AURORA | A look back at some of the key games, tournaments and happenings in Aurora prep sports from Jan. 20-25, 2020:
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
SATURDAY, JAN. 25: Alonzo Paul exploded for a season-high 33 points to help the Regis Jesuit boys basketball team to a 70-55 win at parochial school rival Mullen. …Eaglecrest played host to 23 other teams for the second annual Armando Rodriguez Memorial wrestling tournament — organized to remember late assistant wrestling coach Armando Rodriguez — and won the championship with 187 points. The Raptors had champions in Caeleb Knoll (120 pounds), Kory Anderson (126) and Kyle Maccagnan (138) for an 11-point win over Fossil Ridge. Rangeview (which had a champion in 132-pounder Romeo Cortez) placed seventh, while Smoky Hill had a trio of runners-up in the upper weights and placed 11th and Aurora Central tied for 14th with a trio of placers. …The Overland wrestling team had champions in Abdalla Baroudi (120 pounds) and Bobur Nurullahonov (138) at the Les Mattocks Invitatitonal. …The Regis Jesuit ice hockey team gained a season split with rival Monarch with a 3-2 win at The Sports Stable. Nicholas Bower’s goal five minutes into the third period gave the Raiders a two-goal lead and stood up as the game-winner. Robbie Dembeck and Kai Oganeku had goals and Leighton Walsh two assists.
FRIDAY, JAN. 24: Overland announced the hiring of Kyle Reese as its new head football coach.The 38-year-old former assistant at both Valor Christian and Cherry Creek emerged from a pool that was chosen by school administrators, parents and players. …The Grandview girls basketball team rallied from an eight-point deficit in the first quarter and rolled from there in a 65-40 win at Centennial League rival Cherry Creek in a rematch of last season’s 5A state championship game won by the Bruins. Addison O’Grady had 19 points and Lauren Betts 18 for the Wolves, who got at least two points from all nine players on the roster. …The Grandview boys basketball team made it a sweep with a 52-46 overtime win over Cherry Creek, which was previously undefeated in Centennial League play. Lian Ramiro had 21 oints and Caleb McGill 18, while CJ Thomas’ 3-pointer tied the game late in regulation and helped send it to OT. …DJ Wilson poured in 31 points as Gateway topped Hinkley 81-47 in EMAC boys hoops. …Kaya Evans scored a team-high 17 points — which included a 3-pointer that netted her 1,000th career point — in the Vista PEAK girls basketball team’s big win over Brighton. …Jadyn Ross had a career-high 28 points in the Eaglecrest girls basketball team’s 66-41 win over Smoky Hill. …Hunter Fieweger (Cherokee Trail) scored twice to help lead the Cherry Creek co-op ice hockey team to a big 5-3 win over Ralston Valley. …Hero Schmidt scored on a feed from Kai Oganeku with two minutes remaining in the third period as the Regis Jesuit ice hockey team gained a 2-2 tie with rival Valor Christian.
THURSDAY, JAN. 23: The Cherokee Trail girls swim team edged Smoky Hill 99-86 in a competitive Centennial League dual meet during which the Buffaloes honored eight seniors. Smoky Hill won eight events (two apiece for Maggie Robben and Annelise Thomas) and Cherokee Trail got single wins from Sarah Torline, Emily Sovern and Morgan Walker. …The Cherokee Trail wrestling team topped Eaglecrest 67-12 in a Centennial League dual.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22: Tre Titus set Cherokee Trail boys basketball records for made 3-pointers (8) and single game points (38) in the Cougars’ 82-60 win over Mullen. In other Centennial League boys play, Lian Ramiro had 22 points and Caleb McGill 17 to lift Grandview over Joseph Editone (18) and Overland 55-52, Quinten Rock’s 37 points helped Smoky Hill finally shake Arapahoe in an 86-74 win and Eaglecrest (behind Ty Robinson and Zion Ruckard’s 16 apiece) had a late lead against Cherry Creek before falling 60-57. …The Vista PEAK wrestling team kept the Ray Maguire trophy that goes to the top Aurora Public Schools dual team after a 51-30 win over Rangeview.
TUESDAY, JAN. 21: The Vista PEAK boys basketball team held off a challenge from Aurora Central for a 69-55 EMAC home win. Jaylen Carrizales led the Bison charge ith 18 points, while Sayo Owolabi (14) and Latrell Jackson-Knoblock (11) also scored in double figures, as did the Trojans’ duo of Messiah Ford (18) and LaQuan Bowie (14). …Jada Moore’s steal and layup before the halftime buzzer put the Regis Jesuit girls basketball team in front of ThunderRidge and the Raiders held on for a 56-43 Continental League victory. Moore had 21 points and Avery VanSickle 14. …Seairra Hughes poured in 25 points to lead four Vista PEAK girls basketball players in double figures in a 100-22 win over Aurora Central. …Jasmine Johnson and Julie Maldonado won two events apiece for the Rangeview girls swim team in a 121-65 dual meet loss to the visiting JV squad from powerhouse Cherry Creek.
MONDAY, JAN. 20: Colorado schools were closed for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, so the only action for an Aurora team took place in California, where the Regis Jesuit girls basketball team finished a three-game showing in the St. Mary’s MLK Jr. Showcase tournament with a 46-44 win over Bishop Gorman out of Las Vegas. Avery VanSickle scored 18 points and Jada Moore added 14 in the victory to cap a 2-1 tournament for the Raiders.