2026 Public Schools Top 100 Preview: No. 11 Cherry Creek
The two-time defending Colorado champion brings a 27-game winning streak into 2026, but must replace an elite senior class and find a new quarterback.
Top 25 Public HSFB7/20/20268 min read
Cherry Creek enters the 2026 season ranked No. 11 in the T25PS Public Schools Preseason Top 100 after completing a perfect season and adding another championship to one of the strongest résumés in public-school football.
The Bruins finished 14-0 in 2025 and defeated previously unbeaten Ralston Valley 56-28 in the Colorado Class 5A championship game. It was Cherry Creek’s second consecutive state title, sixth in seven seasons and 15th championship in program history.
Cherry Creek has now appeared in eight consecutive state championship games and will carry a 27-game winning streak into the new season.
That type of consistency makes the Bruins one of the safest preseason projections in the country. However, the 2026 team must replace a loaded senior class that included quarterback Brady Vodicka, Colorado Player of the Year Jayden Fox and several other major contributors.
The next group will be supported by one of Colorado’s best offensive lines, a talented running back rotation and an experienced defensive core. Under head coach Dave Logan, that is more than enough to keep Cherry Creek at the top of Colorado’s championship picture.
Team Snapshot
School: Cherry Creek High School Location: Greenwood Village, Colorado Classification: Colorado Class 5A 2025 Record: 14-0 2025 Finish: Class 5A state champion Head Coach: Dave Logan 27 games No. 11
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Cherry Creek’s ranking begins with its remarkable program standard.
The Bruins have won six championships over the past seven seasons and reached the state final eight consecutive times. Their 2025 team averaged approximately 45 points while allowing only 12 per game before defeating a 13-0 Ralston Valley team by four touchdowns in the championship game.
That dominance does not automatically carry into 2026.
Vodicka graduated after directing one of Colorado’s most productive offenses. Fox is now at UCLA after rushing for 1,746 yards and 26 touchdowns on only 123 carries. Leading receiver Ty Goettsche, versatile playmaker Braylon Hodge and defensive standout Tufanua “T.I.” Umu-Cais are also gone.
At least 10 members of the 2025 senior class signed to play college football, making this a significant reload even by Cherry Creek’s standards.
The Bruins remain at No. 11 because they return an elite foundation along the offensive line, two productive running backs and several experienced defensive playmakers. Logan has repeatedly proven that Cherry Creek can replace graduating talent without leaving Colorado’s championship tier.
Players to Know
Jackson Roper — OL, Senior
Roper is the centerpiece of the 2026 offense and one of the best offensive linemen in the country.
The 6-foot-5, 305-pound interior lineman is a four-star prospect, the top-ranked 2027 recruit in Colorado and a UCLA commit. He helped anchor an offensive line that cleared the way for more than 2,700 rushing yards and 37 touchdowns last season.
Roper has the versatility to play multiple positions across the line and gives Cherry Creek an experienced player around whom it can build its new offense.
With a new quarterback and new leading rusher, the Bruins’ ability to control games up front will be especially important early in the season.
Elijah Cromwell — RB, Junior
Cromwell is expected to take on a much larger role following Fox’s graduation.
As a sophomore, the four-star running back rushed for 287 yards and four touchdowns on 44 carries while adding 15 receptions for 172 yards. His ability to contribute as both a runner and receiver gives the next quarterback a versatile option out of the backfield.
Cromwell has already delivered in a championship setting. As a freshman in 2024, he rushed for ~100 yards and scored both Cherry Creek touchdowns in its 13-10 state-title victory over Legend.
He will enter 2026 as one of the most important offensive players in Colorado.
Chance Phillips — RB, Junior
Phillips gives Cherry Creek another proven option in the backfield.
He rushed for 324 yards and a touchdown on 39 carries last season, averaging more than eight yards per attempt. With Fox gone, Phillips should receive additional opportunities alongside Cromwell.
The combination of Cromwell and Phillips gives Cherry Creek a strong starting point as it rebuilds the rest of the offense.
Edward Huettner — OL, Senior
Huettner is another key piece of an offensive line expected to become the identity of the team.
His presence alongside Roper gives the Bruins continuity up front and should help protect an inexperienced quarterback. Cherry Creek may not immediately replace all the explosiveness it lost at the skill positions, but its line should allow the offense to remain physical and productive.
Alijah Landrum-Hamilton — WR, Senior
Landrum-Hamilton is one of the returning receivers expected to compete for a larger role following the graduation of Goettsche and Hodge.
