By D. Mark Mitchell
OPELIKA
FOOTBALL
The Opelika High School football team will complete its summer workouts today. The players will have Thursday and Friday off, with no workouts or conditioning.
The first day of fall practice will be Aug. 7.
First year head coach Caleb Ross spent a two-day “ger-away” with his assistant coaches last weekend.
The staff spent time preparing for the coming season and getting better acquainted with each other.
OHS FOOTBALL SEASON TICKETS
Current Opelika football season tickets can be purchased through Aug. 4, from 3:30 – 5:45 p.m. in the Opelika Performing Arts lobby.
Current season tickets can be swapped for other seats on Aug. 7.
New season tickets can be purchased Aug. 8 from 3:30-5:45 p.m.
The Bulldogs play five home games, including Auburn High School on Sept. 1 at Bulldog Stadium.
A book of season tickets costs $35.
ALL-SPORTS BOOSTER CLUB
The ASBC will host the annual “Corporate Sponsor Appreciation Dinner ” tomorrow night at 6 p.m.
The dinner will be held at Bulldog Cafe inside Opelika High School.
Coach Caleb Ross is the featured speaker.
AHSAA NEWS
The Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Central Board of Control (CBC) held its annual summer meeting last week in Montgomery. The Central Board of Control is the governing body of the AHSAA and is made up of administrators across the state. Each district is represented on the CBC.
The board approved returning a record $2 million to its member schools. Each high school member of the AHSAA will receive a revenue sharing check. Opelika should receive nearly $5,000.
The board voted to make changes relating to football, basketball and baseball rules and procedures.
Football coaches can agree to have a running clock in the second half of all games. This is intended to help with lopsided wins while speeding up the game.
Football playoff games in the second through fourth round will change the way the home team is chosen.
If both teams travel the same distance, the school with the higher seed will be the home team, otherwise it reverts back to the bracket.
Schools with both girls and boys basketball teams in the regionals will play back-to-back, instead of one team playing and the other team waiting several hours before playing. This is intended to help attendance and possibly create more excitement.
The board also approved a change to the “IF” game in a baseball series. If two teams split games one and two, the host team will automatically be the home team in game three, instead of flipping a coin.
The CBC did not vote on a proposal concerning private schools that are members of the AHSAA.
Executive Director Steve Savarese formed a committee to look at the way AHSAA determines attendance for private school members.
Currently, a high school student in a private school counts as 1.35 student.
The number of students in grades 10-12 decide which classification the school will compete.
There has been a strong push from legislators who want this issue to be addressed. They do not want private school members to play public schools in championship games.
The committee is looking at increasing the multiplier to 1.85 and using a point system in playoffs to determine the classification.
Look for a decision to be announced in the coming weeks.
ON THE MARK
ON RADIO
I invite you to listen to the “On the Mark” sports radio show each weekday from 7 to 9 a.m. on WTLM 1520 AM or online at kickerfm.com/sportsclick On the Mark.
The two hour local sports-talk show is guest-driven and is hosted by yours truly and Jeff Sasser.
Weekly guests includes former AU Coach Pat Dye, former Alabama Coach Gene Stallings, Opelika High Coach Caleb Ross and other high school coaches in the area.
We also cover both Opelika and Auburn City Council reports. Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller is on each Wednesday at 7 a.m. after city council meetings and Auburn Councilman Ron Anders is on at 8 a.m.
You can also follow me on twitter @VOICEOFDAWGS
D.Mark Mitchell is sports director for iHeart Media, Alabama Dixie Boys State director and vice president of the A-O Sports Council.