AURORA | A look back at some of the key games, tournaments and happenings in Aurora prep sports between Feb. 2-8, 2017:
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
The Eaglecrest boys basketball team put itself in position to win the Centennial League championship with a quality victory over visiting Grandview Feb. 8.
Coach John Olander’s Raptors squandered a 20-point lead in a last-second loss to the Wolves in the previous meeting, but played a more methodical, composed contest in the rematch and prevailed 56-43 in front of a big crowd at The Next.
Senior Colby Ross scored a game-high 20 points, senior Ikenna Ozor added 11 — including seven straight on a key run to open the third quarter — and senior Austin Forsberg and junior Victor Garnes had 10 apiece as Eaglecrest took over sole possession of the top spot in the league standings at 10-1 (17-3 overall).
Senior Lechaun Duhart finished with 17 points for coach Michael Rogers’ Grandview team, which dropped to 9-2 in league and 18-2 overall.
• Almost exactly a month after she did it for the first time, Regis Jesuit’s Fran Belibi dunked again in a game. The high-flying sophomore — who became the first Colorado girl to dunk in a game when she threw down a one-hander Jan. 6 against Grand Junction — did so again during the third quarter of the Raiders 73-42 Continental League home win over Mountain Vista Feb. 7. In similar fashion to her earlier dunk, Belibi got a steal, had an open floor in front of her and dunked with one hand. Her dunk highlighted the third straight win for coach Carl Mattei’s Raiders (14-6, 6-1).
• The Grandview girls basketball team posted a quality 69-45 non-league road victory at Horizon Feb. 7 in a battle of highly-ranked 5A squads. Senior Michaela Onyenwere scored 23 points, while juniors Jaiden Galloway and Leilah Vigil added 11 apiece as the top-ranked Wolves blew the game open in the second half in a difficult environment.
• Hinkley senior Serj Chavez and Vista PEAK junior Jayden Smith won titles at the EMAC Championship wrestling tournament Feb. 4. A combined 14 wrestlers from Aurora Central, Gateway, Hinkley, Rangeview and Vista PEAK won top-four places in all, led by 138-pound bracket winner Chavez and Smith, the 182-pound champion.
• Grandview edged Smoky Hill by a single point to take third place at the Centennial “A” League Championships girls swim meet Feb. 4 at Arapahoe High School. The Wolves were led by senior Taylor Dirks, who finished as the runner-up in both the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly. Junior Natalie Rotondo came in as the runner-up in the 200 IM for the Buffs. Cherokee Trail took fifth.
• The Regis Jesuit ice hockey team finished a Foothills Conference sweet of the Cherry Creek co-op team with a 3-0 win Feb. 4 at Family Sports Center. Connor Kilkenny, Kyle Nelson and Michael Baer scored goals, six different players registered assists and goaltender Dillon Whalen made 22 saves as the Raiders remained undefeated. Ryan Bevan (Grandview) made 28 saves for the Bruins.
• The Rangeview girls swim team finished an all-time best second at the EMAC Championships, as the Raiders edged Brighton by half a point for the runner-up spot Feb. 4 at Gateway. Freshman Jasmine Johnson won two events and sophomores Keaghan Banaitis and Sarah Mortenson claimed one win apiece for Rangeview. Hinkley finished fourth and Gateway fifth.
• The Regis Jesuit girls swim team took third at the Continental “A” League Championships Feb. 4 at Heritage without any of its previous state qualifiers in the water. The Raiders boosted a large contingent of state qualifiers.
