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Cherry Creek Pulls Off Stunning Comeback At Valor Christian, 16-15: Colorado High School Football

Bruins erase 12-0 deficit entering the fourth quarter; get an onside kick recovery and go-ahead field goal in the final seconds to claim 31st consecutive win
Buck Ringgold|
Cherry Creek receiver Alijah Landrum-Hamilton (right) celebrates during a recent game.
Cherry Creek receiver Alijah Landrum-Hamilton (right) celebrates during a recent game. | Rebecca Slezak/The Denver Post

One of the most highly anticipated games in Colorado high school football lived up to the billing Friday night.

And for the second straight week, it took an improbable victory for Cherry Creek to stay undefeated and extend its long winning streak.

Down 12-0 entering the final quarter, the Bruins got within two, 15-13. Then they recovered an onside kick, got a personal foul penalty for a first down after failing to convert on fourth down and came through in the end on a field goal from Jolon Quintana with nine seconds left for a 16-15 win at Valor Christian.

The Bruins (4-0), who have now won 31 straight ballgames, came in ranked No. 1 in this week’s High School On SI Colorado Top 25, after surviving in overtime last week to defeat Legend, 34-28. Valor Christian (2-2) came in ranked No. 3.

But for three quarters, the Eagles were the better team, using a physical style on both sides of the ball while keeping Cherry Creek out of the end zone in taking a 12-0 lead.

However, in the fourth quarter, the Bruins broke through on the first play. Valor then kicked a long field goal to go up eight, 15-7, before Cherry Creek found the end zone once again with more than two minutes left. On the two point conversion, though, there was a bad snap, and the Eagles still kept the lead.

However, Cherry Creek wasn't done, as the Bruins were successfully able to execute an onside kick. Then faced with a fourth-and-short, a pass from quarterback Montae Johnson fell incomplete, but after the play, Valor was flagged for roughing the passer, giving the Bruins an automatic first down.

Cherry Creek, behind an 18-yard scramble by Johnson inside the Valor 10, was able to position itself for a go-ahead field goal, and got it as Quintana drilled it from 27 yards out.

Johnson, who had been the third string quarterback before finishing up last week's game due to an injury, was 10-of-20 passing for 126 yards in his first start and also added 31 yards rushing. The Bruins finished with 244 yards of total offense (118 rushing, 126 passing), while the Eagles had 292 total yards (113 rushing, 179 passing).

Follow High School On SI correspondent Buck Ringgold (@Bucks_Ballpark) for all of the live updates and scoring from Highlands Ranch.

Scroll down for live score and game updates from kickoff to the postgame. Refresh this page for the latest.

CHERRY CREEK 16, VALOR CHRISTIAN 15 FINAL

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POSTGAME

- For the second straight week, Cherry Creek was on the verge of a loss, but the Bruins someway, somehow, find a way to win it.

FOURTH QUARTER

- Valor completes a pass near midfield, but the Eagles are out of time outs, and the game is over. Cherry Creek survives with an incredible comeback. It's 31 straight wins now for the Bruins.

- Valor has the ball at its own 20 in the final seconds.

- FIELD GOAL CHERRY CREEK. Wow, what a comeback by the Bruins. Jolon Quintana kicks a 27-yard field goal and they have the lead with nine seconds left. (Cherry Creek, 16-15 | :09, 4th)

- Montae Johnson finds a gaping hole on first down, and scrambles for 18 yards inside the Valor 10. Cherry Creek is in position to hit a game-winning field goal.

- Pass by Montae Johnson falls incomplete..............BUT WAIT, THERE'S A FLAG ON THE FIELD. Valor Christian has been FLAGGED for roughing the passer. My stars. Holy Toledo Mackerel. Automatic first down for Cherry Creek.

- Cherry Creek faces a fourth-and-short at the Valor 40 with a minute left.

- Onside kick attempt for Cherry Creek. Bruins get a bounce......AND THEY COME DOWN WITH THE BALL. Jack George with the RECOVERY. OH MY GRACIOUS GOODNESS. Bruins have the ball again with two minutes left.

- TOUCHDOWN CHERRY CREEK. Chance Phillips plows forward from 3 yards out on third-and-short for the TD. Bruins have to go for two......but THEY DROP THE SNAP and Valor recovers. Eagles still lead. Bruins have one time out left. (Valor Christian, 15-13 | 2:06, 4th)

- Valor Christian flagged for pass interference. First down for Cherry Creek at the Valor 12 with 3:45 left.

- Cherry Creek near the Valor Christian 20 close to four minutes left after the Eagles were penalized for roughing the passer.

- Wow, Yorel Autry with an incredible catch for Cherry Creek, covering at least 40 yards, and the Bruins are past midfield with less than six minutes to go.

