Windham powers Cherry Creek over Mullen and into 5A football semis
DENVER — Trey Windham is bringing new meaning to being a versatile threat on the football field.
The Cherry Creek senior was every bit the hybrid that the Bruins needed Friday night in the Class 5A quarterfinals against No. 2 Mullen. Windham threw a touchdown pass, rushed for three more scores and even caught a pass – but more importantly, he helped provide a spark that led Cherry Creek to the 34-17 victory at Brother Bernard Kinneavy de La Salle Stadium.
“Trey had an amazing game as always. He was throwing the ball, he was running the ball, he was doing everything for us,” Bruins wide receiver Dimitri Stanley said. “His leadership skills were amazing, and he got us that win.”
Windham finished with 244 yards of total offense. The senior began the season as a running back, but after the team’s top two QBs went down with injury, he switched positions and has helped guide the team to seven consecutive victories.
“I have to say, I do like it more than running back,” Windham said with a smile. “It’s fun. I just love the position.
“It’s honestly everything the o-line is giving me. They’re giving me more time and making it easier on me.”
Seventh-seeded Cherry Creek (9-3) finds itself in a familiar position headed into the 5A semifinals next weekend. The Bruins will face Valor Christian – a rematch of a 2015 semifinal – for a trip to the state championship game.
It’s the third year in a row the two teams have met in the postseason.
“They’re well-coached, they’re well-schooled at what they do, and they’ve got a great defense,” Cherry Creek coach Dave Logan said. “I’m a huge, huge fan of Dylan McCaffrey – I think he’s the best pocket passer in the state.
“We’ll enjoy this. We’ll lick our wounds a bit and come back to work on Monday and try to find a way to come up with a plan.”
The Bruins will certainly enjoy Friday’s victory. After Mullen (9-3) opened the game with a 66-yard kickoff return from Marcus McElroy – followed by a 24-yard touchdown run from Shamond Hamilton on the first play from scrimmage – it looked as though Cherry Creek might be in for a long night.
The Bruins had a 63-yard touchdown run called back because of a hold on their first possession, but even after falling behind 10-0 after a 39-yard field goal from Vincenzo Saurini, Cherry Creek wasn’t fazed.
“We weren’t worried. Coach Logan actually prepared us for that exact thing,” Stanley said. “He said they might get up 14-0, but we’re going to come back.”
Stanley put the Bruins on the board on a 26-yard scoring run off a reverse, and a 41-yard Windham run helped set up a 10-yard scoring strike from the quarterback to Stanley just before halftime.
The second half belonged to Windham, who scored on runs of 13, one and nine yards. The Mustangs struggled to bring the 6-foot, 205-pounder down, and several times he found ways to break into the clear when it looked as though he was stopped in the backfield.
“I was just trying to get in the end zone every play,” Windham said. “I had to do what was best for the team, and that’s what we needed.”
Mullen struggled to gain traction in the second half until the team’s final drive, when Hamilton scored on a 5-yard run. The team was penalized 14 times on the night, nine of which came in the first half.
Hamilton finished with 115 yards on 23 carries, and McElroy added 48 yards. A’Jon Vivens caught two passes for 50 yards.
“That’s as talented a team as there is in the state,” Logan said of the Mustangs. “They’ve played great football all year long.”
Stanley hauled in three catches for 75 yards for the Bruins, carried one time for 26 yards and executed a perfect halfback pass to Windham for 14 more. He and his teammates will turn their attention to the defending state champions soon enough, but for one night the Bruins deserved the opportunity to revel in what they had just accomplished.
“It’s mind-boggling. We just came out here and beat Mullen on their own turf,” Stanley said. “We did what we said we could do. Nobody else believed in us, but we believed in ourselves and we got it done.”
