AURORA | A look back at some of the key games, tournaments and happenings in Aurora prep sports from Feb. 13-19, 2024:
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
WEEK PAST IN AURORA PREP SPORTS, 2.13-2.19.24
MONDAY, FEB. 19: The first official day of practice for the spring prep sports season for girls golf, boys swimming and boys volleyball was allowed by the Colorado High School Activities Association, though schools were closed for the Presidents Day holiday. Baseball, girls soccer, boys and girls lacrosse, track & field and girls tennis can being practice Feb. 26.
SATURDAY, FEB. 17: The Smoky Hill boys basketball team laid claim to the Centennial League title by virtue of a 76-72 overtime win against Overland in a game played at Cherokee Trail. Carter Basquez had a game-high 27 points and Kaylan Graham added 23 for the Buffaloes, who won the tournament as the No. 4 seed. Siraaj Ali poured in 25 points and Isreal Littleton had 20 for the Trailblazers, who finished second as the No. 2 seed. Top-seeded Eaglecrest finished in the third spot in the tournament standings via a 70-51 win over Arapahoe as the Raptors were fueled by LaDavian King’s 26 points and 16 from Garrett Barger. Cherokee Trail placed sixth after a 63-53 loss to Cherry Creek despite 17 points from Naode Ghide and 14 for Braylen Thomas. Grandview came in eighth with a 67-54 loss to Mullen. …The Cherokee Trail girls basketball team won the Centennial League Challenge and claim to league supremacy with a 60-56 win over Cherry Creek in a game played at Eaglecrest. The Cougars topped the Bruins in the regular season to earn the top seed and both teams earned the rematch. Grandview finished in third place with a 47-33 victory over Mullen behind an 18-point outing for Sienna Betts and nine for Lexi Yi. The Wolves delivered career win No. 400 for coach Josh Ulitzky, which puts him among the 15 winningest head coaches in Colorado history. Eaglecrest got double figures from Brooklyn Bickerstaff (11 points), Jada Bobb and Kaydence Waymire (10 apiece), but fell to Arapahoe 46-36 with fifth place on the line. Michaela Halton had 18 points, Destiny Moore 15 and Seilani Relford 13 for Overland in a 82-19 win against Smoky Hill to wrap up seventh place. …The Regis Jesuit ice hockey team closed the regular season with a 8-1 road win over Resurrection Christian. Ian Beck scored four goals, Vincent Cieslak and Zachary Lorenzo had a goal and assist apiece and Shay Porter made 12 saves for the Raiders.
FRIDAY, FEB. 16: A 22-point outing for Alante Monroe-Elazier plus 21 from Kyree Polk and 15 from James Brown III helped the Vista PEAK Prep boys basketball team to a 74-62 win over George Washington in a City League crossover. …The Rangeview boys basketball team closed out the regular season with a 71-63 win over Thomas Jefferson as Archie Weatherspoon V poured in 26 points and Kenny Black-Knox had 10. …The Regis Jesuit girls basketball team lost 68-53 at Legend in a game that decided the Continental League title. Coryn Watts had 16 points, while Hana Belibi and Iliana Greene had 11 apiece for the Raiders. …The Vista PEAK Prep girls basketball team got 19 points from Eianna Jackson and 13 from Mackenzie Griffin in a 60-54 loss to Denver East in a City League crossover. …The Rangeview girls basketball team lost to Northfield 52-44 in a City League crossover despite D’Ajha Horton’s 16 points and 10 for Paige Boettcher. …Grayson Helm, Daniil Korobeynikov, William O’Grady, Dominic Suchkov and Sam Switzer all scored goals for the Cherry Creek co-op ice hockey team in a 5-3 win over Resurrection Christian. Jack Ryan (Cherokee Trail) made 20 saves.
THURSDAY, FEB. 15: The Smoky Hill boys basketball team outlasted Eaglecrest 52-49 in overtime in a Centennial League Challenge semifinal, while Overland topped Arapahoe 54-47 to also reach the final. Cherokee Trail downed Mullen 70-63 to make the consolation semifinals, while Grandview lost to Cherry Creek 59-45. …The Cherokee Trail girls basketball team edged Grandview 50-47 in a Centennial League Challenge semifinal. Delainey Miller scored 12 points and Talia Strode added 10 for the Cougars to counter a 20-point, 19-rebound effort for Sienna Betts. Eaglecrest topped Overland 47-36 in a consolation semifinal.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 14: The Gateway boys basketball team was in a back-and-forth battle with Thornton in the championship game of the Colorado League tournament before the Trojans pulled away for a 54-41 win. The Olys finished 12-11. In the third-place game, host Aurora Central dropped a 68-64 contest to Adams City. …Hinkley High School held a Signing Day ceremony in its Media Center in which soccer players Devyn Mena (Univ. of Colorado-Colorado Springs) and Emiliano Rico (Laramie County C.C.) and football player Jeffrey Piech (Fort Lewis) were honored.
TUESDAY, FEB. 13: A late basket from Kevin Hernandez held up for the Rangeview boys basketball team in a 40-38 City League crossover win at Denver North. Kenny Black-Knox led the Raiders with 10 points. …The Vista PEAK Prep boys basketball team avenged an earlier loss to Denver South with a 54-37 home victory that saw Alante Monroe-Elazier score 14 points and James Brown III add 13. …Eric Fiedler poured in 27 points, Lucas Dickinson had 19 and Damarius Taylor 17 as the Regis Jesuit boys basketball team defeated Castle View 85-59. …The Rangeview girls basketball team brought a 13-game winning streak to an end for Vista PEAK Prep with a 50-38 City League home win. D’Ajha Horton scored 16 points and Danielle Washington had 14 for the Raiders, while Amirah Pena’s 15 paced the Bison. …Five players scored in double figures for the Regis Jesuit girls basketball team — led by Coryn Watts with 17 points — in a 75-35 win over Castle View.
