AURORA | As the spring prep sports season builds towards its ending crescendo, much happened over the past weekend in virtually every sport.
Sentinel Sports Editor Courtney Oakes has a brief breakdown of some of the key results and happening from Friday-Sunday:
THREE AREA PROGRAMS MAKE BOYS STATE VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT
There will be a new state champion in boys volleyball this season, as Discovery Canyon — which had won both titles since the sport became sanctioned by the Colorado High School Activities Association — got upset as the top seed in regionals. That leaves an opening for one of the three Aurora-area program to make a run at the crown, as the group of Cherokee Trail, Eaglecrest and Grandview all won regional tournaments on their home floor to earn spots in the state tournament, which starts Thursday at Overland High School. The Raptors were last season’s state runner-up and the Cougars have also been to state before, but it will be a first for the Wolves, who won a five-set regional final against Arvada West to get into the field. Vista PEAK Prep — the No. 10 seed in regionals — went on the road to Fountain-Fort Carson and won a five-set match against Valor Christian, but dropped a four-setter to the host team with a state berth on the line, while Hinkley (at Region 3 at Thornton) and Regis Jesuit (at Region 4 at Eaglecrest) lost both regional matches to cap outstanding seasons.
— Full 2024 boys volleyball state tournament bracket & schedule, here
— Full 2024 boys volleyball regional results, here
SMOKY HILL WINS FIRST BOYS SWIM LEAGUE TITLE SINCE 1999
The Smoky Hill boys swim team tasted sweet victory in its home pool on Saturday, as the Buffaloes swam away with the Centennial “A” League Championship title. Seniors Landon Brewer (50 yard freestyle) and Daniel Yi (100 yard breaststroke) and junior Ian Noffsinger (500 yard freestyle) earned individual league championships and the all-senior relay team of Brewer, Yi, Ben Brewer and Patrick Adams also were victorious as Smoky Hill finished in front of Grandview and Cherry Creek, which had won 24 straight league titles coming into the meet. The Wolves had the only two-event winner of the meet in junior Oliver Schimberg, while fourth-place Cherokee Trail had a champion as well in Bronson Smothers (200 yard freestyle) and Overland finished seventh. …At Heritage High School, Regis Jesuit finished in fifth place in the Continental “A” League standings as it fielded a lineup without most of its regulars as it tried to increase its ranks of state qualifiers.
— Recap of Smoky Hill’s league championship here, here
CHEROKEE TRAIL, GRANDVIEW MAKE 5A GIRLS SOCCER POSTSEASON
Just two Aurora teams (Cherokee Trail and Grandview) made it into the field of 32 that qualified for the Class 5A girls soccer state playoffs, as the tournament bracket was revealed by the Colorado High School Activities Association on Sunday. The Wolves (8-5-1) ended up as the No. 13 seed, while the Cougars (5-7-3) were slotted No. 28 and both are in the same Quadrant 2 portion of the bracket. The 5A state tournament begins with opening round matches on May 7.
— Full 2024 Class 5A girls soccer state playoff bracket & schedule, here
GATEWAY EARNS SPOT IN 4A GIRLS SOCCER PLAYOFFS
The Gateway girls soccer team completed a regular season with just two losses and it earned them a spot in the Class 4A girls soccer state playoffs in the bracket issued Sunday by the Colorado High School Activities Association. The Olys (12-2-1) come in as the No. 31 seed and will go on the road for the May 8 first round.
— Full 2024 Class 4A girls soccer state playoff bracket & schedule, here
THREE AURORA TEAMS QUALIFY FOR THE 5A BOYS LACROSSE PLAYOFFS
Cherokee Trail, Grandview and Regis Jesuit built resumes during the regular season that earned them spots in the Class 5A boys lacrosse state playoff field, which was revealed on Sunday by the Colorado High School Activities Association. The highest seed among the trio is the Raiders at No. 7, a slot in front of the No. 8 Wolves, and both teams — who both sport 9-6 records — will have byes in the May 8 first round. The 19th-seeded Cougars, meanwhile, will be in action in the first round with a road game.
— Full 2024 Class 5A boys lacrosse state playoff bracket & schedule, here
REGIS JESUIT LONE AURORA REPRESENTATIVE IN 5A GIRLS LAX PLAYOFFS
The 16-team field of the Class 5A girls lacrosse state tournament came to light on Sunday when the bracket was released by the Colorado High School Activities Association and it included a single local program in Regis Jesuit. The Raiders (8-6) come into the postseason as the No. 6 seed and will play its opening game at home on May 8.
— Full 2024 Class 5A girls lacrosse state playoff bracket & schedule, here
CHEROKEE TRAIL HEADED TO 4A GIRLS LACROSSE POSTSEASON
The Cherokee Trail girls lacrosse team has earned another crack at the Class 4A state playoffs, as it earned a spot in the bracket of 24 teams put out Sunday by the Colorado High School Activities Association. The Cougars (11-4) ended up as the No. 8 overall seed, which brings with it a bye in the opening round May 7, while they will be at home on May 9 in the second round against a yet-to-be determined opponent.
— Full 2024 Class 4A girls lacrosse state playoff bracket & schedule, here
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports