AURORA | Winter sports got the OK to begin practice and tryouts for the upcoming 2022-23 season on Monday when boys and girls basketball, boys and girls wrestling, girls swimming and ice hockey get underway.

Aurora has two state championships to defend from last season, including the Class 5A state crown won by the Grandview girls basketball team.

There’s also an individual state champion in Eaglecrest’s Blythe Cayko, who returns as a senior after she won last season’s 185-pound state champion at the girls state wrestling tournament held at Ball Arena.

Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports

Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor and photographer with Sentinel Colorado. A Denver East High School and University of Colorado alum. He came to the Sentinel in 2001 and since then has received a number...