Quarterfinal Review: Cherry Crk. Bruins vs Thunder Rdg. Grizzlies

Review   Like many matchups in the quarterfinal round, this contest between the number 1 ranked Cherry Creek Bruins and the number 9 ranked Thunder Ridge Grizzlies looked to be one of the marquee matchups of the weekend, with two top ten teams squaring off against each other. However, the game was about as one-sided as it gets, really, for all 4 quarters - as the Bruins quickly jumped out to a 14-0 lead at halftime. Unfortunately for Thunder Ridge, the 2nd half would be much worse for the Grizzlies, as Cherry Creek was able to extend their lead to 42-0 before the Thunder Ridge offense was able to get a score in garbage time to make the final score 42-7 when it was all said-and-done. While it might come as a surprise given the lopsided result of the game, but there were players on both sides of the field that had strong performances for their respective teams. With that being said, however, here were the three players who I felt had the strongest nights.   Players of the Game   [player_tooltip player_id='259298' first='Jordan' last='Herron'], Cherry Creek Bruins (RB)(Jr.)(2) – Herron, in my mind, had the most dominant performance of any player on either team with his performance on the ground. The Grizzlies defense had absolutely no answer for him as he shredded them for over 100 yards rushing and 2 rushing touchdowns that would prove to be the strongest offensive showing of any player for the Bruins. Turning on the film of Herron's night against the Thunder Ridge defense, you can see he is a highly explosive runner that can quickly hit top gear if given enough space. Great balance and lateral agility allow him to be an extremely elusive runner in the open field that is very difficult to tackle in 1-on-1 situations. Displays good vision on runs in between the tackles, showing good patience when working to find daylight and exploding through the running lane when it opens. Deceptively powerful runner despite his smaller stature, showing good lower body strength and balance at the point-of-attack when making contact with a defender. Shows exceptional ability as a receiver, displaying good route running ability and consistent hands when asked to make tough catches in traffic. Versatile weapon on offense that can be dangerous out of the backfield or lined up out wide, presenting a tough matchup for 2nd and 3rd level defenders in pass coverage, consistently being able to create separation against them. Shows good top-end foot speed, consistently out running slower 2nd and 3rd level defenders. Herron is currently rated the number 3 RB and the number 29 player overall for the class of 2024 and will only see his profile grow as he remains a focal point of the Bruins offense while they continue to pursue back-to-back 5A state titles.   Jake Young, Thunder Ridge Grizzlies (DB)(Sr.)(21) – While Thunder Ridge struggled mightily in every phase of the game against Valor Christian, Young was certainly the best player on either side of the ball for the Grizzlies. Looking at Young's numbers against the Cherry Creek offense, he registered a very impressive 10 tackles, a tackle for a loss, a fumble recovery, and a pass deflection for the Thunder Ridge defense. When you turn on the tape of Young's night against the Bruins offense, you can see he displays outstanding physicality at the point-of-attack, showing a good, low pad level and bringing plenty of force when driving through contact with the ball carrier. Savvy run defender that has a good understanding of how to attack the outside shoulder of a blocker when working play-side to set the edge and prevent the ball carrier from bouncing the run outside. Great athlete with excellent first-step acceleration out of his stance when crashing downhill to fill his run fits. Displays a good awareness of his gap responsibilities and doesn't get caught over-pursuing the ball carrier. Good overall athleticism and a nose for the ball allow him to play multiple roles on defense, whether as an in the box safety or as a deep middle DB. Good top-end foot speed combined with his excellent first-step explosiveness make him dangerous on special teams as both a punt and kick returner. Young had quite the showing defensively despite the blowout loss and while I'm sure he would trade the production for the win, he certainly played about as well as he could have in his last game as a Grizzly.   [player_tooltip player_id='22757' first='Carlson' last='Tann'], Cherry Creek Bruins (RB)(Sr.)(17) – Tann was the second of the Bruins' two-headed rushing attack that ran all over the Grizzlies defense on Saturday, having a performance almost as dominant as his running mate in the backfield. Much like Herron, the Thunder Ridge defense had no answer for Tann on the ground as he created just as many chunk plays that Herron did. Looking at the stat sheet, also much like Herron, Tann accounted for over 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown, with the numbers not showing how truly productive he actually was against the Grizzlies defense. Putting on the tape of Tann's performance against Thunder Ridge, you can see Tann displays good vision and patience to identify the running lanes created by his offensive line and accelerate through them. One-cut runner that can quickly identify the running lanes and fly through them before the defense has an opportunity to fill their run fits. Maintains a low pad level at the point of contact, driving his legs to finish runs and gain extra yards. Also shows great lateral agility/athleticism to elude defenders in the open field, as well as the requisite explosiveness and foot speed to separate against second and third level defenders consistently pulling away from most. Balanced runner with good lower body strength that allows him to run through would-be arm tackles on runs in between the tackles. Home-run hitter as a RB that is a threat to score or create a chunk play for the Bruins offense on any given play. Tann is currently rated the number 3 RB and the number 35 player overall for the class of 2023, that will look to finish his career as a Bruin with a second state title.

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