Cherry Creek continues to make history.

After Saturday’s 24-17 win over Valor Christian in the CHSAA Class 5A championship game, the Bruins have won four straight 5A titles, a Colorado first.

“It’s a really special feeling,” Cherry Creek offensive lineman Hank Zilinskas, who’s currently committed to the Buffs, told The Denver Gazette. “No one’s ever done this in the state’s history. To go out as the only team to ever do it, it’s just an amazing feeling. I don’t think anything will ever feel like this.”

This win wasn’t as dominant as the previous two — both 21-0 victories over Valor Christian in the title game — but the way the Bruins won was still impressive.

Trailing 7-3 at halftime after multiple first-half turnovers, Cherry Creek scored touchdowns on its first two possessions of the second half and never looked back.

“I think we settled in the first half,” said Creek coach Dave Logan, who’s now won 11 state titles in 30 years of coaching.

“I thought Valor did a really good job, very stout inside.

“They muddied up our inside running game in the first half and we had uncharacteristic errors.

“We had a couple of interceptions. We miss a 25-yard field goal. We get stopped on fourth-and-1 at the 10. You would have to go back three or four years to see a game where we turned it over like that. But to the kids’ credit, we had to show resilience.”

Creek made a quarterback change late in the first half, going from freshman Brady Vodicka to senior Brian

Rudden and it paid off as Rudden’s 34-yard touchdown pass to Ismael Cisse put his team up 17-7 in the third quarter.

“I was proud of him,” Logan said of Rudden. “He has been a joy to coach. We’re going to try to help him go play some college football somewhere because I think he’s capable of doing that. He stepped in at a time when we needed a spark and he provided just that.”

It was the final high school game for several standout defensive players and they went out with a bang. Oregon commit and the consensus top player in the state, Blake Purchase, had a strip sack on defense and rushed in Creek’s final touchdown of the day.

“I put it in this week and we worked on it,” Logan said.

“I liked how it looked yesterday in practice. He really did a nice, nice job.”

Saturday was also the icing on the cake for a big week for defensive lineman Javion Smith-combs, who recently announced his commitment to Colorado State.

“In my career at Creek, I’ve been through a lot — injuries, not playing that much,” Smith-combs told The Gazette. “I mean, this is the first year I’ve really played that much and it’s just the best feeling in the world to finish this way.”

The star of the game, though, was senior running back Carlson “Bubba” Tann who took home MVP honors after rushing for over 100 yards and a touchdown.

“We’ve been chugging all season,” Zillinskas said.

“We came out a little slow, but once we started getting into it, we were unstoppable.”

Class 4A: Broomfield captures first title in nearly 40 years

Broomfield used three first-half touchdowns to hold on for a 24-14 win over Loveland.

The win caps an undefeated season for the Eagles, who win their first state title since 1984.

“It’s great for this community,” Broomfield coach Blair Hubbard said.

Quarterback Cole Lacrue capped his stellar career by fulfilling his promise to win state.

“This is for my pops, I wish he was here with me, I wish I could give him a hug,” said Lacrue, whose father died in 2020. “I’m so happy.”

The game wasn’t all smooth sailing for Broomfield. After receiving the opening kickoff, Brent Harris fumbled on the first play from scrimmage. But when the Eagles got the ball back, Harris busted through the line for a couple big gains that set up the early scores.

“I think that actually helped us, it helped us realize we were here,” Lacrue said.

Lacrue was also dealing with pain in his right ankle, an injury that popped up early in the season.

“I told [Hubbard] he was going to have to rip [my uniform] off me,” Lacrue said.

This isn’t the end for LaCrue, who’s signed and expected to enroll at Wisconsin in January.

“It’s awesome that all my hard work paid off and I get to go [to Wisconsin], but this feeling right is the best feeling,” Lacrue said. “Every high school football player has a dream and that dream is to go undefeated and win their senior year. I’m glad that dream happened for me.”