GREENWOOD VILLAGE — Jack Elway and Alex Johnson played pitch, catch and run Friday night at Stutler Bowl against Ponderosa.
The two connected on four touchdown passes, three in the second quarter, as Cherry Creek put a thorough whipping on the Mustangs, 37-0, in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs.
The Bruins will take an 8-2 record into next weekend’s second round, where they will meet the winner of Saturday’s Fruita Monument-Grandview game. Ponderosa finished 5-5.
It was the schools’ first meeting since the 1998 quarterfinals, when Cherry Creek rallied late to win 38-21.
This time, Elway and Johnson woke up the Bruins’ offense. After a scoreless first quarter, the two connected on touchdown passes covering 80, 31 and 34 yards in less than 10 minutes. On the first one, Johnson turned a simple short toss into a long gainer.
“He always does that,” Elway said. “It’s great to have guys around me who can turn a 3-yarder into an 80-yard touchdown. I don’t always have to make a perfect pass.”
Johnson then made two stellar grabs on a couple of sharp Elway offerings on two of their next three possessions.
“We were kind of struggling in the beginning of the game and it got us fired up,” Johnson said. “If (Elway) throws it quick to me, it gives me room.”
The duo added a 4-yarder in the fourth quarter.
“When I saw (Ponderosa) on film, I knew (the Mustangs) didn’t give up points,” Cherry Creek coach Greg Critchett said. “Fortunately, we broke open a couple of plays and got into a rhythm.
“And (Alex) has been doing it all season. I don’t know what he does; it doesn’t look like much. It’s just little things.”
Elway threw for 250 yards, Johnson caught five passes for 158 and Roman Holmes ran for 195 and a touchdown as the Bruins rolled to 494 yards of offense.
Ponderosa could muster only 134 yards of offense, dropped a half-dozen passes and had tackling issues on defense in saying goodbye to linebacker Jon Major, the highly touted recruit who has committed to Colorado.
Ponderosa 0 0 0 0 – 0
Cherry Creek 0 20 10 7 – 37
CC – Johnson 80 pass from Elway (Willenbrock kick). CC – Johnson 31 pass from Elway (Willenbrock kick). CC – Johnson 34 pass from Elway (kick blocked). CC – Holmes 23 run (Willenbrock kick). CC – FG Willenbrock 41. CC – Johnson 4 pass from Elway (Willenbrock kick).
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
