Aurora teams improved by one win over the week before, as Week 8 saw Aurora programs finish with a combined record of 3-8 in games played from Oct. 12-14.
Victorious in the late stage of the regular season were Gateway and Grandview in head-to-head local matchups — vs. Hinkley and Smoky Hill, respectively — along with Regis Jesuit. All three wins were of the lopsided variety and the three victory allowed just eight combined points.
Grandview bounced back from a loss to Arapahoe the previous week with a 41-8 defeat of Smoky Hill Oct. 13 at Stutler Bowl in a game that saw the Wolves scored all of their points in the opening half. Liam Szarka had another four-touchdown game for coach Tom Doherty’s Wolves (6-2, 2-1), as he rushed for a score and threw two touchdown passes to Dominic Henning and another to Kyler Vaughn. Zion Brake threw a touchdown pass and ran in the two-point conversion for coach Brandon Alconcel’s Buffs (1-7, 0-3), who celebrated their Senior Night.
Regis Jesuit evened its record at 4-4 and moved to 2-1 in the Southern League with a 51-0 victory over winless Chaparral Oct. 13 at Lou Kellogg Stadium. The Raiders got three touchdown runs from Garrett Reece, plus another on the ground from Anthony Medina and two passing from Peyton Lindell (to Arturo Chacon and JoJo Hernandez). Defensively, coach Danny Filleman’s Raiders earned their first shutout in 36 games, dating back to a win over Douglas County during the coronavirus pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Gateway racked up its most points in a decade — stretching back to the 2012 season — in a 69-0 victory over Hinkley Oct. 13 at APS Stadium. Coach Rashad Mason’s Olys (2-6, 2-2 in the I-25 League) got a six-touchdown game from Knyle Serrell, who went over 100 yards rushing and scored four times on the ground, while he also threw two touchdown passes to Andre Romain. Gateway also scored defensively on a fumble return by Keondre Meadows.
Eaglecrest (6-2, 1-2 Centennial League) went down to defeat, but played undefeated and four-time defending Class 5A state champion Cherry Creek closer than anybody else this season in a 21-0 loss Oct. 13 at Legacy Stadium. Coach Mike Schmitt’s Raptors — who averaged more than 35 points per game in their first seven contests — finished with just 137 yards of total offense and failed to score for the first time.
VIsta PEAK Prep played the closest game of the week on Oct. 14 at APS Stadium, but fell to Denver South 20-12. Joshua Boadu rushed for a touchdown and Kameron Harris caught a scoring pass from Canaan Barthlow in the second quarter for all of the points for coach DaVaughn Thornton Sr.’s Bison (2-6, 0-3 in the 4A Southeast Metro). Amerdid Merial came up with an interception inside the last two minutes to give Vista PEAK Prep one more chance until an interception sealed the result.
Winners of three straight, Overland trailed Denver East 7-0 at halftime Oct. 13 at All-City Stadium, but couldn’t overcome the deficit in a 24-6 loss to drop to 4-4 and 2-1 in the Metro North. Coach Kyle Reese’s Trailblazers had their chances, however, they did not get on the scoreboard until a short touchdown run by Jarrius Ward in the fourth quarter.
Tyson Smith rushed for the lone touchdown for coach Justin Jajczyk’s Cherokee Trail team in a 56-7 Centennial League road loss to powerhouse Arapahoe at LPS Stadium Oct. 12. The Cougars sit at 3-5 overall and 0-3 in in league play.
Rangeview (1-7, 0-3) got on the scoreboard against Prairie View with a safety in the first quarter and later added a rushing touchdown by Jah Alexander, but coach Chris Dixon’s Raiders dropped a 31-8 road decision.
Coach Chris Kelly’s Aurora Central team is 2-6 overall and 1-2 in the 4A Metro 2 league in the wake of a 54-0 loss to Fruita Monument Oct. 12 at APS Stadium.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
