AURORA | A look ahead at some of the key games, tournaments and happenings in Aurora prep sports from Dec. 6-12, 2018:
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Sentinel Prep Sports
DEC. 6: A variety of boys basketball action is in store, both locally and out of the state. Defending state champion Grandview, which was late to start the regular season, stays in town to make a non-league visit to Gateway (3-1) at 6:30 p.m., while the 7 p.m. tip times have undefeated Aurora Central paying a visit to Denver North and Overland playing host to Columbine. Eaglecrest continues play at the Beach Bash Tournament, while Regis Jesuit begins a three-day run at the DeLaSalle Tournament in Walnut Creek, California, and Hinkley and Vista PEAK both open up the three-day Bear Creek Invitational…Eight Aurora girls swim teams have duals scheduled, with home duals at Aurora Central (Adams City and Northglenn at 4:30 p.m.), plus four 5 p.m. Centennial League meets at Eaglecrest (Arapahoe), Smoky Hill (Cherry Creek), Cherokee Trail (Mullen) and Grandview (Overland).
DEC. 7: A championship semifinal matchup at the Chaparral/ThunderRidge Tip-Off boys basketball tournament features Smoky Hill against Chaparral at 7 p.m. in a battle of ranked 5A powers. That contest is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Chaparral, with the winner moving into the final at 3 p.m. Dec. 8 and the loser dropping into the third-place game at 1:20 p.m….Both Aurora ice hockey teams take the ice, with Regis Jesuit at home at Family Sports Center against Castle View at 5:40 p.m. and the Cherry Creek co-op team paying a 6:30 p.m. visit to APEX to face Ralston Valley.
DEC. 8: A busy wrestling tournament slate includes a pair of tournaments in Aurora, as Grandview plays host to the annual Grandview Duals (which includes Rangeview), while Smoky Hill is part of the field at the Vista PEAK Bison Invitational. Cherokee Trail (La Costa Canyon Invitational in California) and Eaglecrest (Colby Duals in Kansas) head out of state, while the remaining local teams scatter to Columbine (Aurora Central), Jefferson (Gateway), Palmer Ridge (Overland) and Lewis-Palmer (Regis Jesuit)…A large early season ice hockey matchup has the Cherry Creek co-op team playing a home game at Family Sports Center against Monarch at 3:10 p.m…In girls basketball, the Best In the Nest at Horizon (including Grandview), the Skyline Falcon Challenge (including Vista PEAK), the Fairview Festival (including Smoky Hill) and the Douglas County Holiday Tournament (including Cherokee Trail and Gateway) conclude with placing games.
DEC. 11: A great slate of boys basketball includes a variety of ranked teams in action. Regis Jesuit heads to Rangeview at 7 p.m. for a strong all-Aurora matchup, while Cherokee Trail plays host to ThunderRidge at 7 p.m., the same time Overland travels to Fairview…In the pool, a good matchup of local girls swim teams sees Rangeview visit Eaglecrest for a 5 p.m. dual, while Regis Jesuit welcomes in Valor Christian at 4 p.m.