Football: In the elements, Cherry Creek deals Grandview very rare shutout

GREENWOOD VILLAGE | Besides the conditions, the football team on the other side of the field caused an unpleasant night for Grandview Thursday.

On a night that saw cold drizzle fall from start to finish and froze the turf at Stutler Bowl, the Wolves ran into a buzzsaw in the form of defending state champion and top-ranked Cherry Creek, which scored on its opening possession and went on to a 37-0 Centennial League victory.

Grandview failed to score for the first time in seven calendar years — a span of 80 games dating back to the 2013 season — as the Bruins’ defense forced four turnovers (including three interceptions) and made a stop on fourth down in their own red zone to preserve the shutout.

Coach John Schultz’s eighth-ranked Wolves scored 42 points the previous week in a heartbreaking one-point loss to rival Eaglecrest, but couldn’t get much going offensively as they fell to 1-2 overall and 1-2 in Centennial League play at the midway point of the pandemic-shortened season.

Grandview’s best scoring chance came after a long kickoff return by junior Tristan Burrus that set the Wolves up deep in Cherry Creek territory, but junior Moosah Alsaffar got bottled up on a fourth-and-two at the Bruins’ 9 that became a turnover on downs.

The Grandview defense forced three turnovers of its own on interceptions by juniors Malique Singleton and Kahden Rullo — both coming in the red zone — and a fumble recovery by junior James Margerum, however it couldn’t stop Cherry Creek quarterback Julian Hammond from completing two touchdown passes apiece to Chase Penry and Gunner Helm.

The Bruins’ defense also chipped in two points when they caught Grandview senior quarterback Jacob Burr in the end zone for a safety.

Cherry Creek got the football on the opening possession and despite the conditions went 80 yards in less than two minutes with Penry hauling in a touchdown pass.

Four consecutive interceptions took place with Myles Purchase and Enock Wilfork coming away with picks for the Bruins and Singleton (who rose up to snag Hammond’s pressured attempt to get it to Penry in the end zone) and Rullo for the Wolves.

Rullo’s interception came after a deflection off Ky Oday’s hands that Rullo batted three times in the air while falling before he reeled it in. Grandview took over at its own 5 yard-line, however, and Burr scrambled before he was brought down by Blake Purchase to two points.

The Bruins took nearly all of the last five minutes of the opening half and reached the end zone on a Penry catch with 20 seconds remaining and made a successful two-point try after a penalty moved it half the distance to the goal.

Helm (a 6-foot-6 tight end and University of Texas recruit) caught a short touchdown pass early in the third quarter and a 60-yarder later in the quarter, which came after the Wolves got stopped on their possession inside Cherry Creek’s 10 following the Burrus’ long kickoff return that might have gone the distance if not for the pursuit of Bruins’ kicker Boden Page.

Just outside the red zone early in the fourth quarter, Grandview was turned away again when Burr’s pass for junior Evan Johnson got intercepted at the goal line.

Up next for Grandview is an Oct. 30 contest against Smoky Hill — 1-1 going into a Friday contest against Cherokee Trail (0-2) — at Legacy Stadium.

Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports

CHERRY CREEK 37, GRANDVIEW 0

Score by quarters:

Grandview 0 0 0 0 — 0

Cherry Creek 7 10 14 6 — 37

SCORING

First quarter

Cherry Creek — Chase Penry 22 yard pass from Julian Hammond (Boden Page kick), 9:10

Second quarter

Cherry Creek — Safety, Jacob Burr tackled in end zone

Cherry Creek — Penry 24 yard pass from Hammond (James Walker II run), 0:20

Third quarter

Cherry Creek — Gunner Helm 3 yard pass from Hammond (Page kick), 9:56