Week past: The week past in Aurora prep sports, 9.5-9.10.22 – Sentinel Colorado
AURORA | A look back at some of the key games, tournaments and happenings in Aurora prep sports from Sept. 5-10, 2022:
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at [email protected]: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
THE WEEK PAST IN AURORA PREP SPORTS, 9.5-9.10.22
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10: The Cherokee Trail boys cross country team earned another big win, as the Cougars topped the field at the Liberty Bell Invitational at Heritage High School. The Cougars finished 22 points ahead of runner-up Valor Christian in the boys sweepstakes as Hunter Strand finished as the individual runner-up and Brady Smith (16th) and Reuben Holness (25th) posted top-25 results. The Grandview boys were 15th in the same race with Owen Zitek (26th) and Andrew Fox (33th) leading the way. Eaglecrest, Gateway, Hinkley, Rangeview and Smoky Hill also competed in the various divisions (full results, here). …The Regis Jesuit boys cross country finished second in the Bernie Gay Invitational hosted by Centaurus High School with David Flaig turning in a fourth-place individual finish. Ashlyn Pallotta finished third and Jo Collins fifth for the Regis Jesuit girls, who were third (full results, here). …Garrison Hanson scored the go-ahead goal with less than two minutes left for the Cherokee Trail boys soccer team, which edged Rangeview 2-1. Jose Rocha gave the Raiders the lead just before halftime, but the Cougars — who were down a player after a red card — benefited from a Rangeview own goal to tie it up. …The Grandview softball team topped Eaglecrest 6-4 as the teams met at the Dave Sanders Memorial tournament at the Aurora Sports Park. Peytann Weiland drove in a pair of runs and Makayla Valle earned the win for the Wolves, while Maddie Demoss, Izzy Ervin and Megan Drugan drove in runs and Jac Smith had two hits for the Raptors. Grandview also lost to Golden (12-2) and Eaglecrest dropped a 6-2 contest with Holy Family on the last day of the tournament. …The Gateway football team fell to the Far Northeast Warriors 56-13 in the final football contest of Week 3 for Aurora teams.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 9: Regis Jesuit (23-10 over Arapahoe) and Aurora Central (19-14 in a weather-delay contest at Falcon) were Aurora’s winning football teams, while Grandview and Rangeview each suffered their first defeats. …The Regis Jesuit boys tennis team won the Western Slope Invitational as its total of 197 points put the Raiders comfortably atop a field of 16 scoring teams. …The Overland gymnastics team finished third at the Loveland Invitational with a season-best score of 172.275 points. Maya Richman and Kyla Burke finished 1-2 on the vault for the Trailblazers, while Burke finished third in the all-around standings. Richman took sixth in the floor exercise, one spot behind teammate Ryann Walline, while Katelyn Hughes also placed sixth on the vault. …The Grandview softball team finished 2-1 at the Dave Sanders Memorial tournament at the Aurora Sports Park, as the Wolves topped D’Evelyn (19-0) and Fruita Monument (9-1), while dropping a 5-4 contest to Ponderosa. Kamaya Harris earned both wins for the Wolves, while Kristin Gallego had seven hits between the games along with three RBI, Ashley Miller had five total hits and Peytann Weiland drove in a combined seven runs. …The Eaglecrest softball team defeated Pueblo Central 10-2 at the Dave Sanders Memorial tournament (highlighted by Megan Drugan’s grand slam in a five-RBI game), then lost 4-1 to Windsor despite two hits from Jac Smith.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 8: Aurora football team finished 2-3 on the night as Smoky Hill laid claim to the Wagon Wheel with a 42-12 win against Overland and Eaglecrest also was victorious as it topped Highlands Ranch 18-15. …The Regis Jesuit boys soccer team rallied from a 2-0 deficit at Grandview, as the Raiders came away with a 3-2 overtime victory on a goal by Jovany Espinoza. Chase Patterson also scored for Regis Jesuit, which got the benefit of an own goal from the Wolves, who lost their starting goalkeeper to a red card in the second half. …Alberto Levant, Jose Rocha and Alexis Salas all scored as the Rangeview boys soccer team topped Overland 3-1. …The Gateway boys soccer team piled up a season-high eight goals in an 8-4 win over Sheridan. …Nicole Sparks registered 10 kills as the Smoky Hill girls volleyball team extended its unbeaten start to the season with a 19-25, 25-14, 25-17, 25-18 road win at Poudre. Jordana Ancheta recorded 18 digs and Morgan Garst 16 assists for the Buffaloes. …The unbeaten Rangeview girls volleyball team swept past former EMAC rival Prairie View 25-19, 25-17, 25-21 behind an 11-kill effort from Elisha Davis, while Anika Davison had 11 digs and three aces, the same amount Audrey Feddor had to go with 12 assists. …Despite eight kills from Kaci Young and seven from Gwen Mitchell, the Cherokee Trail girls volleyball team dropped a 25-21, 25-17, 25-20 