Week 8 Review: Cherry Creek Bruins vs Arapahoe Warriors

<strong>Review</strong> The week 8 slate of games in Colorado were chalk full of great match-ups, but the week was certainly highlighted by the matchup between the 2nd ranked Cherry Creek Bruins and the 8th ranked Arapahoe Warriors. The Bruins entered the game at 6-1 riding a 4-game winning streak while Arapahoe came into the contest at 6-1 as well and also riding a 4-game winning streak. Both teams came into the game with a lot on the line and it certainly lived up to the hype, as Arapahoe narrowly pulled off the upset 13-10, in what was mostly a defensive struggle for both teams. Neither offense could get much of anything going through the air but Arapahoe was able to gain 212 yards on the ground, showing an ability to at least generate something on offense. However, the difference in the game came down to turnovers. Arapahoe played a clean game in the turnover department while Cherry Creek gave the ball up twice, once on a fumble and the last one coming on a pick-6 returned by senior LB Jack Weiler for what would be Arapahoe’s lone touchdown in the game. While it was mostly a back-and-forth, defensive struggle for both teams, there were several players that had standout performances and displayed top level traits in the process. <strong>Players of the Game</strong> Jack Weiler, Arapahoe Warriors (LB)(Sr.)(40) - Weiler certainly had the most important play of the night on his 44-yard pick-6, but the senior captain led the way for a defense that held Cherry Creek QB [player_tooltip player_id="43802" first="Christian" last="Hammond"] to 7 of 18 passing (39%) for a paltry 131 yards and the game-sealing pick-6 in the 4th quarter. When you look at the film, you can see Weiler displays excellent form on his tackles, consistently wrapping up and driving through contact with the ball carrier. Smart LB that has a good understanding of his run fits and gap responsibilities. Excellent use of hands and hand strength when fighting through blockers to get to the ball carrier. High motor player that relentlessly pursues the ball carrier, even when working backside on a play. Good ability in pass coverage while playing in zone coverage underneath, mainly because of his outstanding awareness. Solid athlete with enough explosiveness out of his stance to generate force at the point-of-contact. While Weiler isn’t getting a ton of traction in the recruiting world, he is definitely a very talented player that will be fun to follow as he finishes out his senior season. [player_tooltip player_id="22708" first="Pyreese" last="Miller"], Arapahoe Warriors (RB/DB)(Sr.)(10) - Miller was easily the best offensive player, for either team, last Friday. Miller was the biggest contributor to Arapahoe’s 212 yards on the ground, with most of those coming on a 53 yard run he had in the 3rd quarter to set up an Arapahoe field goal that made the game 6-3. Miller also had a stellar performance on the defensive side of the ball, registering two tackles for a loss and a sack. When watching Miller on tape, you can see that he shows a good amount of physicality on both offense and defense despite his smaller size (5’9, 170 lbs). Brings plenty of force behind his pads at the point-of-contact when finishing runs as a ball carrier and when running down-hill to fill his run fits. Elusive ball carrier with excellent vision and lateral agility that allows him to take tight running lanes and turn them into big plays. His elusiveness is also displayed in the open field when working 1-on-1 against 2nd and 3rd level defenders. While Miller is another player that isn’t getting a lot of attention in recruiting circles, he is certainly a talented player that was one of the biggest contributors to the Warriors upset over the Bruins. [player_tooltip player_id="62241" first="Blake" last="Purchase"], Cherry Creek Bruins (LB)(Jr.)(12) - Purchase, who is currently rated as the top prospect in the state for the 2023 class, was probably the biggest reason the Bruins were able to have such a stout showing defensively against the Warriors and hold them to under 300 yards of total offense, with only 87 of those yards coming through the air. The blue-chip prospect posted an impressive stat line, accounting for 11 tackles, a tackle for a loss, and a pass deflection. When you watch Purchase on film, you can see he displays excellent awareness to identify different blocking schemes and quickly react. Good understanding of how to identify perimeter blockers, attack their outside shoulder, and shed the block to prevent the ball carrier 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 in pass rush scenarios, with the opposing tackles routinely being overwhelmed by his speed, explosiveness, size, and technique. Purchase is certainly a coveted prospect by many division-1 programs and will be exciting to watch through the rest of his high school career and wherever he goes at the collegiate level. Overall, while this game didn’t feature a ton of offense, it certainly lived up to the hype as these two teams fought tooth-and-nail to the very end. This week, the Bruins look to bounce back strong against an Eaglecrest squad that is currently 1-7 while the Warriors take on the Smoky Hill Buffaloes who are currently 4-4. Both Cherry Creek and Arapahoe should win their respective match-ups, but if the game they played against each other last Friday was any indication...anything is possible.