Last year's Division II state champion Gavin Aurilia pulled away with more steady play on the back nine of his round Friday to take the lead at the Arizona Fall Preview at Grand Canyon University Golf Course.

The senior fired a 6-under 65 with three birdies on each side and no bogeys on his card. Aurilia birdied all three par 5s as part of his half-dozen, under-par holes. Resting in second place with a 1-under 70 is Desert Mountain senior Alex Vekich. Vekich led Aurilia after nine holes by one shot (-4), but bogeys on three of the final five holes allowed the lead to slip away. 

Following Aurilia and Vekich individually are: Arcadia's Ethan Klose (71), Highland's Dallin Delgado (72) and Trevor Grenier (72), Thunderbird's Daniel Thompson (72), Perry's Gabriel Murillo (72) and Desert Mountain's Jake Webb (73) and Thomas Caffarelli (73). Five golfers are tied for 10th after shooting 74 - Desert Ridge's Bryan Beyer, Prescott's Chance Hill, Horizon's Kyle Wandel and Paul Klander and Perry's Tyler Scribner.

Buoyed by Aurilia's superb round, the Titans lead the team-title chase in the 14-team tourney. Arcadia totaled 288 and leads runner-up Desert Mountain (292). Rounding out the top six teams are: Horizon (303), HIghland (306), Perry (308) and Red Mountain (310). The second and final round is Saturday with first tee times commencing at 11 a.m.