A look at some of the key games, tournaments and happenings in Aurora prep sports between Oct. 17-23:
• Berths in the Class 5A state cross country meet are on the line Oct. 17 as eight city teams are split in two regionals set to race consecutively at the Aurora Sports Park. The Region 1 group includes host Smoky Hill, as well as Aurora Central and Eaglecrest (girls 3:30 p.m., boys 4:30 p.m.), while Region 2 has a heavy Aurora flavor with Cherokee Trail, Gateway, Grandview, Overland and Regis Jesuit (girls 4 p.m., boys 5 p.m.). Hinkley and Rangeview compete in Region 2 at Broomfield Commons Park (girls 2 p.m., boys 2:30 p.m.), the same site Vista PEAK races in 4A Region 3 on Oct. 18 (boys 2:15 p.m., girls, 3:15 p.m.)
• The Cherokee Trail volleyball team plays at Cherry Creek at 6:15 p.m. Oct. 17 in a battle of teams tied for third place in the Centennial League standings behind Grandview and Arapahoe. Rangeview also plays host to Prairie View at 6:30 p.m. in a match that could clinch the EMAC championship for the Raiders with a victory.
• Week 8 of the fast-moving prep football season is Oct. 18, with a number of key matchups in store. According to the latest Class 5A wild card points, eight city teams remain in the top 32 teams that advance to the postseason. Overland (4-3) sits 19th and looks to climb again with a win in a 4 p.m. game against Smoky Hill (1-6), while a pair of 4-3 district rivals meet at 6 p.m. at APS Stadium when Gateway visits Hinkley in teams trying to keep pace behind Rangeview in the Aurora League. Cherokee Trail and Eaglecrest face off at 7 p.m. at Legacy Stadium in a rematch of a 2012 playoff game. Vista PEAK is at Skyview at noon Oct. 19.
• Eaglecrest and Grandview play in the Class 5A state softball tournament Oct. 18-19, as both teams are scheduled to play at 12:15 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Aurora Sports Park. Two wins would push the two local Centennial League rivals into a semifinal against each other on Oct. 19. The tournament would shift to Oct. 19-20 if bad weather scrubs the first day.
• The Class 5A boys soccer state playoff bracket is issued Oct. 20 by the Colorado High School Activities Association, with a number of Aurora teams — including EMAC champion Rangeview and Centennial League champion Smoky Hill — expected to be in the mix.
• Eaglecrest visits Regis Jesuit at 7 p.m. Oct. 22 in a non-league volleyball battle of ranked 5A city teams that should be good preparation for both teams with regionals just 10 days away.
• The state field hockey semifinals are slated for Oct. 23 at All-City Stadium, with Regis Jesuit hoping to be involved. The fifth-seeded Raiders (10-5) needed to beat No. 4 Palmer Ridge (10-4) in the quarterfinals on Oct. 17 to advance to play top-seeded Colorado Academy (15-0), which defeated No. 8 Cheyenne Mountain 2-0 on Oct. 16.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel.
