Week 5 Review: Cherry Creek Bruins vs Regis Jesuit Raiders
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A look at the three best performances in this matchup of 5A heavyweights. Review On paper, this matchup seemed like it would be the best game of the weekend, as Regis Jesuit came into the game ranked number 7 and…
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Continue ReadingA look at the three best performances in this matchup of 5A heavyweights.
Review
On paper, this matchup seemed like it would be the best game of the weekend, as Regis Jesuit came into the game ranked number 7 and Cherry Creek entered as number 1 in the 5A division. Unfortunately, this game got away very quickly from the Raiders as the Bruins scored first and never took their foot off the gas, relying on the ground game from their two star tailbacks to get the decisive win, 42-14. The Raiders couldn’t keep up with the Bruins’ offensive output and struggled to get any momentum going on either side of the ball. While it was an incredible night for the Bruins and a deflating one for the Raiders, both teams had players that played well. It was difficult to peak only three players from a matchup that has multiple players that can play at a high level collegiately, but these were the three who felt had the best showings for their respective team.
Players of the Game
Jordan Herron Jordan Herron 5'10" | 155 lbs | ATH Cherry Creek | 2024 State CO , Cherry Creek Bruins (RB)(Jr.)(2) – Herron, in my mind, had the most dominant performance of any player Friday night. The Raiders defense had absolutely no answer for him as he ripped off a remarkable 156 yards rushing and 2 rushing touchdowns on 14 carries (11.1 YPC), while also adding 81 yards receiving and a receiving touchdown on 4 receptions (20.3 YPR) for good measure. Turning on the film of Herron’s night against the Raiders, you can see he is a highly explosive runner that can quickly hit top gear if given enough space. Great balance and lateral agility allow him to be an extremely elusive runner in the open field that is very difficult to tackle in 1-on-1 situations. Displays good vision on runs in between the tackles, showing good patience when working to find daylight and exploding through the running lane when it opens. Deceptively powerful runner despite his smaller stature, showing good lower body strength and balance at the point-of-attack when making contact with a defender. Shows exceptional ability as a receiver, displaying good route running ability and consistent hands when asked to make tough catches in traffic. Versatile weapon on offense that can be dangerous out of the backfield or lined up out wide, presenting a tough matchup for 2nd and 3rd level defenders in pass coverage, consistently being able to create separation against them. Shows good top-end foot speed, consistently out running slower 2nd and 3rd level defenders. Herron is currently rated the number 3 RB and the number 29 player overall for the class of 2024 and will only see his profile grow as he remains a focal point of the Bruins offense.
Exander Carroll Exander Carroll 5'11" | 180 lbs | QB Regis Jesuit | 2023 State CO , Regis Jesuit Raiders (QB)(Sr.)(14) – Carroll might have been on the losing side of this game, but he easily played as well as he could have to put the Raiders in a position to stay in this game. His stats might not jump off the screen, but the box score doesn’t show how much he contributed to the Raiders offense, as he went 14 of 18 (78%) for 176 yards passing and a passing touchdown with a QBR of 126.2. Watching Carroll’s performance against the Bruins, Carroll shows elite athleticism from the QB position that adds a lethal second element to the Raiders’ offense. Highly elusive runner in the pocket and in the open field on scrambles and designed runs. Great foot speed that allows him to easily separate from 2nd and 3rd level defenders. Live arm with a ball that leaps out of his hand and allows him to hit every level of the field with relative ease. Adequately accurate passer on short and deep throws with consistent ball placement. Smart QB that makes good decisions with the ball, not turning the ball over often or putting the offense in a bad position. This loss was a tough one for Carroll and Regis Jesuit, but he is an incredibly talented player that will absolutely finish his senior season strong. He’s currently rated the number 13 QB and the number 117 player overall, but will look to grow his recruiting presence as he bounces back from this loss.
Carlson Tann Carlson Tann 5'10" | 175 lbs | RB Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO , Cherry Creek Bruins (RB)(Sr.)(17) – Tann was the second of the Bruins’ two-headed rushing attack that ran all over the Raiders defense, having a performance almost as dominant as his running mate in the backfield. Much like Herron, the Raiders defense had no answer for Tann on the ground as he created just as many chunk plays that Herron did. Looking at the stat sheet, Tann accounted for 145 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown on 17 carries (8.5 YPC), with the numbers not showing how unstoppable he actually was. Putting on the tape of Tann’s performance, Tann displays good vision and patience to identify the running lanes created by his offensive line and accelerate through them. One-cut runner that can quickly identify the running lanes and fly through them before the defense has an opportunity to fill their run fits. 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 consistently pulling away from most. Balanced runner with good lower body strength that allows him to run through would-be arm tackles on runs in between the tackles. Home-run hitter as a RB that is a threat to score or create a chunk play for the Bruins offense on any given play. Tann is currently rated the number 3 RB and the number 35 player overall for the class of 2023, with his performance against Regis Jesuit showcasing why he’s ranked so highly.