Greenwood Village – Color the latest entry into the Arvada West-Cherry Creek football chronicles one of the brightest.
The 1996 Colorado championship game was memorable, as was last season’s last-minute Cherry Creek victory. Thursday night’s matchup in The Denver Post game of the week ranks up there, too.
It took 3 hours and 5 minutes, produced 785 yards of offense and featured 29 penalties for 226 yards before a big crowd at the Stutler Bowl.
Ultimately, superior play by Cherry Creek senior quarterback Kelsey Sokoloski decided a 31-27 Bruins victory.
But there was so much going on in the nonleague opener for the Bruins, ranked No. 3 in The Denver Post/9News Class 5A poll, and the Wildcats, 5A’s No. 4, it was difficult to keep track.
A-West, which came out sporting a number of mohawk haircuts and missing senior quarterback Sean McDougal – he had to serve a one-game in-house suspension – rode terrific defense and inspired play by backup quarterback Jovan Mays, who was 23-of-30 for 309 yards and three touchdowns, and transfer running back L.D. Briscoe, who ran for 96 yards, caught five passes for 118 more and scored two touchdowns.
Even with a muffed punt and misses on two field-goal attempts, the ‘Cats stayed close.
But Sokoloski made play after play. From the pocket or on the run, the senior wore out the Wildcats on defense when he had to, notably on an across-the- body bullet on the run to Karl Heimbrock to the A-West 1-yard line that set up the winning score with 1:47 to play.
“I’d recruit him,” A-West coach Casey Coons said of Sokoloski, who was 25-of-40 for 302 yards and three touchdowns.
“Yeah, we knew coming in he had to make plays,” Cherry Creek coach Greg Critchett said. “The reality is we have to get a lot better.”
Sokoloski gladly accepted his role. Despite Bruins receivers suffering through mediocre performances in summer drills, Sokoloski was successful spreading the ball all over the field.
Cameron Burl dropped two passes but caught a second-half scoring toss, his second of the game. Kyl Randolph had a circus catch at the A-West 2, and Brian McCullis caught passes in traffic and on the sideline. Plus, Heimbrock, who nabbed a 35-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, continually found ways to get open.
“I’m confident throwing to any of the receivers; they can all make big plays,” Sokoloski said.
Defensively, Styhl Driscoll, Heimbrock, Darin McDonald, Burl and Joe Silipo each had big games for Cherry Creek.
Arvada West 0 14 0 13 – 27
Cherry Creek 7 7 10 7 – 31
CC – Burl 5 pass from Sokoloski (Goodman kick). AW – Briscoe 2 run (Hill kick). CC – Heimbrock 35 pass from Sokoloski (Goodman kick). AW – Briscoe 53 pass from Mays (Hill kick). CC – FG Goodman 19. CC – Burl 14 pass from Sokoloski (Goodman kick). AW – Zott 6 pass from Mays (Hill kick). CC – Henley 1 run (Goodman kick). AW – Hill 5 pass from Mays (kick failed).
Neil Devlin can be reached at 303-820-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com.