road contest at top-ranked Chaparral. …The Grandview girls volleyball team got back on the winning track with a 25-12, 25-12, 25-21 win at Highlands Ranch. …The Gateway softball team outlasted Aurora Central 25-24 despite a three-RBI, seven-stolen base effort from the Trojans’ Alyanna Espino. …Danika Wood scattered seven hits over five innings and the Smoky Hill softball team topped Dakota Ridge 15-5. Wood also had four hits (in four at-bats), drove in five runs and scored four times, while Kahiau Bentosino, Elliana Trujillo and Kiley Snyder had three hits apiece. …Abbie Straughn pitched six strong innings as the Eaglecrest softball team topped Lakewood 6-5. Jac Smith double twice among three hits and Hailey Buttshaw drove in a pair for the Raptors. …The Grandview boys tennis team swept past Mullen in Centennial League play. …The Regis Jesuit boys tennis team topped Grand Junction 5-2 in a non-leagued road dual, dropping only Nos. 3 and No. 4 doubles matches. …Cole Dewey shot plus-four 76 and Eli Handler finished at plus-5 77 as the Regis Jesuit boys golf team placed eighth at the Continental League boys golf tournament at South Suburban G.C. …Connor Angelini of Vista PEAK shot a plus-seven 79 for the top result among local players in the Denver Prep League boys golf meet at Aurora Hills G.C. The Bison finished seventh, coming in behind Rangeview, which saw Khiem Davison and Nate Urban each shoot 81.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 7: Megan Drugan tripled in a run to give the Eaglecrest softball team a 5-4 walk-off win in eight innings over Arapahoe in its Centennial League opener. Lindsey Troftgruben struck out 12 in the victory, while Hailey Buttshaw and McKenna George also drove in runs. …Makaya Valle struck out seven in four scoreless innings and had two runs scored and two RBI herself in the Grandview softball team’s 12-0 Centennial League win over Smoky Hill. Kristin Gallego capped a three-RBI day with a home run that ended the game in the fourth inning. Danika Wood and Gabi Giroux had the only two hits for the Buffaloes. …The Smoky Hill girls volleyball team kept its unbeaten streak going to open with the season with a 25-14, 25-8, 25-11 victory over Mountain Range in a match in which Jordana Ancheta had 10 service aces and Morgan Garst dished out 12 assists. …Brianna Hazak racked up 15 kills, while Rina Maiava contributed 17 assists and 11 digs as the Overland girls volleyball team topped Hinkley 25-19, 25-20, 25-20. Leilah Swanson led the T-Birds with five kills, while Mayte Vaca Rios had 14 assists and 10 digs. …Amman Muzaffar scored in the opening half, but the Cherokee Trail boys soccer team ceded a goal in the second half to fall 2-1 to Valor Christian for its first loss of the season. …The Regis Jesuit field hockey team finished in a 1-1 deadlock with Arapahoe with its goal coming from Carly Kennedy on a Sully McNeill assist. MaryKate Berg made four saves on five shots for the Raiders.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 6: The Smoky Hill field hockey team snapped a 75-game winless streak with a 1-0 victory over Poudre School District at Stutler Bowl, as a goal by Darian Smith in the third quarter stood up to net the program its first win since the 2016 season (full story, here). …The Cherokee Trail boys golf team won the Centennial League tournament at Aurora Hills G.C. by a two-stroke margin over Arapahoe and three over Cherry Creek. Brayden Forte carded a 3-under-par 69 to win medalist honors, while he was joined by temmate Christopher O’Donnell (who shot 71) in a top that that also included Eaglecrest’s Gregory White (who tied for 2nd with a 2-under 70) and Andrew White, who shot 71 to tie with O’Donnell for 5th. Grandview placed sixth. …Mohammed Haidara scored on a rebound of his penalty kick attempt and the Overland boys soccer team outlasted ThunderRidge 3-2 in double overtime in a game played in baking conditions on the Trailblazers’ home field. Haidara had two goals and Eduardo Nieto also scored. …Also on the pitch, Aurora Central scored twice in the second half in a 2-1 overtime win over Smoky Hill in a local matchup. Peter Mutai scored in the second half for the Buffaloes. …The Grandview girls volleyball team dropped a showdown with visiting Legend, which won 25-14, 25-21, 25-19. …The Regis Jesuit girls volleyball team dropped a 25-20, 25-15, 25-23 match on the road at top-ranked Chaparral. …Eaglecrest (which downed Lakewood 25-15, 25-11, 25-20), Hinkley (which topped Thornton 25-13, 20-25, 25-22, 25-13) and Vista PEAK (which swept The Academy) were winners in girls volleyball. Joy Aburto had 13 kills and Ayden West added 11 for the Bison in its win. …The Grandview softball team challenged Douglas County before falling 3-1 on the road. …The Grandview boys tennis team fell in a Centennial League dual 4-3 to Arapahoe with wins coming at No. 1 singles (Eduard Tsaturyan), plus Nos. 1 (Matthew Park/Bruno Denegri Perez) and No. 2 doubles (Josh Son/Alex Eckley).
MONDAY, SEPT. 5: No competition was held as schools were closed for the Labor Day holiday.