Senior attackman Blake Cassidy scored a team-high three goals to lead No. 12 Cherry Creek to an 8-6 victory over No. 9 Fort Collins Unified in a Colorado High School Activities Association game Thursday night.

Sophomore attackman Seyer Skudneski added three points on two goals and one assist, and junior middie Grant Bolling finished with a goal and an assist to help the Bruins (2-0) win their second straight to start the season.

Sophomore attackman Kendall Williams and senior middie Scott Hewitson each scored once to round out the office for Cherry Creek.

In defeat, junior middie Teran Mahwinney had a team-high three points on two goals and one assist, and four others scored once for Fort Collins Unified (0-1), which dropped its season opener.

Cherry Creek jumped on top early and maintained a small lead throughout. The Bruins were never able to pull away, but they kept some breathing space between themselves and the Vipers for most of the night.

“It’s as good as we can be right now, but we’ve got be better,” Cherry Creek head coach Bryan Perry said of his team’s 2-0 start. “It’s a 15-round fight, and we’re just taking it one round at a time.”

Cherry Creek led 3-1 at the end of the first quarter, 4-2 at halftime and 6-3 at the end of the third quarter. The Bruins held at least a two-goal edge throughout the final 12 minutes.

“We’re a little disappointed,” Fort Collins Unified head coach Carey Smith said. “We had some jitters and didn’t finish off some opportunities in the beginning, and then we took some stupid penalties.”