Aurora Central’s Christopher Carrillo (33) cuts off Hinkley’s Andre Lavalle during the second half of an EMAC boys soccer clash on Oct. 14, 2017, at Aurora Central High School. The Thunderbirds all but wrapped up the league championship with a 3-0 victory over the Trojans in a battle of two teams bound for the Class 5A state playoffs. (Photo by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)
Aurora Central’s Christopher Carrillo (33) cuts off Hinkley’s Andre Lavalle during the second half of an EMAC boys soccer clash on Oct. 14, 2017, at Aurora Central High School. The Thunderbirds all but wrapped up the league championship with a 3-0 victory over the Trojans in a battle of two teams bound for the Class 5A state playoffs. (Photo by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)

AURORA | The Hinkley boys soccer team all but wrapped up the EMAC championship with a 3-0 victory at Aurora Central Saturday.

Coach Marcos Madera’s Thunderbirds had a one-game lead on the Trojans going into the contest and made sure it didn’t get away, scoring twice in the first half and once early in the second half to stay unbeaten through nine conference games.

Senior Danny Gonzalez scored off a free kick chance to get Hinkley (11-1-1 overall, 8-0-1 EMAC) going and senior Anandro Sinaga doubled the lead later in the half, while senior Angel Heredia tacked on some insurance with his shot into the net from the wing early in the second half.

Aurora Central put 13 shots on goal, but keeper Alexis Acevedo and the Thunderbirds registered their ninth shutout of the season. Hinkley has allowed the fewest goals in Class 5A this season (4).

The loss dropped coach Ramiro Loera’s Trojans (8-5, 7-2) into third place in the EMAC behind Hinkley and Rangeview (9-3-1, 6-1-1), which they lost to by the same 3-0 count two days earlier.

The top two teams in the EMAC final standings — currently Hinkley and Rangeview — qualify automatically for the upcoming 5A state playoffs, while the rest will have to hope to get in as at-large teams through RPI. Aurora Central sat in the No. 21 spot going into games of Oct. 17.

Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel

HINKLEY 3, AURORA CENTRAL 0

Score by halves:

Hinkley               2  1 — 3

Aurora Central  0  0 – 0

Hinkley goals: Danny Gonzalez, Angel Heredia, Anandro Sinaga

Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor and photographer with Sentinel Colorado. A Denver East High School and University of Colorado alum. He came to the Sentinel in 2001 and since then has received a number...