CLASS 5A STATE FOOTBALL QUARTERFINAL MATCHUP
NO. 1 CHERRY CREEK (8-3) VS. NO. 2 REGIS JESUIT (10-1)
7 p.m., Nov. 14 at Lou Kellogg Stadium
BREAKDOWN: Regis Jesuit and Cherry Creek meet for the second time this season, with the Bruins taking the victory 27-14 on Aug. 29 on the same field at Lou Kellogg Stadium where they will play again. The teams hadn’t faced each other for more than a decade before this season. …Regis Jesuit, the second seed in Quadrant 4, steamrolled No. 6 Heritage 44-0 in the second round and have allowed just one touchdown in two playoff games. …Cherry Creek, the top seed in Quadrant 4, handled No. 4 Bear Creek 56-27 in the second round and have piled up a 5A-high 105 points in two postseason contests. ….CHERRY CREEK: Since suffering a 24-6 loss to Grandview on Oct. 10, coach Dave Logan’s Bruins have reeled off four impressive victories, including one over defending 5A state champion Valor Christian. …Cherry Creek’s ground game is the key to its success offensively and the tandem of senior RBs Milo Hall and DJ Luke rolled in the Bruins’ victory over Bear Creek, combined for 219 yards and five touchdowns in the rout. The elusive Hall, who ran for 119 yards and two TDs in the first meeting against Regis Jesuit, has 1,658 yards and 22 touchdowns on the season, while Luke — whose 100-yard effort was his first of the season — along has 533 yards and 13 TDs. …Junior QB Joe Caplis had his highest yardage game of the season against Bear Creek with 205 yards and a score. He had just 24 yards passing against the Raiders in the first meeting while splitting time. …Senior WR Joseph Parker — a former Regis Jesuit player — leads the Bruins in receiving with 595 yards and four TDs. …Defensively, Cherry Creek is led by senior DB Mike Maureen with 92 tackles, while sophomore DL Jonathan Van Diest has been a quarterback-seeking force with 11 sacks. When the ball is in the air, senior DB Nick Long — 6 interceptions — is often around it. …If the game comes down to a field goal attempt, senior K Henry Lyon has made 6 of his 8 attempts on the season, with a long of 48 yards. …REGIS JESUIT: Coach Mark Nolan’s team is one of four teams in 5A currently riding double-digit win streak, as the Raiders have posted 10 straight victories since their opening week loss to Cherry Creek. …Junior RB Alec Barnes continued to run strong behind his massive offensive line and averaged better than 10 yards per carry in the second round and amassed 184 yards and four touchdowns. Barnes’ 10th 100-plus yard game in 12 contest boosted his season totals to 1,588 and he’s scored at least one touchdown in every game for a total of 21. Senior RB Chris Ramos also ran for a touchdown and seven other Raiders contributed to a 305-yard rushing attack. …Senior QB Matt Houghtaling had an efficient night in the victory over Heritage, as he completed 13 of his 18 passes for 117 yards and touchdown to senior TE Conor Shea, while he also rushed for 67 yards on just four carries. Houghtaling has 225 yards and 5 TD passes in two postseason games and 1,127 yards and 16 TDs on the season …Shea — who hauled in his team-high fifth receiving touchdown — racked up 43 yards receiving to lead a group of nine Regis Jesuit players with at least one catch. Junior WR Jared Marien is the team-leader in receptions with 19 for 254 yards and a pair of scores, while senior WR Emmanuel Dejesus has 208 yards and three touchdowns, the same number as senior TE Jack Stoll to go with 154 yards receiving. …Regis Jesuit’s defense has dominated Monarch and Heritage in the postseason, surrendering just a single touchdown. …The Raiders’ pass rush overwhelmed the Eagles, as they racked up 12 quarterback sacks, including 3.5 apiece from senior DL Connor Sinks and senior DL Eddie Gonzales. Senior DL Chase Konkel had just one sack against Heritage, but leads the team by a wide margin with 12. …Junior LB Drew Schlegel leads Regis Jesuit with 86 tackles, with Sinks next with 67 stops, senior LB Austin Lionette at 66 and senior S Donovan Doyle at 65. …WINNER GETS: The Cherry Creek/Regis Jesuit winner advances to the 5A semifinals, where it will face off against the winner of Quadrant 3 — either No. 1 Ralston Valley and No. 2 Fairview — for the right to go to the Nov. 29 5A state championship game.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel