AURORA — My city is probably better than your city.
It’s true. Aurora, where I reside and which once was known as the “Gateway to the Rockies,” now may be the “Gateway to the Class 5A Football Championship.”
Of big schools’ final four teams, three are to the right of Denver — Cherokee Trail, Grandview and Regis Jesuit. All are within walking distance of each other even if you’re not in great shape.
Call it city pride.
For many of my 31 years here, I have taken boatloads of grief for living in what was viewed as a second-class city, one that Denver thumbed its nose and laughed at when the suggestion was presented to combine for a sort of Minneapolis-St. Paul situation.
Beginning when I was a player at the old Mr. Lucky’s nightclub in Glendale, all I heard was that Aurora had too many dips in its roads. Strange stoplights, referred to as “traffic control.” Hundreds of condominiums that were worthless. Was too far out of the way. And it was simply a dumping ground that couldn’t fit into Denver.
What did I know? I simply figured that since I was coming from the East Coast, why not live on the east side of the metropolitan area?
And now, while Denver remains boxed in as does the area west of the city, I remain in a limitless area of growth, including in prep football.
It’s funny. Originally known as Fletcher in the 1880s after a Denver businessman saw the area as a real estate opportunity of 4 square miles, Aurora, too, reportedly suffered from the Silver Crash of 1893 yet progressed nicely.
Sure, it has taken a while and we’ve never had much of a central downtown like other big cities, but it contained the likes of the now defunct Zanzabar, frequented by Clint Eastwood in “Every Which Way But Loose.”
Right turn, Clyde, indeed.
And don’t mess with us, which is the norm for me. Aurora’s area has always had a large military presence. My mom’s mailman in a Philadelphia suburb was stationed at Lowry Air Force Base. Gen. Eisenhower was treated at Fitzsimons Army Hospital while the world watched. And how many Presidents have landed at Buckley Air Field?
Six years ago, Sports Illustrated’s 50th anniversary included naming Aurora as Colorado’s best “Sportstown.”
Mayor Ed Tauer handled the coin flip before the Ralston Valley-Cherokee Trail quarterfinal. I haven’t seen Mayor and Gov.-elect “Hick” at Mullen, have you? So we shouldn’t be surprised that a trip down the east end of Arapahoe Road contains the deepest collection of big-school teams in 2010.
The corner of Arapahoe and Parker roads is always busy and not just because of construction of a new flyover or some such thing. It’s also where Regis Jesuit landed after abandoning north Denver. The Raiders are 12-0 and in search of their first finals appearance since 1982.
Further east, 2007 state champion Grandview, tucked away amid higher-end homes and near Saddle Rock Golf Course, overcame a mediocre start and has won five consecutive games.
As to where Arapahoe ends, it’s at once-beaten Cherokee Trail. It didn’t require Einstein to foresee the newer Cougars, in a booming area, as eventual major players.
And for what it’s worth, Cherokee Trail and Legacy Stadium, arguably the best prep football facility in Colorado, will continue as the site for the 3A and 2A championship games.
Never mind that Overland (1993) won Aurora’s only other big-school title in football. Hinkley (1997) and Eagle- crest (1993) took crowns one notch down in the classification system. Plus, Rangeview accounted for a fifth 5A quarterfinalist before falling to Grandview. It’s a good couple of weeks to be an Auroran, wouldn’t you agree?
