By D. Mark Mitchell
The Opelika High School boys basketball team (6-3) completed a tough two game road trip last week. The Bulldogs started the week with a four-point loss, 60-56 to Central in Phenix City. Trey Boone scored 16 points and Taye Fields and Jared Willis added 11 points apiece. Opelika beat Prattville 62-53 last Thursday. Fields scored a season high 25 points, Trey Boone scored 11 points and Brandon Howard added nine points.
Opelika’s Lady Bulldog basketball team (8-2) beat Central in Phenix City, 47-41. Claire Worth and Ananda Hughley scored 11 points apiece while Haley Sanders added 10 points.
The freshman team lost a pair of games last week, to Auburn 55-28 and Prattville 45-28. Grady Bynum scored 10 points against Auburn, Tre Roberts and Fartavious Hardnett scored 10 points apiece.
The varsity girls and boys played at Smiths Station last night, but results were not available at press time.
Opelika hosts Carver, Dec. 12 and Lafayette Dec.14 p.m. The junior varsity starts at 4:30 p.m., with the varsity boys and girls teams to follow.
WRESTLING
The Opelika wrestling team completed a busy week, competing in two dual meets and the Swede Umbach tournament in Auburn.
The Bulldog grapplers wrestled LaGrange and Smiths Station in Smiths Station last week. Opelika beat LaGrange 42-36. The Bulldogs were led by Jackson Shoemaker – 106 pounds, Ari Brogdon – 120 pounds and Zeak Jones – 160 pounds. The Panthers beat the Bulldogs in the second match 57-24. Zeak Peak, Ben Daughtry, Bevin Williams and James Dawson pinned their opponent. It is worth noting that Dawson is undefeated at this point in the season.
Opelika hosted Stanhope Elmore, Park Crossing and Sidney Lanier in the Mainstreet gym. The Bulldogs swept the three teams, Stanhope Elmore 45-16, Park Crossing 51-18 and Sidney Lanier 54-21.
During the Opelika v. Stanhope Elmore match, Cameron Williams, Zeak Jones, Cole Lazzari, Timmy Tolbert, Eyric Harris, Bevin Williams, Cameron Reese, Jordan Clark, Shoemaker and Dawson won matches.
Against Park Crossing, Jones, Xavier Evans, Harris, Williams, Dawson, Jordan Clark, Cameron Williams and Brogdon won matches.
Against Sidney Lanier, Jones, Evans, Harris, Willliams, Dawson, Shoemaker, Clark, Williams and Brogdon won matches.
The following Opelika wrestlers participated in the Swede Umbach wrestling tournament at Auburn High School. Tre Rodgers – 132 pounds, finished in 17th place scoring two points; Zach Jones – 160 pounds, finished in 10th place, scoring 17 poiints; Elijah Schwank finished in 13th place with 12 points; Timmy Tolbert – 182 pounds, finished in 5th place with 34 points; Trinity Vaughns – 195 pounds, finished in third place; Bevins Willima – 220 pounds, finished in second and Cameron Reese – 292 pounds, finished in seventh place.
Opelika’s wrestling team will travel to Harris County in Georgia Saturday for the “King of the County” tournament.
Super 7
The 2018 Super 7 ended last Friday night after seven football games in a span of three days. This year’s paid attendance was more than 51,000. You can add 3,000 each day by including, 1100 coaches from across Alabama, AHSAA corporate partners, board members, staff, media, volunteers, first responders, Auburn staff and workers. This would put the total attendance close to 60,000 people in a three day period.
The cities of Auburn and Opelika partner to Host the event.
The cities share the cost and work force to make the Super 7 a wonderful experience for all involved.
Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller played a key role in securing the Super 7 by agreeing to share the cost with the city of Auburn. (similar to Auburn helping Opelika with the Barbasol Golf Tournament at Grand National.)
I cannot begin to list the hundreds of volunteers helping to make the Super 7 the best “event” possible. As co-chair of the Super 7, representing the City of Opelika, I would like to thank you to all the volunteers. There is no way to host this event without volunteer efforts.
Next year’s AHSAA Super football Championships will be in Tuscaloosa’s Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
The Super 7 will return to the Auburn-Opelika area in 2020.
D. Mark Mitchell is sports director for iHeart Media, Alabama Dixie Boys State director and vice president of the A-O Sports Council.