- FIELD GOAL VALOR CHRISTIAN. Wow, the Eagles bring out Luke Brust to kick his third long field goal on the night, this a 51-yard try. The ball doesn't look good at first, but it curves around and through the left upright, and the Eagles are up eight. (Valor Christian, 15-7 | 6:48, 4th)

- Valor faces a fourth-and-short inside the Cherry Creek 35. Eagles take a time out.

- Valor Christian gets a first down at the Cherry Creek 40. We're under nine minutes now.

- TOUCHDOWN CHERRY CREEK. On the opening play of the final quarter, the Bruins get on the board as Elijah Cromwell darts in from 5 yards out. PAT is good. We have a ballgame now. (Valor Christian, 12-7 | 11:56, 4th)

- Cherry Creek has the ball at the Valor 5 as the final quarter commences.

THIRD QUARTER

- Wow, what a catch by Cherry Creek's Alijah Landrum-Hamilton on a fourth-and-long. Play covers 27 yards and the Bruins have a first-and-goal at the Valor 9 in the final seconds of the third.

- TOUCHDOWN VALOR CHRISTIAN. A strong drive to start the second half for the Eagles ends when Garrett Beyer plows forward from 2 yards out. Try for two fails, but Valor up by double digits. (Valor Christian, 12-0 | 3:41, 3rd)

- Valor Christian driving on its opening series in the second half. Eagles inside the Cherry Creek 25.

- Cherry Creek gets the ball to start the second half, but the Bruins are unable to move the ball and have to punt it away.

HALFTIME

- Valor Christian with 170 yards of total offense (61 rushing, 109 passing). Cherry Creek with 61 total yards in the opening half (38 rushing, 23 passing).

SECOND QUARTER

- Valor Christian kicker Luke Brust nearly converts another long field goal, this one from 52 yards out, but the kick falls just short. Brust has accounted for all the scoring in the first half, though.

- Valor Christian pulls off a huge pass play, as Titus Huard launches a 69-yard strike to Jackson Coleman, and the Eagles are inside the Cherry Creek 20 entering the final minute of the half.

- Cherry Creek goes backwards on the drive and has to punt it away. Valor will get the ball back with less than three minutes to go in the half.

- Montae Johnson, starting the game at quarterback for Cherry Creek, engineering a sustained drive and just converted a fourth-and-short for the Bruins, who are past midfield with about five minutes to go in the half.

- FIELD GOAL VALOR CHRISTIAN. Luke Brust with another long field goal, this one from 48 yards out, and the Eagles extend their lead over the Bruins. (Valor Christian, 6-0 | 9:00, 2nd)

- Valor Christian controlled things for much of the opening quarter, and the Eagles are on the move. Tailback Roger Garey with six carries for 35 yards already for Valor.

FIRST QUARTER

- Bentley Unruh still not back at quarterback for Cherry Creek, which is playing its third-string quarterback. Bruins forced to punt with less than four minutes left in the period.

- FIELD GOAL VALOR CHRISTIAN. Wow, the Eagles just booted a very long field goal. It was 56 yards, to be exact, off the foot of Luke Brust. Wow. (Valor Christian, 3-0 | 6:35, 1st)

- We're about to get started here, as there is a large crowd that has shown up for this titanic tilt.

PREGAME

- Live from the campus of Valor Christian in Highlands Ranch, the Eagles welcome in Cherry Creek, winners in each of its last 30 ballgames, in one of the top games in the state this season.

ABOUT CHERRY CREEK

Last week, the Bruins were on the ropes at the Stutler Bowl against Legend, but pulled off a 34-28 overtime win on a touchdown pass to Yorel Autry.

Another Bruin receiver, Alijah Landrum-Hamilton, caught three TD passes for the second straight game. A main storyline will be the health of starting quarterback Bentley Unruh, who left the Legend game with an injury. Backup Tristan Robinson threw the walk-off TD pass in overtime to Autry.

ABOUT VALOR CHRISTIAN

The Eagles haven’t played in two weeks, since dropping a game on the road to Southern California powerhouse Mater Dei. 

Cherry Creek will also be the first in-state team Valor has played this season. Earlier, the Eagles recorded wins against Houston (Texas) Kinkaid and Faith Lutheran, based in Las Vegas, Nev. 

One key to Valor pulling off a win will be the play of quarterback Titus Huard. The junior has thrown for 784 yards and seven TDs so far in the season.

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Buck Ringgold
BUCK RINGGOLD

Buck Ringgold is a veteran high school sportswriter with extensive experience covering sports in Arkansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana. He is a longtime contributor to High School On SI.

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