Jeff Gillis converted the deciding penalty kick to lift his team past Rangeview on Oct. 29 at Stutler Bowl and into the quarterfinals of the Class 5A boys state soccer playoffs.
Kevin Del Mazo, Tyler Glenn, Daniel Beccera and Gillis converted their kicks and goalkeeper Grayson Heath made two saves for the fourth-seeded Buffs (13-1-3), who made the round of eight in their first trip to the 5A playoffs since 2007.
Ruben Zuniga, Alex Amador and Marcos Wolde converted their kicks and goalkeeper Edward Zuniga made one save for Rangeview, which finished the season 11-3-3.
The Raiders played well under assistant coach Tim Corby, who filled in for head coach Vic Strouse, who had to serve a 1-game suspension — the first in his 35-year coaching career — due to his ejection from a game in the previous round against Regis Jesuit.
• No. 17 Eaglecrest steamrolled top-seeded Adams City 6-0 in the second round of the Class 5A boys state soccer playoffs, scoring five goals in the second half to win going away.
Yonas Mammo opened the scoring for the Raptors in the first half, while Michael Prichard scored twice and Creede Wheeler, Omar Sandoval and Armando Perez also had goals in the second half. Symon Fabbricatore added three assists and goalkeeper Blend Avdili made six saves as Eaglecrest shut out Adams City, which was 5A’s top scoring team coming into the game.
• Gateway’s boys soccer season came to an end Oct. 29, as the 28th-seeded Olys fell 3-1 to No. 12 Pine Creek at District 20 Stadium in Colorado Springs.
Santiago Quintero scored early in the second half to cut Gateway’s deficit to 2-1, but the Eagles got a third goal on a counterattack and the Olys couldn’t catch up to finish their season 8-4-5.
• Grandview’s Erin Norton and Smoky Hill’s Rachael Chacko finished in the top 10 in the Class 5A girls state cross country meet on Oct. 27 at the Norris Penrose Events Center in Colorado Springs.
Norton became the Wolves’ first all-state runner when she crossed the finish line in sixth place, while Chacko posted a 9th-place result that was the best for the Buffs at state since 2005.
Regis Jesuit’s Frank Morton was 47th to lead Aurora runners in the 5A boys race.
The race was run at the new Colorado Springs venue after Smoky Hill hosted it the last two years at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds.
• Aurora volleyball teams tuned up for the upcoming regional round with victories in season-ending tournaments Oct. 27.
Eaglecrest (19-3) continued to peak in the late season and won four matches to take the Ponderosa Mustang Classic championship, including a two-set sweep of a Pine Creek team that won in five when the teams played earlier.
Grandview (17-6) won four matches at the Legend Tournament and enter regionals with six wins in their past seven matches. Regis Jesuit (12-11) also played in the Legend tournament and went 3-1.
Rangeview (18-5) went 2-2 at its own Raider Rally Classic, but coach Larry Deffenbaugh’s squad got to play another 5A regional qualifier in Arapahoe in addition to 3A power Platte Valley.
• At All-City Stadium, Rangeview claimed its third consecutive league football championship with a thrilling 38-35 victory over Denver East on Oct. 26.
The Raiders led 17-6 at halftime, but needed three more touchdowns to get the victory, as the quick-strike Angels exploded for 29 points in the first two periods.
Armon Brown rushed for 159 yards and two TDs and quarterback Darien Odegard threw for a score and ran for one as Rangeview won its sixth straight game and locked up a first-round home game in the 5A playoffs.
• Down 21 points with its playoff chances slipping away, the Eaglecrest football team exploded for the last 22 points for a 29-28 victory over Cherry Creek Oct. 26 at Stutler Bowl.
Sean Watkins caught two touchdown passes from Adan Soto in the second half and made a crucial defensive stop in the fourth quarter for the Raptors, while Greyson Hoffman rushed for the deciding two-point conversion.
• The Overland gymnastics team cruised to the 5A Region 2 championship Oct. 25 at Arvada West High School, posting a score of 182.4 points to finish handily on top of an eight-team field.
Junior Ashlynn Graybill finished a team-best 2nd in the all-around competition, while Overland gymnasts had the top scores in all four events — Graybill in the uneven bars (9.3), Katie Johnson in the vault (9.75), Kellyn Toole in the floor exercise (9.525) and Devin Bundas on the balance beam (9.425).
Coach Lisa Sparrow’s Overland squad earned the chance to defend its 2011 5A state title.
• The Vista PEAK boys soccer played the first varsity postseason contest in school history Oct. 25 when it visited Mullen in a Class 4A opening round state playoff game.
The favored Mustangs scored four times in the second half to break a scoreless tie in a 4-0 victory over the Bison.
Coach Jason Elliott’s team finished 9-5-2.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555
