No. 1 Mullen (12-0) vs. No. 21 Grandview (8-4)
Legacy Stadium, 1 p.m., Saturday
Two-time defending Class 5A champion Mullen has won 31 games in succession, already tops among big schools (Cherry Creek won 28 in a row from 1982-83; the overall record is 50 from 2003-06 by 1A Limon). . . . Coach Dave Logan is 99-9 heading the Mustangs, 190-40 since debuting at Arvada West in 1993. Over his eight seasons, Mullen has won three titles, been runner- up twice and made three semifinals. . . . Defensively, Mullen has been unreasonable, mainly because of linebackers Brady Daigh, Connor and Patrick Healy, and Leilon Willingham. The Mustangs have six shutouts and have given up double figures in points only twice. . . . Mullen has committed only eight turnovers, four in one game (against Cherry Creek). . . . The last time Mullen lost was in the 2008 regular-season final, 17-10 to Grandview at Legacy Stadium. . . . The Wolves have won five straight games since standing 3-4. . . . Coach John Schultz has tinkered with various positions, including putting some of his best players on both sides of the ball in recent weeks. . . . Linebacker Eddie Yarbrough has been the mainstay of the defense and mentioned by every opposing coach. Grandview’s early-season offensive problems have disappeared. Since being shut out by Cherokee Trail 20-0, the Wolves have put up 175 points the past five weeks. . . . This will be both teams’ 10th foe with a winning record. . . . The Wolves’ Ryan Tasker ran for 204 yards and three TDs in the quarterfinals.
No. 6 Cherokee Trail (11-1) at No. 2 Regis Jesuit (12-0)
Lou Kellogg Stadium, 1 p.m., Saturday
By Saturday, Cherokee Trail will have faced each of the other semifinal teams. The Cougars lost 29-0 to Mullen in Week 3 and beat Grandview 20-0 a month later. . . . The Cougars have won nine straight games. Junior QB Thomas Singleton has rushed and passed for 2,096 yards and 23 touchdowns. He rushed for 101 yards and two TDs against Ralston Valley in a 14-2 decision. . . . Up front, the Cougars’ lines have been walls. They have permitted the offense to attack and been stoppers at opportune times — Ralston Valley managed only 78 yards on the ground last week. . . . Other than Cherry Creek, which fell to the Cougars 48-31 in the regular season, and Mullen, 10 other Cherokee Trail foes haven’t scored more than 14 points. . . . This is heady territory for the Raiders. They made the 4A semifinals in 1997, but it’s the furthest they’ve advanced since making the 1982 big- school finale. . . . Regis Jesuit is coming off its most taxing game. It needed a 37-yard scoring reception by Connor McKay with eight seconds left to beat Grand Junction. . . . Jordan Jungers has become a rushing force — he rolled to 191 yards in the quarterfinals. . . . The big difference in these Raiders and their past teams? Undoubtedly, it’s terrific line play (on both sides). Regis Jesuit has been able to rock ‘n’ roll up front to let its considerable skill corps do its balanced thing. . . . As a first-year coach, Mark Nolan began 1-4. Since then? The Raiders are 18-1.
