The high school football season in Colorado kicks off in a little over a week with games scheduled for the weekend of Aug. 26-27. After going 12-2 and shutting out
Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch) 21-0 in the Class 5A state title contest,
Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) carried off its third straight state championship trophy. The Bruins headline our look at this year's contenders in the preseason MaxPreps Top 25.
Cherry Creek coach Dave Logan, whose club carries a six-game winning streak into the 2022 season, returns plenty of talent to usher in a fourth state title in a row.
Blake Purchase, a 6-foot, 4-inch, 230-pound outside linebacker, bullied opposing offenses with 83 tackles, 18 tackles for losses and 12 sacks a year ago. Purchase also picked off a pair of aerials, deflected two enemy passes and recovered a fumble as a junior.
Joining Purchase up front on the stop side of the ball is fellow senior edge
Chase Brackney (6-4, 285) who was credited with 82 total stops and three tackles for negative yardage. The Iowa pledge added four sacks, a deflected pass, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble to his stat line.
Senior linebacker
Logan Brantley (6-1, 205), who is pledged to coach Lance Leipold and the University of Kansas, made 61 tackles, was credited with a pair of tackles for loss, came up with seven pass deflections and caused a fumble.
Ismael Cisse, a three-star wide receiver according to 247Sports, returns after hauling in 39 passes for 652 yards and six scores last fall.
Grandview (Aurora) coach Tom Doherty brings back
Zach Henning, a 6-6, 275-pound senior offensive tackle, and has the Wolves ready to make a run at their first state title since 2007. Committed to the University of Washington, Henning and his teammates sit at No. 2 in the Colorado MaxPreps Top 25. The Wolves lost 37-6 to Class 5A runner-up Valor Christian 37-6 in last season's semifinals.
After claiming the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 2A title a year ago,
Eaton ranks No. 10 going into the new season. Defending Class 4A state champion
Chatfield (Littleton) sits No. 11.
Cherry Creek will get tested right out of the gate. The Bruins travel to No. 7
Ralston Valley (Arvada) Aug. 26 before playing at
St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), the No. 24 club the MaxPreps Top 25 national rankings, Sept. 3. Cherry Creek then hosts Chatfield Sept. 9. Grandview hosts Ralston Valley Sept. 9 before traveling to Cherry Creek Oct. 28 to conclude the regular season.
Read on for a complete look at Colorado's preseason Top 25 for 2022.
Cherry Creek heads into 2022 ranked No. 1 in Colorado after defeating Valor Christian in the
Class 5A state championship last season.
Photo: Ray Chen
2.
Grandview (Aurora), 10-3
3.
Regis Jesuit (Aurora), 8-4
4.
Erie, 13-1
5.
Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch), 13-1
6.
Montrose, 12-1
7.
Ralston Valley (Arvada), 9-3
8.
Loveland, 10-2
9.
Palmer Ridge (Monument), 10-2
10.
Eaton, 13-0
11.
Chatfield (Littleton), 11-3
12.
Fountain-Fort Carson (Fountain), 10-2
13.
Dakota Ridge (Littleton), 11-1
14.
Mullen (Denver), 4-8
15.
Arapahoe (Centennial), 9-3
16.
Vista Ridge (Colorado Springs), 7-4
17.
Durango, 9-3
18.
Arvada West (Arvada), 8-3
19.
Legend (Parker), 11-2
20.
ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch), 9-3
21.
Fruita Monument (Fruita), 8-4
22.
Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch) 5-7
23.
Columbine (Littleton), 9-4
24.
Pine Creek (Colorado Springs), 10-3
25.
Severance, 9-3
