Many Aurora winter prep sports teams stayed dormant until winter break ended, but a few resumed the new season early.
• Plenty of players were involved in the Rangeview boys basketball team’s sweep of the Aurora Public Schools Classic Jan. 2-4, which also included a gritty 65-58 win over Aurora Central — which went 2-1 in the tournament behind the performances of sophomore Ladarius Thomas and junior Thaleel Khabir — and a 108-53 victory over rival Gateway.
Senior Jeremiah Paige scored in double figures in all three games — and set the school’s all-time scoring mark along the way — and senior Trey Bridges and juniors Jalen Davis, Tarren Storey-Way and Tim Wyatt each had two double-digit scoring efforts to help the Raiders get to 8-2.
The four APS teams will meet each other again shortly when East Metro Athletic Conference play begins.
• The Rangeview girls won their last three games before winter break and took their first three in the new year at the APS Classic against Aurora Central (44-23), Gateway (55-23) and Hinkley (38-18), filling up the steals and assist columns in every game.
Aurora Central won twice and Gateway once at the annual tournament, which is typically played to open the season.
• The Smoky Hill girls basketball team stopped Rangeview’s winning streak at six on Jan. 7, as the shorthanded Buffs ran past the Raiders 43-29 in a non-league matchup.
The contest was mostly even, but a 13-0 run to end the second quarter by Smoky Hill made the difference. Senior Brooke Zimmerman topped the Buffaloes with 12 points, while senior Taylor Ruby added nine and junior Brynell Yount had eight to overcome a nine-point effort by Rangeview sophomore Jaleesa Avery.
• The Regis Jesuit boys basketball team returned from winter break with impressive back-to-back non-league wins at Grandview on Jan. 3 and at home against Overland on Jan. 4. Junior guard Taylor Kallsen helped key both victories, pouring in 27 points against the Wolves in a 77-66 victory and going for 18 in a 64-53 defeat of the Trailblazers. Senior Zach Smith also tallied 12 points in each game for the Raiders — ranked No. 3 in the inaugural Colorado AP 5A prep poll — who continued to build on the city’s best record, which now stands at 9-1.
• The Hinkley wrestling team finished fifth and Vista PEAK 15th in a 20-team field at the Bennett Invitational on Jan. 4 in the first tournament after winter break. Hinkley senior Max Carbajal pinned Palmer Ridge’s Jonathan Dela Cruz early in the third round to win the 220-pound championship, while freshman Serj Chavez placed third at 138 pounds and Ben Rhoton (106) and Isaiah Silva (182) finished fourth in their respective weights. Vista PEAK senior Junior Casillas lost his first two matches of the season and finished fourth at 120 pounds, while sophomore Marcus Guerra placed third at 126 pounds.
• The Regis Jesuit ice hockey team suffered its first loss of the season on Jan. 3, as Mountain Vista skated past coach Dan Woodley’s Raiders 4-1 at the Family Sports Center. Jack Kilkenny scored the lone goal for Regis Jesuit.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel