AURORA | A look at some of the key games, tournaments and happenings in Aurora prep sports from Jan. 12-18, 2017:
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
• Quality wrestling dual meets are slated for Jan. 12 including a number of matchups of Aurora teams. Overland travels to Cherokee Trail for a 7 p.m. Centennial League dual match in which as many as 11 Class 5A ranked wrestlers could be in action, while Grandview plays host to Eaglecrest and Rangeview heads to Hinkley for strong EMAC competition.
• The Regis Jesuit girls basketball team begins the Rose City Classic Jan. 12 with a three-game slate scheduled in the Brooklyn, New York, area. The Raiders open up against Archbishop Malloy at 7 p.m. Jan. 12 at Nazareth Regional High School. Full tournament schedule and results, here.
• An outstanding slate of basketball is on tap Jan. 13 with a mix of league and non-league action. In Centennial League play, the Eaglecrest boys head to Grandview for a 7 p.m. showdown that follows the girls game at 5:30 p.m. The Rangeview boys basketball team travels to George Washington at 7 p.m. in its last non-league game before entering EMAC play. In girls play, Rangeview visits Hinkley for a 7 p.m. contest.
• The annual Smoky Hill Invitational girls swim meet is set for Jan. 14 with a few local teams in the multi-classification competition. Cherokee Trail swimmers love the Buffaloes’ fast pool and the Cougars hope to improve on last season’s fifth-place finish, while Smoky Hill took second a year ago and returns a defending event champ in junior Natalie Rotondo. Eaglecrest is also in the 13-team field, with prelims set for 8:30 a.m. and finals slated for 5 p.m. Hinkley travels to Pueblo South for the Hornet Invitational Jan. 13-14.
• The Arvada West Invitational Jan. 14 is expected to be one of the most challenging wrestling tournaments in Colorado and some locals will be on hand in the rugged field. Grandview, Hinkley, Overland and Vista PEAK all have entries in a tournament that draws from all corners of the state and even Kansas. Meanwhile, Aurora Central and Rangeview head to Frederick for the Warrior Invite, Cherokee Trail competes in the Rocky Mountain Duals, Eaglecrest is at the Alameda Invitational and Gateway is at the Alamosa Invitational.
• Jan. 14 features a small, but strong boys hoops slate, which includes an always entertaining matchup between Overland and Cherokee Trail at 3 p.m., plus top-ranked ThunderRidge at Regis Jesuit at 6 p.m. Vista PEAK is home to Northridge at 2:30 p.m.
• Rosters for the 2017 McDonald’s All-American Games will be revealed Jan. 15 as the top 24 boys and girls basketball players from across the country will receive nods for the March 29 games in Chicago. In a live special aired on ESPNU at 7:30 p.m. MT, Grandview senior Michaela Onyenwere will find out if she will be the rare Colorado player selected. The UCLA commitment is one of only two girls players from the state to be nominated.
