A year ago, the season didn’t end particularly well for the Eaglecrest and Overland girls basketball teams despite strong starts.
The Raptors and Trailblazers again have gotten out of the gate strong — both are 3-0 after the first week of the season — but have exhibited encouraging signs that they could finish better this time.
Case in point, both teams now own wins over a Legend team that dealt them both lopsided loss last season. Overland suffered a 52-point loss to the Titans last December, but on Dec. 5 got payback with a 47-42 victory bolstered by 12 points each from sophomore Maia Jackson and freshman Kaylie Brown and nine from sophomore Lyric Thompson.
Eaglecrest lost to Legend by 30 points in 2014-15, yet came out on top of a 39-34 decision Dec. 8. Sophomore Selah Ruckard and freshman Raquel Turner scored eight points apiece in the win.
• The Rangeview girls basketball team finished second at the Manual Early Season Classic with a 63-53 loss to Berthoud on Dec. 5. Freshman Dezmonea Antwine paced the Raiders with 19 points, while junior Jaelin Jones — who scored in double figures in all three tournament games — had 12. Full tournament scoreboard, here.
• Hinkley’s Rafael Garibay and Serj Chavez and Gateway’s Charles Reigies won individual championships on Dec. 5 at the Mike Stanley Invitational at Fairview High School. Garibay posted a first-minute pin of Boulder’s Steven Marics in the 126-pound final and Chavez won by forfeit against Overland’s Brandon Gustafson. Reigies won the 170-pound title with a second-period pin of Lyons’ Keegan Bean. Gustafson and Overland teammate Treyvon Hodges (106 pounds) and Gateway’s Elijah Kelly (182 pounds) finished second.
• Junior Colbey Ross finished with 23 points to pace Eaglecrest to a 60-38 win over Highlands Ranch Dec. 5 to cap a 2-0 showing for the Raptors at the Highlands Ranch Tip Off Classic.
• Aurora Central got big weekends from Elijah Coleman, Ladarius Thomas and Usman Koromah to finish 2-1 at the Warrior Challenge at Grand Junction Central High School. The Trojans rolled over Palisade 80-54 on Dec. 5 in the finale. Full tournament scoreboard, here.
• Senior David Thornton poured in 36 points and pulled down 16 rebounds as the Cherokee Trail boys basketball team downed George Washington 75-72 Dec. 5 to take fifth in the Chaparral/ThunderRidge Tip Off Classic. Ian Kelly added 11 points for the Cougars. Full tournament scoreboard, here.
The Regis Jesuit girls basketball team finished fourth at the Cardinal Newman Classic in Santa Rosa, California, with a 1-2 performance. The Raiders finished fourth with a 52-33 loss to Oregon City on Dec. 5. Full tournament score, here.
• Te’Rae Johnson finished with 16 points and Terrell Jones added 11 as the Vista PEAK boys basketball team took fourth at the D’Evelyn/Golden Preview Classic with a 63-47 loss to Lewis-Palmer Dec. 5. Full tournament scoreboard, here.
• The Cherokee Trail girls basketball team finished 1-2 to place sixth at the Cherry Creek/Arapahoe Tip Off Classic. Full tournament scoreboard, here.
• Aurora Central, Eaglecrest and Regis Jesuit had no champions at the annual Arapahoe Warrior Invitational Dec. 5, but the teams combined for nine wrestlers on the medal podium. The Trojans had a pair of runners-up in Axel Pacheco (106) and Jonnathan Quijada (138), while the Raptors (152-pounder Gabe Rodriguez) and Regis Jesuit (145-pounder) Carl Composanto) each had second-place finishers. Full team scores and placing results, here.
• The Regis Jesuit ice hockey team opened the season with a quality 5-2 win at Lewis-Palmer Dec. 4. The Raiders trailed 2-1 after one period, but scored four times in the final two periods as Eamon Duffy, Andre Dugas, Sawyer Elliott, Kale Lone and Cale Woodley all tallied and Jack Jordan had three assists.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
