A look at the games, tournaments and happenings in Aurora prep sports from Oct. 23-25:
• The Class 5A boys soccer playoffs open Oct. 23 with four Aurora teams in action including home games for second-seeded Smoky Hill (4 p.m. vs. Lincoln), No. 9 Grandview (7 p.m. vs. Rocky Mountain at Legacy Stadium) and No. 11 Rangeview (6 p.m. vs. Chatfield at APS Stadium) while No. 29 Aurora Central plays on the road at 4 p.m. at Garry Berry Stadium against No. 4 Doherty.
• The Class 5A football regular season wraps up Oct. 24 with league championships on the line in a couple of places, including the 7:30 p.m. showdown at Legacy Stadium between undefeated Grandview — the new No. 1 team in the Associated Press’ 5A poll —and the team that formerly held that spot, Valor Christian. A 4 p.m. matinee between Eaglecrest and Cherry Creek has postseason implications.The South Metro League title is at stake when Rangeview pays a 7 p.m. visit to Littleton Public Schools Stadium to play Heritage, as the Raiders seek a fifth consecutive league crown. Fifth-ranked Regis Jesuit would officially seal the Continental League North crown with a win over Fruita Monument in a 3 p.m. game at Stocker Stadium.
• The Class 5A state cross country meet is set for Oct. 25 at the Norris Penrose Events Center in Colorado Springs with full boys and girls teams from Cherokee Trail, Grandview, Regis Jesuit and Smoky Hill — plus two individual girls from Eaglecrest — set to compete. The 5A girls race is scheduled for 11 a.m., while the 5A boys run at 1 p.m. in the last of eight races spanning four classifications.
• The Overland gymnastics team plays host to a regional meet at noon Oct. 25 as the 2013 Class 5A state champions attempt to qualify for a chance to defend their crown at the Oct. 31-Nov. 1 5A state meet at Thornton High School.
• Volleyball teams wrap up the regular season with tournaments Oct. 24-25 with a final chance to tune up their games or try to improve their stock ahead of upcoming Class 5A and 4A regional state qualifying tournaments. Rangeview plays host to a one-day tournament on Oct. 25, while Eaglecrest plays at Ponderosa, Grandview head to the Cheyenne Mountain tournament in Colorado Springs and Regis Jesuit is part of the Legend Tournament.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
