AURORA | A look at the games, tournaments and happenings in Aurora prep sports between Dec. 16-22, 2015:
• The Overland boys basketball team heads out to play in the Tarkanian Classic Dec. 16-19 hosted by Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. The defending Class 5A state champion Trailblazers again take part in the top bracket in the tournament — the Platinum Division — in which they finished seventh in the multi-state field last season.
• Eaglecrest pays a 6:30 p.m. visit to Boulder on Dec. 17 in a strong non-league early season boys basketball matchup. The Raptors won their first six games of the season and face a Panthers team that had a 4-0 start stopped by Centennial League team, Cherokee Trail, by two points. Boulder, which lost in the Sweet 16 last season, is always formidable on its home floor, “The Pit.” Aurora Central plays at Boulder on Dec. 18 as the Panthers host another standout Aurora team at 7 p.m.
• Smoky Hill visits Grandview for a girls swimming dual meet at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 17 in a battle of two of Aurora’s most talented programs. The Buffaloes won their first three dual meets and took the Angels Invitational, while the Wolves have won their two early season duals.
• Both local ice hockey teams close the opening portion of the season Dec. 18-19, with both the Cherry Creek co-op team and Regis Jesuit — who each opened the season 4-0 — in action Dec. 18 at different venues. The Bruins play host to Aspen in a strong Foothills Conference battle at 5:45 p.m. at Family Sports Center, while the Raiders visit South Suburban to take on Heritage at 6:20 p.m. Regis Jesuit has a 3 p.m. contest on Dec. 19 at Howelson against Steamboat Springs in its finale before break.
• The Cherokee Trail Holiday Duals wrestling tournament is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 19 as the Cougars return home after a trip to California for a strong offering. Cherokee Trail received the No. 10 spot in On The Mat’s Week 1 rankings.
• The annual Coaches Invitational is scheduled for Dec. 19 at the Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center – swim prelims at 8:30 a.m., dive prelims at 9 a.m. and finals for both at 4 p.m. — as the first portion of the girls swim season comes to a close. Regis Jesuit is the defending champion in the multi-classification event, where swimmers posted qualifying times either last season or in the first few weeks of the current season.
• The Grandview Invitational girls basketball tournament runs Dec. 17-19 with eight teams in a multi-classification field. In the championship game — scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Dec. 19 — host Grandview could square off against Lakewood, the team that beat the Wolves in overtime to knock them out of last season’s Class 5A state tournament in the Sweet 16.
• Prep action for the opening portion of the season wraps up Dec. 22
with two boys basketball games on the slate for Aurora teams. Gateway plays host to Littleton at 5:30 p.m., while Eaglecrest has a 7 p.m. contest at Chaparral.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
