Week 1 Review: Ralston Valley Mustangs vs Cherry Creek Bruins

A look at the two best offensive and defensive performances from this ranked 5A matchup.   Review   Coming into Week 1, this contest between the 6th ranked Ralston Valley Mustangs and the 1st ranked Cherry Creek Bruins was arguably the most highly anticipated matchup of the weekend. For the 1st half, that's exactly how the game played out, as both teams traded scores before heading into the locker room - with Cherry Creek holding a 14-9 advantage. Unfortunately for the Mustangs though, it would go about as poorly as possible in the 2nd half, with the Bruins immediately scoring to extend their lead to 21-9. It would only get worse from there for Ralston Valley, as they would be completely shut down offensively and cede two more scores defensively to the Cherry Creek offense, leading to the final lopsided score of 35-9 in the Bruins' favor. While the Mustangs might have had a rough night overall, there were still some players that had fantastic individual performances that helped keep Ralston Valley in the game for a little bit. With that being said though, here are the four players who I felt had the best nights.   Players of the Game   [player_tooltip player_id='259298' first='Jordan' last='Herron'], Cherry Creek Bruins (RB)(Sr.)(2) – Herron was easily the Bruins most productive player on the ground, as he repeatedly gashed the Ralston Valley defense. The Cherry Creek offense leaned on Herron for their ground attack, as he accounted for over 100 yards rushing and a rushing touchdown against the Mustangs. Turning to the tape of Herron's night against the Ralston Valley defense, 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 2 RB and the number 26 player overall for the class of 2024, which is certainly a well-deserved ranking. Herron will look to continue leading the Bruins on the ground as they pursue another 5A state title.   [player_tooltip player_id='212239' first='Brady' last='Vodicka'], Cherry Creek Bruins (QB)(So.)(13) - Vodicka, in my mind, had the strongest night of any player on the offensive or the defensive side of the ball with his performance against the Mustangs defense. Vodicka made his presence felt in every phase of the offense accounting for 3 total touchdowns, with 2 coming through the air and another coming on the ground. When you dive into the tape of Vodicka's night against the Ralston Valley defense, the first thing that stands out is his elite level ball placement and accuracy to all levels of the field, routinely squeezing passes in between holes in zone coverage and past defenders in man coverage. Displays excellent arm strength, forcing the back end of the defense to play deep and cover every blade of grass because the threat of a deep shot is always present. Shows an exceptional ability to create when the play breaks downs, consistently making plays outside of structure. Highly accurate passer on the move or when forced to throw off-platform, displaying the ability to hit throws accurately to all three levels while on the run. Exceptional athlete at the QB position with a combination of great top-end foot speed and acceleration that makes him a dangerous threat on the ground. Elusive but physical ball carrier that isn't afraid to lower his shoulder and churn out extra yards after contact with the defender. Smart QB that rarely makes bad decisions or puts the offense into tight spots with turnovers. The official rankings for the class of 2026 haven't been released yet but Vodicka will continue to be a integral piece of the Cherry Creek offense this season and beyond.   [player_tooltip player_id='406465' first='Trevon' last='Polk'], Cherry Creek Bruins (DB)(Jr.)(21) - Polk was probably the Bruins best player on the defensive side of the ball in this game, completely shutting down his side of the field when the ball came his way. Polk was a force in every phase of the defense, making tackles in the backfield in run support while also picking off a pass and nearly returning it for a score, essentially sealing the win for the Bruins late in the 3rd quarter. When you watch the film of Polk's night against the Ralston Valley offense, you can see he displays an incredibly aggressive and tenacious nature to attack and high point the ball in the air despite his smaller frame (5'8, 155 lbs). Very smart DB that always seem to be in a position to make a play on the ball. Even when being matched up against longer receivers with bigger frames, Polk doesn't shy away from being physical at the line or running with receivers down the field. A combination of excellent athleticism and top-end foot speed prevents him from getting beat on deep balls by faster receivers while also allowing him to recover quickly if he gets beat at the line. Lightning quick DB in short spaces that can move in a phone booth with most slot receivers or quicker players on the offense. Fearless DB that isn't afraid to crash downhill in run support and make a tackle on a larger ball carrier. Polk isn't currently ranked on any recruiting boards for the class of 2025, but if he can continue to be a lock down defender for the Cherry Creek defense, he'll certainly generate some more buzz on the recruiting trail.   Jacob Labarbera, Ralston Valley Mustangs (DB)(Sr.)(19) - Despite being on the losing side of this matchup, Labarbera was probably the best defender on any team in this game, as he was highly productive in every phase of the defensive side of the ball. Labarbera was all over the field for the Ralston Valley defense as he registered an incredible 15 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, and a pass deflection, which are just remarkable numbers for a safety to put up. Watching Labarbera's night against the Cherry Creek offense, you can see he displays a tremendously explosive first step that allows him to crash downhill quickly in run support or when being asked to drop into a deep zone in pass coverage. A combination of excellent acceleration and a tenacious nature that seems to relish contact allows Labarbera to bring plenty of force/power behind his pads to the point-of-contact with the ball carrier. Displays good form when tackling the ball carrier, consistently wrapping up and driving his legs through contact with the ball carrier. Versatile defender at the safety position that can play both a deep middle role or in the box, but is at his best when playing in the box for run support. Shows requisite ability to run with opposing receivers in man coverage. Smart defender that is rarely caught out of position. Labarbera isn't currently ranked on any recruiting boards for the class of 2024 - but regardless - if he can continue to play like he did against the Bruins offense, the Mustangs defense will be a challenge for any opposing offense this season.

A look at the two best offensive and defensive performances from this ranked 5A matchup.