GREENWOOD VILLAGE >> Friday night’s Class 5A quarterfinal at the Stutler Bowl had long been decided when Erie finally turned things on.

Two touchdowns in the final 3 minutes and 21 seconds didn’t do anything for the Tigers’ fate: their first season in the state’s largest classification ended in a 34-14 loss to Cherry Creek.

It did show mettle, though.

“They come together when they hit adversity. That’s just who they are,” Tigers coach Jeff Giger said. He smiled, “I wish we got a little more, but this group is always going to give their best.”

To knock off Colorado’s most storied football program, Erie (10-3) knew it needed a good start and its share of big plays.

Not this: a fake-punt attempt wobbled to the turf incomplete, ending the Tigers’ first drive. Cherry Creek responded with a 35-yard touchdown on its own fourth down, followed by a 65-yard score minutes later.

The Bruins (11-1) dominated to advance to next weekend’s semifinals. They’re now one win away from their seventh straight title game appearance.

The loss, meanwhile, ended a successful first year in the 5A classification for the Tigers. Moving up after winning the 4A title a year ago, their latest finish didn’t mirror 2023’s in terms of celebration. Only pride.

“Since my freshman year, we’ve never been taught to quit or lay over,” Erie senior lineman Cole Powell said. “We didn’t want it to end on a bad note.”

Last week, Erie was the lone road team to win in 5A’s second round. Then, the Tigers struggled in the first half, going down 10, before rallying to beat No. 8 Pine Creek, 28-23, in Colorado Springs.

By the time they found answers a week later, though, it was too late.

Their offense averaged 41 points during their nine-game winning streak coming into the night but were held scoreless until Carson Hageman’s 1-yard touchdown run with 3:21 remaining. The Air Force commit had an expanded role for Erie this season after he was named the Longmont Times-Call defensive player of the year in 2023. His short TD run (had five in the regular season) ended the shutout, which would have been the Tigers’ first since Sept. 25, 2015. They scored again as Ronin Ward connected with Dylan Firebaugh for a 10-yard touchdown with 4 seconds left.

Before that, it was all Cherry Creek. The Bruins pushed out to a three-score lead in the opening quarter thanks to a 35-yard TD run by Jayden Fox, followed by a 65-yard scamper by Elijah Cromwell. Then, Fox broke free again in the third — this time for a 70-yard score. And the Bruins made it 34-0 in the fourth on a 40-yard TD pass from Brady Vodicka to Jeremiah Hoffman.

Per 247Sports, Cherry Creek has six players ranked in the state’s top 10 in the 2025 and 2026 classes. Fox, who totaled more than 160 yards on just nine carries Friday, is just outside of that, 11th among Colorado’s juniors.

Elsewhere for Cherry Creek, Vodicka (No. 9 in Colorado’s 2026 class) was limited to around 100 yards through the air. Most of which went to Hoffman (No. 6 in 2025), who had three catches for 73 yards.

For Erie, Ward threw for 150 yards and ran for 33 to close out his senior season. This season, Ward took over at QB for the departed Blake Barnett and helped lead the Tigers to 5A’s Final 8. Running back Braylon Toliver, meanwhile, rushed for 60 yards to cap his stellar junior season.