AURORA — Here we go again.
Forgive Cherry Creek for thinking so, but the Bruins have qualified for their 10th boys lacrosse championship game and finished runners-up the past three seasons.
So their 13-5 decision of longtime rival Kent Denver in the semfinals on Wednesday evening at Legacy Stadium is a precursor to Friday night’s finale at Sports Authority Field at Mile High against Regis Jesuit, a rematch that the Bruins have been seeking for nearly a year.
“Well, you always want to win when you get there,” Cherry Creek coach Bryan Perry said.
Now 18-1, winners of 12 games in succession and undefeated in Colorado, Cherry Creek started slowly against the Sun Devils before gradually taking command.
Sophomore Asher Nolting had three goals for the Bruins in another complete effort.
“It was a good game all around, a team game and we executed exactly how we wanted to,” he said.
Henry Adams added three goals and Max Tenant two for the Bruins. Zach Grado, Dylan Johnson, Nate Miller, Mike Morean and Grey Soule also found the back of the net.
Kent Denver, which ended 12-6 and leads all programs with five titles since sanctioning in 1999, “is a good team, well-coached and you can’t run away from it early,” Perry added. “So you have to weather the storm and that’s what we did.”
Joe Rassenfoss and Zander Ellis each scored twice for the Sun Devils. Chazz Highum added another goal.
Now, Nolting and the Bruins can get on to what they regard as unfinished business. They downed Regis Jesuit during the regular season 8-4 on April 18.
A chance to redeem themselves is next and fueled by last year’s loss in the finale.
“It definitely stings a bit, but our preseason was to get back here,” Nolting said. “We’ll be pretty amped up and ready for Friday.”
Neil H. Devlin: ndevlin@denverpost.com or
