AURORA | A look at some of the key games, tournaments and happenings in Aurora prep sports from May 3-9:
(All events weather permitting)
• Cherry Creek plays at Regis Jesuit at 7 p.m. May 3 in a girls lacrosse showdown to cap the regular season. The game could have bearing on the seeding of the state playoffs, which open on May 8 for the girls and May 9 for the boys. Twenty girls team make the postseason, while 16 teams make the boys Class 5A playoffs.
• The girls soccer regular seasons ends May 3 with the 32-team field of the Class 5A state tournament revealed two days later by the Colorado High School Activities Association. Opening round playoff contests are slated for May 8.
• The Cherry Creek/Grandview Invitational track meet is scheduled for 8 a.m. May 4 at Stutler Bowl as a field of 24 teams compete in a quality late-season meet that includes several of Aurora’s best teams in Cherokee Trail, Grandview and Regis Jesuit, plus Overland and Smoky Hill.
• Gateway plays at Rangeview at 11 a.m. May 4 in an EMAC baseball contest with playoff implications for both the Olys and the Raiders, who hope to be in the top four in the conference standings as those team automatically advance to the Class 5A district playoffs. Rangeview won last season’s contest between the teams by a 7-3 score.
• Cherry Creek visits Grandview at 2 p.m. May 4 in a baseball showdown of the Centennial League’s top two teams as coach Dean Adams’ Wolves seek to avenge a one-run walk-off loss to the Bruins in their season opener as well as improve their position in the upcoming Class 5A playoff field. Through May 1, Grandview (14-2 overall) sat 9-2 in league play, while Cherry Creek (15-1 overall) held a 12-0 league mark.
• The Regis Jesuit boys lacrosse team faces Arapahoe at 10 a.m. May 4 at Littleton Public Schools Stadium as the two elite programs and former league rivals finish off the regular season. Coach Jim Soran’s Raiders come into the game at 10-5 overall, while the Warriors sit at 12-2.
• A pair of “B” League boys championship swim meets are set for May 4 with the Centennial League swimming at Grandview and the Continental League heading to Regis Jesuit. The “A” League meets take place the next week, along with the EMAC Championships.
• Rescheduled twice because of bad weather, the Eaglecrest and Brighton baseball teams will try again to play their non-league contest at Coors Field at noon May 6. A win over the 13-3 Bulldogs could go a long way towards helping the Raptors’ outside chances of making the 5A playoffs.
• Girls golf regionals are scheduled to tee off May 6 as Aurora Central, Gateway, Hinkley take part in the Class 5A Metro-West Regional at Raccoon Creek G.C. (8 a.m. shotgun start) and Vista PEAK heads to the 4A Metro-West Regional at Fox Hollow G.C. (8 a.m. shotgun start). The 5A Metro-East Regional — featuring Cherokee Trail, Eaglecrest, Grandview, Overland, Regis Jesuit and Smoky Hill — is slated for 1 p.m. May 7 at South Suburban G.C.
• A chaotic final few weeks of the prep baseball season ends May 7 when Aurora teams and others will find out if they’ve survived a crazy stretch of games caused by bad weather in the middle of the season. Eight teams will play host to four-team Class 5A district tournaments on May 11 seeking passage into the 5A championship series.
• The East Metro Athletic Conference girls golf championship is on the line at the second and final EMAC Major Meet scheduled for May 8 at Buffalo Run G.C. Rangeview trailed Prairie View by two strokes after the first major tournament between the conference’s North and South teams April 30 at Hyland Hills G.C.
• The Class 5A girls state tennis tournament opens at 9 a.m. May 9 at Gates Tennis Center as any Aurora players who made it through regional tournaments take the courts for at least one match. First round winners play again on the opening day of the three-day tournament.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555