Wk.1 Review: Cherry Creek (Denver) vs Doherty (Colorado Springs)
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Game Recap The 2021 high school football season has finally arrived in Colorado! The season officially kicked off with an interstate battle between the Cherry Creek High School Bruins and the Doherty High School Spartans. Both the Bruins and Spartans…
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The 2021 high school football season has finally arrived in Colorado! The season officially kicked off with an interstate battle between the Cherry Creek High School Bruins and the Doherty High School Spartans. Both the Bruins and Spartans come into the season with high expectations. Cherry Creek is coming off of two-straight Colorado 5A state championship seasons, with hopes of winning a third title this year. Doherty, meanwhile, was just hoping to start the season strong after trudging to a 1-5 record in 2020.
Unfortunately for Doherty, the Bruins came to Garry L. Berry Stadium on a mission. Cherry Creek looked every bit like a two-time state champion should in the game as they raced to a 28-0 lead by the end of the first quarter off of rushing touchdowns from QB Christian Hammond Christian Hammond 6'2" | 180 lbs | QB Cherry Creek | 2023 CO (1), RB Carlson Tann Carlson Tann 5'10" | 175 lbs | RB Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO (17), and RB Keegan Holles Keegan Holles 6'1" | 190 lbs | RB Cherry Creek | 2022 State CO (28); in addition to a botched snap on a Doherty punt that led to a Bruins touchdown as well. The second quarter was much of the same, as Cherry Creek added two more scores – one on a 79-yard run by Carlson Tann Carlson Tann 5'10" | 175 lbs | RB Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO and the other coming on a 20-yard pass from Christian Hammond Christian Hammond 6'2" | 180 lbs | QB Cherry Creek | 2023 CO – to extend the lead to 42-0 going into the half.
After the first half, the rest of the game was played with a running clock, as some of the second team players got valuable time while the night for the starters was over. Overall, this game was about as one-sided as it could’ve been. Cherry Creek looked the part of a state champion, while Doherty’s struggles from last season appear to have carried over for another year. Offensively, the Bruins seemed like they could almost run the ball at will for chunk plays, while Doherty’s offense failed to even break past the 50-yard line until their last possession of the game. Defensively, to say that Cherry Creek completely shut down the Spartan’s offense would be an understatement, as the Bruins didn’t allow a completed pass or a first down until Doherty’s last possession of the first half. For the Spartans, they just couldn’t generate any kind of push from the defensive line, as the Cherry Creek offensive line routinely drove them into the second level defenders, creating chunks of yardage on the ground. As far as standout players are concerned, there were four that really made their presence felt. However, all four were on Cherry Creek’s roster, with Doherty as a whole struggling to generate any momentum on offense or defense from start to finish.
Standout Players
George Fitzpatrick George Fitzpatrick OL Cherry Creek | 2022 State CO (Sr.)(66), T – The four-star tackle and Ohio State commit certainly looked the part of a blue chip prospect. The number two prospect in the state displayed excellent foot speed, lateral agility, and explosiveness out of his stance allowing him to maintain quickness from snap to contact out of both a two-point and three-point stance in pass pro as well as zone blocking assignments, specifically with reach and combo blocks. Good body control, lateral agility, hand placement, hip and ankle flexibility, core strength, and footwork allow him to effectively gain and maintain leverage on reach and combo blocks in zone schemes; this being evident on Carlson Tann Carlson Tann 5'10" | 175 lbs | RB Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO ’s first touchdown run, as Fitzpatrick maintained his combo block on the outside shoulder of the defensive end all the way to the second level and sealed off the play-side linebacker to create the lane for Tann. Fitzpatrick also displayed outstanding agility, athleticism, technique and mental processing allows him to maintain balance and hit his set points in pass pro to maintain a half-man relationship versus pass rushers, adjust to counters/stunts/twists, etc., and when working to the second/third levels on screen plays. Fitzpatrick does many things well and will certainly look to continue his high level of play throughout his senior season.
Carlson Tann Carlson Tann 5'10" | 175 lbs | RB Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO (Jr.)(17), RB – Tann is currently rated as the number one RB in the state of Colorado for the 2023 class and only added to that ranking against the Spartans. Tann displayed good vision and patience to identify the running lanes created by his offensive line and accelerate through them; these traits being displayed on his first touchdown as he waited for daylight and exploded through the c-gap on a stretch call for an easy score. Maintains a low pad level at the point of contact, driving his legs to finish runs and gain extra yards. Also shows great lateral agility/athleticism to elude defenders in the open field, as well as the requisite explosiveness and foot speed to separate against second and third level defenders; as displayed on his 79-yard dash to the end zone in the second quarter, with him eluding two defenders and simply outrunning the safety. Tann appears to be primed for a big junior season and will no doubt elevate his already impressive recruiting ranking.
Keegan Holles Keegan Holles 6'1" | 190 lbs | RB Cherry Creek | 2022 State CO (Sr.)(28), RB – Holles might not have the same recruiting billing as Tann, but he is certainly as gifted and important to the success of the offense as Tann. Holles appears to be the thunder to Tann’s lightning, with the two forming a rotation that Doherty just didn’t have an answer for. Holles displays excellent lower body strength and balance that allows him to break through arm tackles. This trait being displayed on his 10-yard touchdown run to close out the first half, as he sprinted through the a-gap, shedding multiple arm tackles with second level defenders. Another example of his excellent balance and lower body strength was displayed on a 20-yard carry he had in the first quarter where he dragged several defenders for five extra yards after contact, down to the one yard line. Displays requisite ability as a receiver as well with good hands and the ability to run adequate routes to separate against linebackers; evidenced by a 16-yard reception he had off of a rollout to the right that set up Tann’s first touchdown run. Holles has started his senior season strong and will certainly be worth following throughout this season.
Blake Purchase Blake Purchase 6'4" | 230 lbs | DL Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO (Jr.)(12), LB/DL – Purchase is currently ranked as the number one defensive player in the state of Colorado for the 2023 class and certainly appears to be as dominant as his ranking shows. He displays excellent awareness to identify different blocking schemes and quickly reacts; shown on a big stop he had on a second down QB stretch play. He was able to quickly identify the pulling guard, attack his outside shoulder, and shed the block to prevent the QB from gaining the edge. Also displays elite explosiveness out of his stance to drive down-hill towards the ball carrier/blocker. Maintains a good, low pad level at the point-of-contact that allows him to generate great pop/strength when delivering a tackle. Also displays good hand technique at the point-of-contact to neutralize the blockers hands. All of these traits being displayed on all three of his sacks that he registered against the Spartans, with the tackles routinely being overwhelmed by his speed, explosiveness, size, and technique. Purchase showed why his ability is thought of so highly in recruiting circles and we should continue to expect that type of skill displayed through the rest of his junior season.
Cherry Creek has a loaded roster and it showed. There’s a reason they have won two staright 5A state championships and with the talent on the roster, a third is definitely attainable. Doherty couldn’t have gotten a tougher start to the season being matched up with the Bruins, but next week shouldn’t be as tall of an order as taking on the two-time defending state champs.