After-Action Report: #4 Grandview at #1 Cherry Creek
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There were big games scheduled for the tenth week of the season. Both ranked matchups ended in upsets, ultimately altering playoff brackets heading into the first round of the postseason. This article will briefly examine Friday’s attended game from last…
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Continue ReadingThere were big games scheduled for the tenth week of the season. Both ranked matchups ended in upsets, ultimately altering playoff brackets heading into the first round of the postseason.
This article will briefly examine Friday’s attended game from last week and a few standout players from the match.
#5 Grandview (8-2) at #1 Cherry Creek (8-2)
Final Score: 24-21 Grandview
Friday night’s matchup between the Grandview Wolves and the Cherry Creek Bruins turned out to be one of the more exciting games of the season, ending with the Wolves upsetting the Bruins late in the fourth quarter.
The game began with a 60-plus-yard run by Cherry Creek’s Carlson Tann Carlson Tann 5'10" | 175 lbs | RB Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO (2023 RB) on the first play from scrimmage, giving the appearance that the Bruins were potentially going to run away with the game. Grandview immediately responded with a long touchdown drive, foreshadowing the trouble they would give the reigning state champions.
Leading the charge for the Wolves was Liam Szarka Liam Szarka 6'2" | 190 lbs | QB Grandview | 2024 State CO (2024 QB), who was able to get things down with his arm and legs. He scored a rushing touchdown on Grandview’s opening drive and the game’s final touchdown that gave the Wolves the lead with less than four minutes in the game. In addition to Szarka’s two touchdown runs, Donavon Vernon Donavon Vernon 5'8" | 180 lbs | RB Grandview | 2025 State CO (2025 RB) punched in a rushing touchdown to end the first half, and Kyle Chavez (2024 K) kicked a field goal midway through the fourth quarter. Following the successful field goal, Grandview booted a pooch kick that was muffed by Cherry Creek and recovered by the Wolves, leading to Szarka’s final score.
What gave Grandview the edge over Cherry Creek was their ability to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, especially on defense. Outside of the opening play, the Bruins struggled to get their run game going against a well-defended box led by inside linebackers Max Kibbee Max Kibbee 6'2" | 190 lbs | LB Grandview | 2023 State CO (2023) and Preston Emken Preston Emken 6'1" | 195 lbs | LB Grandview | 2024 State CO (2024).
Cherry Creek struggled to get things going offensively after the opening touchdown by Tann until a successful drive halfway through the second quarter that resulted in Arion Boyd Arion Boyd 5'8" | RB Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO (2023 RB) scoring on a touchdown run. Both defenses avoided giving up touchdowns in the third quarter, with Cherry Creek being the first to score at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Brady Vodicka Brady Vodicka 6'1" | 205 lbs | QB Cherry Creek | 2026 CO (2026 QB) scored on a quarterback keeper within the first minute of the final quarter, but that would be the last time the Bruins would reach the end zone.
Defensively, Cherry Creek was able to lean on their defensive front led by Oregon commit Blake Purchase Blake Purchase 6'4" | 230 lbs | DL Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO (2023 EDGE), Iowa commit Chase Brackney Chase Brackney 6'4" | 240 lbs | DL Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO (2023 DT), and Javion Smith-Combs Javion Smith-Combs DL Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO (2023 DE). Kansas commit Logan Brantley Logan Brantley 6'2" | 200 lbs | LB Cherry Creek | 2023 State CO (2023 LB/SS) was the do-all player for the Bruins’ defense. His ability to play at every level of the field showed just how invaluable he is to the team. Unfortunately, Cherry Creek’s high-powered defense was unable to stop Szarka and Grandview’s offensive line, especially with the struggles the Bruins’ offense faced in the second half.
Other Standout Players
Gibson Leafgreen
Gibson
Leafgreen
DB
Grandview | 2023
State
CO
| Grandview | 2023 DB
Delano Jefferson
Delano
Jefferson
6'4" | 260 lbs | DL
Grandview | 2023
State
CO
| Grandview | 2023 DL
Mulumba Wa-kalonji
Mulumba
Wa-kalonji
6'3" | 200 lbs | DL
Grandview | 2023
State
CO
| Grandview | 2023 OLB/DE
Nkongolo Wa-Kalonji
Nkongolo
Wa-Kalonji
6'4" | 185 lbs | DL
Grandview | 2024
State
CO
| Grandview | 2024 DE
Ismael Cisse
Ismael
Cisse
6'0" | 175 lbs | WR
Cherry Creek | 2023
State
CO
| Cherry Creek | 2023 WR
Ezran Rice
Ezran
Rice
LB
Cherry Creek | 2023
State
CO
| Cherry Creek | 2023 DL
Taki Dadiotis
Taki
Dadiotis
6'2" | 275 lbs | OL
Cherry Creek | 2023
State
CO
| Cherry Creek | 2023 OL
Angelo Petrides
Angelo
Petrides
6'2" | 225 lbs | LB
Cherry Creek | 2024
State
CO
| Cherry Creek | 2024 LB
Looking Ahead
Grandview’s win over Cherry Creek elevated their rank from eighth to fourth, giving them a first-round bye for the playoffs. Cherry Creek remains the number one-ranked team and the favorite to win a state title for the fourth year in a row, but the state’s Goliath is looking less giant after being taken down by the Wolves.