AURORA | A look ahead at some of the key games, tournaments and happenings in Aurora prep sports from Oct. 24-Oct. 30, 2019:
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
OCT. 24: The Week 9 prep football slate opens with a quality Metro East contest involving Eaglecrest and a 7 p.m. visit to play Arapahoe at Littleton Public Schools Stadium, while undefeated Smoky Hill plays its final home game of the regular season when it welcomes Mountain Range to Stutler Bowl at 7 p.m. …Field conditions permitting, a good day of boys soccer is in store with the regular season coming to a close at the end of the week. The EMAC title will be decided by the result of the game between Gateway and Rangeview at 6:30 p.m. on the Raiders’ home field. The Continental League championship is on the line when Regis Jesuit plays host to Castle View at 7 p.m., while Grandview and Eaglecrest meet at Legacy Stadium at 6 p.m. …The Centennial League Challenge volleyball tournament continues with championship semifinals of Grandview at Cherokee Trail and Cherry Creek at Eaglecrest.
OCT. 25: The Class 5A state softball tournament is scheduled to begin at the Aurora Sports Park, with Aurora’s lone qualifier — Smoky Hill — set to face Arapahoe at 12:15 p.m. as long as field conditions allow the tournament to begin as scheduled. Quarterfinal contests follow at 2:30 p.m., with semifinals the next day at 10 a.m. and the championship game at 1:30 p.m. …Friday Night Lights has plenty of action in town, as Vista PEAK (vs. Standley Lake at 6:30 p.m. at APS Stadium), Cherokee Trail (vs. Cherry Creek at 7 p.m.), Regis Jesuit (vs. Fountain-Fort Carson at 7 p.m.) and Overland (vs. Grandview at Stutler Bowl at 7 p.m.) have home games. …Snow forced the postponement of some boys soccer from the previous day with Aurora Central set to play host to Hinkley at 4 p.m., the same time Smoky Hill is home to Cherry Creek.
OCT. 26: The Class 5A state cross country meet is set for the Norris Penrose Equestrian Center in Colorado Springs, as boys and girls runners from Cherokee Trail, Eaglecrest, Gateway, Grandview, Overland, Rangeview, Regis Jesuit and Smoky Hill compete in two races (boys at 1 p.m., girls at 2:20 p.m.).
OCT. 29: Provided both teams win their previous matches, the Rangeview and Vista PEAK volleyball teams are scheduled to meet at 6:30 p.m. on the Bison’s home court that should essentially decide the EMAC championship. …The semifinals of the state field hockey championships are scheduled to be played at All-City Stadium. Regis Jesuit has qualified for one of the games (times to be announced) and will face Cherry Creek or Palmer Ridge.