AURORA | A look back at some of the key games, tournaments and happenings in Aurora prep sports from Aug. 15-21, 2023:
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
THE WEEK PAST IN AURORA PREP SPORTS, 8.15-8.21.23
MONDAY, AUG. 21: The Vista PEAK softball team saw its undefeated start to the season come to an end with a 12-1 home loss to Regis Jesuit in a local clash. The Raiders collected 14 hits, including three apiece from Jillian Samaras and Alex Tavlarides, while Kendal Craven drove in three runs. Tavlarides scattered four hits in five innings and struck out seven in the win. Jaya Gray finished 2-for-3 and stole three bases for the Bison, who also got an RBI from Rylie Camarillo. …The Regis Jesuit boys golf team finished second at the fourth Continental League tournament of the season, which was played at CommonGround G.C. The Raiders got their top performance from Roland Thornton, whose 1-over-par 72 left him in a tie for second place, while Brady Davis, Ben Sander and Sam Walker were part of a seventh-way tie for ninth place with 75s. …The Regis Jesuit boys tennis team swept past Ponderosa in a Continental League dual match played at Colorado Athletic Club Inverness that saw six of the seven matches decided in straight sets, while the No. 3 doubles team of James Christin and Spencer Buege rallied from a set down for a 4-6, 6-4, 4-3 victory. …The Gateway softball team was limited to a single hit from Carla Silva in a 19-0 home loss to Westminster.
SATURDAY, AUG. 19: David Lopez scored twice, while Alexis Salas added two assists to a goal in a 4-1 home win for the Rangeview boys soccer team over Highlands Ranch. Only one shot got past Tristan Heinzerling in the goal for the Raiders. …Japheth Giorgis notched the lone goal of the game in the opening half and the Eaglecrest boys soccer team blanked Bear Creek 1-0. It was the first victory for new Raptors coach Dorgham Alkabi, who was previously at Aurora Central. …Bastian Gameros had two goals and Francisco Rivera Bustillo notched a goal and two assists for the Smoky Hill boys soccer team in a 7-2 victory over Sand Creek. …Zaya Elliott scattered five hits and allowed just one run with eight strikeouts for the Eaglecrest softball team in a 3-1 win over visiting Brighton. Addison Mower and Izzy Ervin drove in runs and Jac Smith doubled and scored one of the runs for the Raptors. …The Vista PEAK softball team wrapped up a 4-0 run at the Northglenn Tournament with a 17-2 victory over Doherty in a game that saw Jaya Gray go 4-for-4 with three RBI and four runs scored. Rylie Camarillo tripled among four hits and drove in seven runs as well, while Amara Herrera had three hits and two RBI. …The Regis Jesuit field hockey team scored in each half on its way to a 2-0 home victory over Palmer Ridge at Laber Field. …A penalty stroke goal by Elyse Bailey ended up as the game-winner for the Smoky Hill field hockey team in a 2-1 win over Grandview at Legacy Stadium. Mollie Keating scored the other goal for the Buffs, while Emma Cary had the lone goal for the Wolves in the closing seconds. …Mindy Allred and Ayden West had three kills apiece for the Vista PEAK Prep girls volleyball team, which dropped at 25-15, 25-10, 25-18 road match at Doherty to open the season. …The Regis Jesuit softball team opened the Mike Felton Showcase tournament in Loveland with a 13-1 win over Mountain View and 12-2 defeat of Thompson Valley. …Devyn Davenport had three hits and two RBI for the Rangeview softball team, which topped Northglenn 11-4 at the Northglenn Tournament. The Raiders split two contests on the first day of the tournament.
FRIDAY, AUG. 18: Emma Rice scattered three hits over five innings and also homered among three hits as the Cherokee Trail softball team won a shortened 15-2 contest against Rock Canyon. Kennedy Brian homered and drove in four runs, Addi Krei also hit one over the fence and Julia Russell contributed three hits and three RBI for the Cougars. …The Cherokee Trail boys soccer team got off to a big start to the season with a 5-0 blanking of Ponderosa. …The Smoky Hill girls volleyball team waged a tight battle with ThunderRidge that saw each of the first three sets need extra points to decide before the Grizzlies prevailed 24-26, 26-24, 24-26, 25-17, 15-8.
THURSDAY, AUG. 17: On the first full day of the fall prep sports season, Devyn Mena’s penalty kick goal gave the Hinkley boys soccer team a 1-1 tie with Legend. …Briahna Gallegos yielded just two hits over four innings and the Eaglecrest softball team used a nine-run rally in the third inning to defeat Chaparral 11-1. Addison Mower, Jac Smith and Megan Drugan had two hits apiece and Kendra Knovak drove in three runs for the Raptors. …Pennie Siple struck out 12 batters in a near complete game to help the Overland softball team outlast Aurora Central 11-8 in a matchup of local programs. Sasha Davis and Anaiah Patterson collected two hits apiece for the Trailblazers, while Aniyah Baltazar had two hits and scored three times for the Trojans. …Julia Kaiser converted a pass from Henley Whitehead into the lone goal of the game as the Smoky Hill field hockey team defeated Dakota Ridge 1-0 to open the season. …The Gateway boys soccer team notched three goals in its season opener, but ceded a handful in a 5-3 loss to Denver West. …The Vista PEAK Prep boys soccer team countered Prairie View with a goal in the second half and the teams finished in a 1-1 tie. …The Eaglecrest girls volleyball team fell to Chaparral, which emerged with a 25-20, 25-14, 22-25, 25-15 victory.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 16: Gateway’s Ronan McNeal shot a 97 at the Thorncreek G.C. to finish atop the small field of the Adams City Golf Classic. The Olys were the only team to have enough players for a team score in the boys golf tournament that also included players from Aurora Central, Thornton and Adams City. … The Regis Jesuit boys golf team finished in sixth place in the third Continental League tournament of the season, which was contested at Meadow Hills G.C. Roland Thornton shot 76 and Anthony Lore 77 in the top two results. …Jac Smith had three hits and Izzy Ervin homered, but the Eaglecrest softball team dropped a 5-3 decision to ThunderRidge in eight innings.
TUESDAY, AUG. 15: The Smoky Hill softball team triumphed over Fossil Ridge 13-11 to open the season behind a complete game effort from Danika Wood. Morgan Cameron had four hits and came just a home run short of the cycle, while Ellen Paris and Nikiah Light had three hits and combine to score five runs.