AURORA | The fun of the Centennial League basketball schedule is just getting started with another set of outstanding matchups Wednesday night.
On the boys side, Eaglecrest moved to 3-0 in league play — and 9-2 overall — with a 55-47 road victory in a difficult place to play at Arapahoe. The Warriors knocked off previously undefeated Grandview in its last game, but the Raptors pushed out to an early 9-0 lead and held the advantage the rest of the way.
Senior Colbey Ross scored 17 points to put Eaglecrest ahead by seven at halftime and he finished with a team-high 23, while seniors Austin Forsberg and Josh Walton each chipped nine.
The teams face each other again at Eaglecrest Feb. 3.
Grandview defended its home floor with a 62-59 outlasting of rival Cherokee Trail to move to 11-1 overall and 2-1 in league play.
Playing again without injured star guard Jaizec Lottie — who is out about a month as he recovers from a high ankle sprain — the Cougars (6-5, 0-3) managed to build a two-point lead at halftime and still held a point advantage going into the final quarter before the Wolves tallied 21 points to get past them. Senior Lechaun Duhart returned from a game absence and scored 24 points, while senior Gaige Prim added 17 for Grandview.
Joseph Correa paced Cherokee Trail with 17 points and Ian Kelly added 14.
The rematch comes at Cherokee Trail in a matinee Feb. 4.
Smoky Hill lost twice to Overland a year ago by 19 and 21 points, but it was the Buffaloes’ turn to prevail in their matchup with the two-time defending 5A state champion Trailblazers Wednesday.
Junior Will Becker tallied 16 points, while sophomore Kenny Foster added 14 and junior John Harge 12 in a balanced effort for Smoky Hill, which improved to 9-3 overall and 2-1 in league play.
Overland — which played the previous night and won a tight game at Rangeview — led at the end of both the first and third quarters, but gave up 20-plus points in the second and fourth periods to fall to 4-8 and 0-3.
Four Trailblazers scored in double figures, led by junior Daijon Smith with 14. Tucson Redding and Stephen Hayes added 12 apiece and Asad Yousuf tallied 10.
In non-league play, Vista PEAK suffered just its second loss of the season as visiting Pueblo South posted a 53-40 win over the Bison in a game rescheduled from last week by weather.
Senior Quincy Sanders paced Vista PEAK with 13 points.
In girls play, Grandview remained unbeaten against Colorado opponents with a 61-38 victory over Cherokee Trail on its home floor. The Wolves (10-1, 3-0) pay a visit to the Cougars (3-6, 1-2) in the second league matchup on Feb. 4.
Junior Lyric Thompson poured in 19 points, while junior Maia Jackson added 16 in Overland’s decisive 69-28 win over Smoky Hill. The Trailblazers had four players in double figures in all as they improved to 7-4 overall and 2-1 in Centennial League play.
The Buffaloes — who visit Overland Feb. 3 — dropped to 0-12 and 0-3.
Eaglecrest played host to Arapahoe and let a 10-point halftime lead slip away in a 51-45 loss. The Raptors (6-6, 0-3) — who got nine points apiece from Selah Ruckard and Sha’la Wiggins — travel to play the Warriors on their home floor Feb. 4.
WRESTLING
On the mat, Vista PEAK swept its two matches at a triangular meet at Gateway.
The Bison rolled past the host Olys by a 60-14 count in the opener, then outlasted Aurora Central 44-36 in its finale.
Tony Lozano (120 pounds), Connor Ireland (132), Drake Jackson (160), Alex Moten (182) and Jayden Smith (195) all won by pin for Vista PEAK against the Trojans. Lozano and Ireland recorded two pins on the day for Vista PEAK.
Gateway dropped both of its dual meets, but Blake Thomas had a day at 138 pounds as he won by technical fall against Vista PEAK and then upset Aurora Central’s Omar Gonzalez, who was ranked No. 15 in Class 5A by On The Mat.
Elsewhere, Rangeview posted a near shutout with a 70-3 road win in a dual at Westminster capturing wins in every match save at 106 pounds. The Raiders received five forfeits.
Hinkley dropped a 51-21 decision to Thornton with 132-pounder Zach Martinez posting the Thunderbirds’ lone victory.
GIRLS SWIMMING
Grandview and Overland squared off in a Centennial League dual meet that was a reschedule from one that was canceled the previous week by weather.
Originally the road team, the Wolves played host to the Trailblazers and won all but two events with a lineup minus many of its regular swimmers.
Overland’s Alina Wallace won the diving competition and JoAnna O’Connell captured the 100 backstroke.
Full Aurora prep sports scoreboard for Wednesday, Jan. 11, here.