The Bruins must rebuild their passing-game hierarchy, and Landrum-Hamilton has an opportunity to emerge as one of the new quarterback’s primary targets.
Karson McKenzie — DB/WR, Senior
McKenzie was one of Cherry Creek’s most productive defensive backs in 2025, recording 90 tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups.
Although recruiting services also list him as a receiver, most of his impact last season came on defense. His experience and versatility should make him one of the leaders of the 2026 secondary.
Colton Heimlicher — EDGE, Senior
Heimlicher is one of the key returning players in Cherry Creek’s front seven.
The Bruins lost significant senior leadership from last year’s defense, creating an opportunity for Heimlicher to take on a larger role as a pass rusher and edge defender.
Jaxson Flores — S, Senior
Flores adds another athletic defensive back to the secondary. His presence alongside McKenzie gives Cherry Creek multiple experienced options on the back end of the defense.
Reeve Thomas — EDGE, Senior
Thomas provides additional depth and experience along the edge.
Cherry Creek’s defense has consistently been one of the program’s defining strengths, and the development of Thomas and Heimlicher will be important as the Bruins replace several members of last season’s championship unit.
Schedule Breakdown
Cherry Creek’s 2026 schedule stays entirely within Colorado, but the Bruins will face several of the state’s strongest programs.
August 20 — at Chatfield September 4 — vs. Ralston Valley September 10 — vs. Legend September 18 — at Valor Christian September 24 — at Cherokee Trail October 2 — vs. Arapahoe October 8 — Northfield October 15 — at Eaglecrest October 23 — vs. Mullen October 30 — at Grandview
The September 4 matchup against Ralston Valley is an immediate rematch of the 2025 Class 5A championship game. The Mustangs finished 13-1 last season, with their only loss coming against Cherry Creek in the final.
Six days later, the Bruins face Legend, the team they defeated 13-10 for the 2024 state championship.
The September 18 trip to Valor Christian could be Cherry Creek’s most difficult regular-season test. Valor pushed the Bruins to the final play in last year’s state semifinal before Cherry Creek escaped with a 21-13 victory. The Eagles have not defeated Cherry Creek since the 2018 state championship game.
The regular season concludes at Grandview in a matchup that could carry significant league and playoff-seeding implications.
Cherry Creek does not have an out-of-state opponent, so the Bruins will have fewer opportunities to build a national résumé than several teams ranked around them. Their schedule does however, include most of the programs capable of challenging them inside Colorado.
With that said, it will take near perfect games to keep Cherry Creek in this position throughout the year.
Biggest Question
How quickly can Cherry Creek rebuild its passing game?
Vodicka provided experience, production and stability at quarterback, while Goettsche and Hodge gave him proven options in the passing game. All three have graduated, and a definitive 2026 starting quarterback has not yet been publicly established.
The Bruins do not need the new quarterback to carry the offense immediately. Roper and Huettner lead a strong offensive line, while Cromwell and Phillips give Cherry Creek two capable running backs.
Still, another championship run will eventually require the Bruins to produce through the air against opponents such as Ralston Valley, Valor Christian and Grandview.
If Cherry Creek receives steady quarterback play, the rest of the roster is strong enough to compete for another undefeated season.
T25PS Prediction
Regular Season Prediction: 10-0 Postseason Prediction: Colorado Class 5A state champion
Cherry Creek has important production to replace, but every Colorado contender faces the same problem: no program in the state has consistently developed and replaced talent better than the Bruins.
The offensive line and running game should provide stability while the quarterback develops. The defense returns enough experience to remain one of Colorado’s best, and the schedule gives Cherry Creek its most difficult games after the new offense has had time to settle.
Ralston Valley and Valor Christian are legitimate threats, but Cherry Creek remains the team to beat until someone proves otherwise.
Bottom Line
Cherry Creek is ranked No. 11 because few public-school programs have established a higher or more consistent standard.
The Bruins are coming off a 14-0 season, own a 27-game winning streak and have captured six of the past seven Colorado championships. Logan has built a program capable of losing major college talent and returning to the state-title game the following season.
The 2026 team will not have the same proven skill-position production that drove last year’s offense. It will, however, feature an elite offensive line, a talented backfield and an experienced defensive core.
If Cherry Creek finds its next quarterback, the Bruins have every reason to expect another undefeated regular season, another Class 5A championship run and another place among the country’s best public-school teams.
Thanks for reading,
Alex | T25PS
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