(Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
GREENWOOD VILLAGE — The top two football teams in the Mount Elbert League square off in a showdown on Friday night with major playoff implications on the line. The Horizon Hawks, 5-2 overall, lead the league with a 2-0 mark, and the Bruins come in looking to take that top spot. But the Bruins’ three losses come at the hands of some of the top teams in the state.
Cherry Creek is ranked fifth in the RPI standings and Horizon holds steady at 25th. But that could all change with a victory over the Bruins.
“We are looking forward to the challenge [of tonight’s game],” Bruins senior offensive lineman Dominic Montoya said. “[We] always bring high level of intensity no matter the opponent.”
As the Bruin’s schedule ranges from the No. 1-ranked team in RPI (Regis Jesuit) to the last team in RPI (Far Northeast), the level of play won’t change with each opponent Cherry Creek plays.
It’s also no secret the Bruins have been hit hard by the injury bug on the offensive side of the ball.
“The shift hasn’t been too bad,” Montoya said. “Trey’s an amazing leader and athlete who has really taken control of his position and offense.”
The big boys up front often don’t get much credit from anyone. As many have said, if you hear your name get called as an offensive lineman, it’s usually because you made an error. Switching quarterbacks has not affected this line. “[Windham] has really helped us gel together as a unit,” Montoya said.
A big time battle will go down at the Stutler Bowl at 7 p.m. Friday night. Can Horizon pull off the upset? Or will Cherry Creek secure another big victory towards winning the Mount Elbert League? The action will be live on the NFHS Network.