Vista PEAK's Te'Rae Johnson, center, hangs in the air as he goes up for a basket during the Bison's 62-45 win over Thompson Valley in a Class 4A boys state basketball first round playoff game on Feb. 26, 2016, at Denver South High School. Vista PEAK then fell to host Denver South in the 4A Sweet 16 on Feb. 27. (Photo by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)
Vista PEAK’s Te’Rae Johnson, center, hangs in the air as he goes up for a basket during the Bison’s 62-45 win over Thompson Valley in a Class 4A boys state basketball first round playoff game on Feb. 26, 2016, at Denver South High School. Vista PEAK then fell to host Denver South in the 4A Sweet 16 on Feb. 27. (Photo by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)
Vista PEAK’s Te’Rae Johnson, center, hangs in the air as he goes up for a basket during the Bison’s 62-45 win over Thompson Valley in a Class 4A boys state basketball first round playoff game on Feb. 26, 2016, at Denver South High School. Vista PEAK then fell to host Denver South in the 4A Sweet 16 on Feb. 27. (Photo by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)

AURORA | A look back at some of the key games, tournaments and happenings in Aurora prep sports between Feb. 24-March 1, 2016:

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

• The season came to a close for both the Vista PEAK boys and girls basketball teams who fell in different rounds of the Class 4A state playoffs. The Vista PEAK boys got coach Gary Childress his first playoff win with a 62-45 victory over Thompson Valley on Feb. 26, then fell in Denver South 90-72 in the Sweet 16 Feb. 27 to finish the season 19-6. The Vista PEAK girls dropped a 56-43 1st rounder to Pueblo South to finish 18-6.

• Eamon Duffy and Jack Kilkenny scored two goals apiece and Kyle Nelson racked up three assists as the Regis Jesuit ice hockey team blanked Steamboat Springs 8-0 Feb. 27 at the Family Sports Center to make the state semifinals for the ninth straight season. Goalie Bret Jahde matched Sam Gartner’s shutout from the previous night against Cheyenne Mountain by making 15 saves. Full state ice hockey results and schedule, here.

• The Cherry Creek co-op ice hockey team’s season ended Feb. 27 with a 4-3 loss to Mountain Vista. The Bruins beat Liberty on Feb. 26 to advance, but the Golden Eagles ended their bid to defend last season’s state title. Rhys Phelps (Grandview) and Austen Kuskowski (Rangeview) contributed goals for the Cherry Creek team, while Joe LoSasso (Rangeview) picked up both of the assists.

• The Aurora Central and Grandview boys basketball teams lost 5A 2nd round playoff games Feb. 27. Lechaun Duhart poured in 32 points, but it wasn’t quite enough for the Wolves in a 56-54 loss to Arvada West that ended their season at 13-11. Ladarius Thomas’ 28 points helped the Trojans entertain thoughts of an upset before they fell 78-71 at Chatfield to finish 18-7.

• Aurora prep sports scoreboard for Feb. 27, here.

• Two Aurora schools announced the hirings of new head volleyball coaches for their high-profile programs, as Grandview tabbed Rob Graham and Regis Jesuit selected Ellen Miks. Graham, who spent 16 seasons with Ponderosa, takes over for retired original coach Patty Childress, while Miks follows Laura Dunston, who retired to focus on her business and family after 10 seasons leading the Raiders.

• While Grandview ran past Douglas County to move along in the Class 5A girls state basketball playoffs, the Regis Jesuit and Cherokee Trail girls basketball teams lost 2nd round playoff games in Colorado Springs Feb. 26. Despite 16 points from senior TaeKenya Cleveland and eight from freshman Elle Bevis, the Raiders fell to Rampart 61-46 to finish 16-9, while the Cougars’ campaign ended 15-10 with a 46-29 defeat at Pine Creek. Kenzie McLelland led Cherokee Trail with 13 points and Jaleesa Avery added eight.

• Aurora prep sports scoreboard for Feb. 26, here.

• The Aurora Central boys basketball team snapped a five-game losing streak in Class 5A state playoff games with a 63-50 victory over visiting Heritage on Feb. 24. Coach Ian Calvert’s seventh-seeded Trojans got 18 points from senior Elijah Coleman, 16 from senior Ladarius Thomas — who punctuated the win with a buzzer-beating dunk — and 14 from senior Usman Koromah to advance for the first time since its Final Four run in 2009-10.

• Hinkley exited the 5A boys basketball playoffs in the 1st round Feb. 24 with an 86-55 loss at Denver East. Senior Solomon Proctor scored 27 points for the Thunderbirds, who finished 9-14.

• Aurora prep sports scoreboard for Feb. 24, here.

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...