Cherry Creek-Valor Christian putting it all on offensive lines in Class 5A semifinals

Cherry Creek senior left tackle Oliver Miller is a -foot- -pound bulldozer Valor Christian senior left tackle Kannon Smith is a - -pound tank They are talented movers and shakers emblematic of the trench battles expected to decide Saturday s Class A semifinals at Stutler Bowl The argument in the state goes Who s got the better offensive line Valor or Cherry Creek Valor coach Mike Sanford disclosed I know that I love my offensive line but that crew over there is really big and good It s almost like that Spider-Man meme where two Spider-Men are pointing at each other It s pretty cool No Cherry Creek - smashed the Eagles - in last year s semifinals and is chasing its eighth consecutive championship championship appearance The Bruins have won five of the previous six big-school titles No Valor - owns eight state titles but has not won since The Eagles lost to the other semifinalists No Ralston Valley and No Mountain Vista earlier this season but make no mistake the Eagles are invariably gunning for Creek We couldn t have petitioned for a better matchup this week explained junior right tackle Reis Russell the son of legendary University of Colorado linebacker Matt Russell When the bracket was getting figured out we required to be on Creek s side We are so fired up Ditto Sanford who was pointing toward the Bruins even before Valor squeezed out a thrilling - win over Legend in last Saturday s quarterfinals That could have backfired on me and our scheme but that s what I described the boys last week when we were getting ready to play Legend Sanford announced Legend is one of the preponderance talented teams in the state but my whole thought process getting ready for the Legend competition was that we desired to beat Legend solely for the reason that we desired to play Cherry Running back Channing Fox of the Valor Christian Eagles is hoisted up after scoring a touchdown against the Legend Titans during a CHSAA Class A quarterfinals match on Saturday Nov at EchoPark Stadium in Parker Colo Photo by Timothy Hurst The Denver Post The feeling is mutual Every week I try to find something to hate about the band that we are playing and that definitely isn t hard this week Miller revealed I will be the largest part powerful and passionate athlete I can be on that field on Saturday Miller is headed to Kansas State on a football scholarship while Smith is headed to Southern California They are just two of the next-level players who ll lineup on Saturday I think there will be eventually about future Division I players on that field on Saturday Sanford disclosed It s unreal According to Sports Creek has eight D-I players on its roster including running back Jayden Fox UNLV quarterback Brady Vodicka Louisiana Tech tight end Ty Goettsche BYU and wide receiver Max Lovett K-State That talent was on full display last week when the Bruins beat Fairview - when Fox ran for yards and four touchdowns on just carries and Vodicka completed of passes for yards and three touchdowns including a -yard TD bomb to Lovett Fairview coach Tom McCartney didn t give me much intel other than to say Creek is the perfect high school football group the best I have ever seen Sanford commented I commented Gee thanks Tom Despite the accolades and his activity s incredible success Bruins coach Dave Logan knows his club had better be prepared for the Eagles Valor s a really talented unit that is well-coached and it s a huge challenge for us Logan explained In unison it will be the best offensive line we have faced this year They are playing their best football now We are going to have to be at our best to beat them Creek suffered a huge loss last week in its triumph over Fairview Junior guard Jackson Rober who already has colleges interested in him went down on Creek s first play from scrimmage suffering a spiral fracture of the fibula and tibia in his left leg Fortunately he did not suffer ligament damage It will be up to longtime offensive line coach Det Betti to find someone to plug the hole and perhaps alter Creek s blocking scheme Running backs provided space by the big boys up front generate the headlines in prep football Fox speedy and elusive has rushed for yards and TDs Valor counters with the senior tandem of Chase Hanosh yards and TDs and Channing Fox yards TDs Logan calls Fox the best running back in the state and Creek is likely going to give him the ball often on Saturday even though Valor is well aware of what s coming Related Articles Scouting the Colorado high school football semifinals in Class A A and A Valor Christian triumphs over Legend in dramatic Class A quarterfinal batting down two-point conversion on final play In wild Class A tourney Valor Christian rebounds to win fourth consecutive state volleyball title Fossil Ridge aims to topple Valor Christian s volleyball dynasty in Denver Coliseum Mountain Vista assistant coach suspended for contacting Valor Christian contestant s helmet during end-of-game melee on sideline Jayden Fox is a great running back but where he s lethal is on the edge Sanford announced They love running the toss play to him They have a set of plays that is essentially novice body left apprentice body right from the old days of USC football If you don t have an answer for it it s going to be a bloodbath Creek s Miller is confident his fellow offensive linemen will move mountains and advance to another state title match Noted Miller I love what Coach Beatty unfailingly says We are the type of group that when everybody knows we are running the ball we are still going to run the ball It s awesome I remember last year sealing the deal vs Legend when he put together those winning drives in the second half he noted Everyone in the country knows we are going to run and we are still going to run that damn ball So that s exactly what we are planning to do Want more sports news Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver s teams