GREENWOOD VILLAGE — The healthy exchange between California and Colorado boys lacrosse continues.
On Thursday night, Torrey Pines blew into Stutler Bowl and controlled Class 5A defending state champion Cherry Creek 15-11.
The Falcons, a regular section power in Southern California, moved to 7-1 and looked good doing it. They were superior all the way around — face-offs, ground balls, passing, cutting, defending, goaltending … and the Bruins had no answers or complaints.
“They were certainly more ready to play than we were,” said Cherry Creek coach Bryan Perry, who has been heading the program since 2003. “Hat’s off to them.”
Bruins junior attack Asher Nolting agreed: “They’re a well-coached team from California and they came out tonight and had the better game.”
Cherry Creek, now 3-1, had no answers, led only briefly and didn’t recover from an early barrage from Torrey Pines that established superiority. The Bruins made it 1-0 on a Connor Till goal, but the Falcons, led by Ara Suhadolnik, made it 7-1 by the end of the first quarter and the tone was set.
Showing some life, Cherry Creek generally stayed within four goals of Torrey Pines but the Falcons regularly answered every Bruins score and killed a key 4-minute span down the stretch.
“They shut us down in the first half, but we showed our perserverance in the second half,” Nolting said.
Nate Miller scored four goals for the Bruins. Nolting added three.
“We really got behind, but we kept fighting,” Perry said. “We just weren’t able to get coordinated. Give (the Falcons) credit. This is great for us. Now, we just need to make sure we come to work (Friday) and get better. (Torrey Pines) is very good.”
The bruins will face Cherokee Trail on Friday, then Regis Jesuit on April 14.
Regis Jesuit, by the way, beat Torrey Pines in California on March 30. The Raiders won 10-7.
Torrey Pines will visit Kent Denver on Saturday.
Neil H. Devlin: ndevlin@denverpost.com or @neildevlin
