 recap</span></strong> The Cherry Creek Bruins were the kings in Class 5A, running the table to a 14-0 record and winning the state championship at the Denver Broncos stadium. Only a 14-7 win over Pomona in the state semifinal round was decided by single digits last season. Defense carried the Cherry Creek team as they allowed less than 20 points in 12 of the 14 games. The Bruins have become regulars reaching the state playoffs, but their state championship win in 2019 was the first in five years for the program. Still, the program has the fourth-most championship wins in state history. <span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>Players to watch</strong></span> Cherry Creek boasts a handful of FBS level prospects, many of whom are already committed to playing at the next level. The defense appears to be a strength again this season, most notably on the defensive line and in the secondary. The front of the line is led by [player_tooltip player_id="22521" first="Arden" last="Walker"], the state’s top defensive prospect according to Prep Redzone Colorado. The Kansas State commit is an athletic, physical defensive end and is a playmaker against the run and the pass. Opposite of him at the other defensive end spot is [player_tooltip player_id="22534" first="Gus" last="Zilinskas"], who will play at Rutgers at the next level. At 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds, he too brings speed and power to the position and is a disrupter. The two combined for 131 tackles and 10 sacks in 2019. On the back end is perhaps the best defensive back duo in the state in [player_tooltip player_id="22535" first="Al" last="Ashford III"] and [player_tooltip player_id="22530" first="Myles" last="Purchase"]. Having already announced his commitment to Wisconsin, Ashford is a speedster and has great recovery speed to trail defenders and close the gap to make a play on the ball. Purchase is also a speedy play and can make a guy miss with the ball in his hands, whether it’s on an interception return, a return in the special teams department or in the wildcat on offense. Purchase is planning to make a commitment later this month. Don’t sleep on Cherry Creek’s offense this year either. The Bruins have plenty of playmakers back from an offense that averaged 36.2 points per game. Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id="22547" first="Julian" last="Hammond III"] returns as the signal caller for the Bruins offense. The future University of Colorado basketball player brings a leadership to the team and is an accurate passer that completed 62 percent of his passing attempts. Two of the top passing prospects he will be throwing to return. Wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id="22528" first="Chase" last="Penry"], who will play football for Colorado, is a polished route runner with sure hands and can work over the top and up the middle. At tight end is [player_tooltip player_id="22523" first="Gunnar" last="Helm"], a Texas commit who was a top target in the red zone with eight touchdown catches. He is also a willing blocker who can handle his own with defensive linemen and is built well at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds. All the prospects mentioned so far are in the Class of 2021. In the Class of 2022, Cherry Creek has the best offensive lineman and second-best prospect in the class in [player_tooltip player_id="22668" first="George" last="Fitzpatrick"]. The 6-foot-6, 245-pound offensive tackle has multiple FBS offer and is a physical presence up front. <strong>2020 schedule</strong> Oct. 9 vs. Smoky Hill, 7 p.m. Oct. 16 @ Cherokee Trail, 7 p.m. Oct. 22 vs. Grandview, 7 p.m. Oct. 30 @ Overland, 7 p.m. Nov. 6 vs. Arapahoe, 7 p.m. Nov. 12 @ Eaglecrest, 7 p.m. <em>Note: All games and start times are subject to change</em>