Fly, Eagles, Fly! Top Valor Playmakers to Watch out for in Title

<p>Once again, the Valor Christian Eagles will do battle with the Cherry Creek Bruins in the 5A State Championship Game to see who will boast bragging rights as the top high school football team in Colorado. With seven state titles from 2010-2018, the Eagles have not been able to get back to the mountain top of Colorado since. Now, only 48 minutes of football stand in the way of Valor Christian capturing their ninth football championship. Which top Valor playmakers will stand out and give the Eagles the best chance to make history? </p>   <p class="has-large-font-size"><strong>The Standouts</strong></p>   <p class="has-medium-font-size">DL [player_tooltip player_id='189119' first='Brody' last='Bliek']</p>   <p>Ranked as the fourth-best defensive lineman in Colorado and the 20th-best prospect overall, [player_tooltip player_id='189119' first='Brody' last='Bliek'] has put together a spectacular 2022 campaign. Bliek's sheer size alone at 275 pounds makes him a matchup nightmare for his opposition, and the Valor defensive lineman also has an extremely quick first step that puts him in constant position to make plays. Going up against a stout Cherry Creek offensive line, Bliek could prove to be a massive disruptor on Saturday. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/BliekBrody/status/1589768950816342016 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p class="has-medium-font-size">DB Jackson Oriol</p>   <p>One of the better position groups on this Valor team this season has to be in the secondary where the Eagles boast a couple premier coverage specialists that have balled out all year long. On paper, Jackson Oriol has reeled in a whopping six interceptions on the season and has been a thorn in the side of passing games all throughout the Centennial State. Not to mention, but Oriol has even excelled in his tackling abilities by showcasing that he is not afraid to get his nose dirty by coming up from the secondary and laying the lumber. </p>   <p></p>   <p class="has-medium-font-size">WR/RB [player_tooltip player_id='146072' first='Jake' last='Krekeler']</p>   <p>Without a doubt, Krekeler is one of the top threats among an Eagles offensive attack that is coming off of a 42-point effort versus Ralston Valley in the semifinals. While Krekeler's stats against the Mustangs weren't necessarily eye-popping, his overall body of work suggests that he is in fact one of the top playmakers on this roster. Whether it is running between the tackles as a halfback or blowing the top off of a defense by hauling in balls in the secondary, Krekeler is a Swiss Army knife that can do it all. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/FanVuSports/status/1592339735800066048 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/FanVuSports/status/1591499798838140928 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p class="has-medium-font-size">RB/DB [player_tooltip player_id='62247' first='Trey' last='Stott']</p>   <p>Another talented player who is able to play multiple positions, [player_tooltip player_id='62247' first='Trey' last='Stott'] has a knack in finding the end zone. When he is given responsibility by his coaches to make plays happen in the running game, Stott rarely disappoints. In fact, the soon-to-be high school graduate has found pay dirt an absurd 12 times this season on the ground. Even more impressive, this is all without mentioning how lockdown he is as a defensive back. Ranked as the fourth-best defensive back prospect in the state, Stott's impact on this game should be felt from the opening snap of action. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/TeamFullGorilla/status/1594020116316164096 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/treystott/status/1578417985026260992 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p class="has-large-font-size"><strong>The Most Slept On</strong></p>   <p class="has-medium-font-size">DL/DE Owen Downing </p>   <p>There's no question that at schools like Valor Christian and the talent it recruits, there is often times when a player falls between the cracks and quietly but surely pops off all season long. Introducing Owen Downing, who deserves as much praise as possible for the tremendous campaign he has put together. The team's fifth-leading tackler in 2022, Downing excels with a burst of quickness off the ball that usually results in a loss of yardage for the opposition. In fact, Downing has compiled 11 tackles for loss and is without a doubt deserving of some attention from colleges based on his play. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/OwenDowning5/status/1589088426800082946 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/OwenDowning5/status/1597244115053613056 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p class="has-medium-font-size">WR Jake Dragoo</p>   <p>Not only could I say this name hundreds of times and never grow tired of saying it, but don't be surprised if the public address announcer at Empower Field mentions Dragoo's name more often than not as well. Clearly, Dragoo deserves some recognition and has been the glue to this wide receiver room all year long. Towering at 6'4", the senior wideout garners quite the physical advantage over smaller corners and certainly doesn't waste time using that to his benefit. Averaging a hefty 23.5 yards per catch, Cherry Creek does not want to mess with the Dragoo. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/j_dragoo/status/1588921386055393281 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p class="has-medium-font-size">QB [player_tooltip player_id='381192' first='Asher' last='Weiner']</p>   <p>About to embark on the biggest game of his high school career, starting Eagles quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='381192' first='Asher' last='Weiner'] and his electrifying play has not been talked about enough. A junior who has played in all 13 of Valor's games this season, Weiner had a field day against Ralston Valley by amassing 123 rushing yards to go along with a score en route to the impressive victory. When watching Weiner play the quarterback position, he plays with a sense of poise and moxie that cannot be taught. If the Eagles field general can get in a rhythm early by completing some high-percentage passes, he will be able to unleash his legs and attack the Bruins defense with his dual-threat ability. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/FanVuSports/status/1597269729579655168 </div></figure>   <p class="has-large-font-size"><strong>The Biggest X-Factors</strong></p>   <p class="has-medium-font-size">RB [player_tooltip player_id='143630' first='Gabe' last='Sawchuk'] </p>   <p>The younger brother of last year's leading rusher and school record holder Gavin Sawchuk, Gabe has made a name of his own this season by punishing defenders for 736 rushing yards which includes a dominant 6.7 yards per carry. As shifty as can be, when Sawchuk finds himself in space, a whole lot of trouble is in store for defenses. One of three Valor halfbacks that has rushed for at least 500 yards, the junior tailback has the type of breakaway speed to take it the distance and change the outcome of this state championship in one play. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/gsawchuk25/status/1587250999479132161 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/gsawchuk25/status/1544827038825062400 </div></figure>   <p></p>   <p class="has-medium-font-size">DL/DE [player_tooltip player_id='146073' first='Alexander' last='Jordan']</p>   <p>One of the top defensive lineman that the state has to offer, Jordan acts as a black hole from outer space when he swallows up a ball carrier in a split second. Already having mastered defensive stunts and his ability to push back the offensive line, he also proven that he can get after the quarterback with his five sacks to go along with his 61 total tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss on the year. If any Valor defender can leave such an impact on a game, look no further than one of the top defensive tackles in the state in [player_tooltip player_id='146073' first='Alexander' last='Jordan']. </p>   <p></p>   <p class="has-medium-font-size">LB/RB Roman Bradley</p>   <p>An absolute unit from both sides of the field, is there anything that Roman Bradley cannot do? Last weekend, Bradley showed off his valuableness to his team by giving Ralston Valley's defense fits for 142 rushing yards on only 11 carries from scrimmage. With an absurd 12.9 yards per carry in his triumphant semifinal effort as well as two touchdowns coming on the ground, Bradley is known to instill some fear with his 5'10", 220-pound frame. But wait, I'm not finished. Bradley also leads the team with 7.8 tackles per game, 11 tackles for loss, and 102 total tackles on the season. Simply put, Bradley's ability to do it all makes him one of the biggest X-Factors ahead of Saturday's epic showdown. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/romanbradley241/status/1597436650921295872 </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/romanbradley241/status/1596914231676313602 </div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><br></figcaption></figure>

Once again, the Valor Christian Eagles will do battle with the Cherry Creek Bruins in the 5A State Championship Game to see who will boast bragging rights as the top high school football team in Colorado. With seven state titles from 2010-2018, the Eagles have not been able to get back to the mountain top of Colorado since. Now, only 48 minutes of football stand in the way of Valor Christian capturing their ninth football championship. Which top Valor playmakers will stand out and give the Eagles the best chance to make history?