Opelika (6-2, R-4-2) lost to cross town rival Auburn (7-1,R-5-1), 24-16, in front of a standing-room only crowd at Bulldog Stadium last Friday night.
The Tigers jumped out to a 14-0 lead and never trailed in the game. In the first quarter, AHS drove 80 yards for a TD on their second possession to take the early lead. The drive wasn’t easy; they converted two long third downs, a third and 24 and a third and 31. Both times quarterback Cameron Luper threw passes to Cody Core in front of the first down marker to keep the drive alive. Luper capped off the drive by running two yards for the score while Andrew Carter added the PAT for a 7-0 lead.
Auburn’s next score came after the Bulldogs muffed a punt on their own 20. Luper threw a 25-yard TD pass to Cody Core with 10:10 left in the second quarter. Carter added the PAT and it was 14-0. The Dawgs’ first score came after they recovered a muffed punt by AHS at the Tigers’ 28-yard line. Four plays later, Calvin Bryant dove one yard for the touchdown to close the gap to 14-7 after Will Black booted the PAT.