Valor Christian and Cherry Creek to add another chapter to football rivalry
GREENWOOD VILLAGE — Thursday night, two big time Colorado programs in Valor Christian and Cherry Creek square off in an always big-time Class 5A battle.
Unlike previous meetings, these two teams face off looking to set their season straight. Both of these teams are sitting towards the bottom of the CHSAANow.com top 10 rankings with the Eagles at No. 8 and the Bruins at No. 9.
Both teams have had their early season struggles. Valor has yet to beat an opponent from Colorado and Cherry Creek has yet to get a win over a ranked opponent. The Eagles have allowed, on average, 32.5 points a game. On the other hand the Bruins’ offense generates an average of 17 points per game.
“It would be a huge win, not only for pride in our program, but it will be a step forward in the right direction for our team this year ,” senior lineman Jon Van Diest said.
With Altitude broadcasting the game, it will mark the television debut for the Bruins. The Eagles have appeared on ESPN, ESPNU and Altitude already this season.
“For some guys I believe it’ll heighten some nerves, but it won’t affect our game,” Van Diest said when talking about playing on TV.
Always a good game in store between the Bruins and the Eagles as both teams boast strong players such as Christian McCaffrey and Noah Ellis, and opposed by Van Diest and Dimirti Stanley.
Coming into the game, both teams have won two and lost two against the other.
Cherry Creek handed Valor its first in-state loss in two seasons back in 2014. The Bruins doubled down on that feat with a 25-24 win over the Eagles in the 5A state championship that season.
Last year, it was the Eagles who got the upper hand twice. They came away with a 10-0 win in the regular season and then topped the Bruins 20-10 in the state semifinals to advance to the 5A game.
But those games of the past don’t matter Thursday. Once the ball is kicked-off, a new chapter will begin in what has developed into a top-notch rivalry.
