OPELIKA —
The Opelika varsity girls and boys basketball teams completed the regular season last week.
The Lady Bulldogs (10-14) won their final two regular season games against Dadeville (61-28) and Russell County (53-44).
The leading scorers were Tyra Pitts with 14 points against Dadeville, Cherdi Daniels and Z Fanning with 17 and 10, respectively, against Russell County.
The OHS varsity boys basketball team (9-11) split their last two regular season games, beating Dadeville (72-64) and losing to Russell County (66-56).
The girls’ area tournament will be held at Central High School in Phenix City this week. The Lady Bulldogs played Auburn in the first round, Tuesday night.
The Bulldogs fell, 68-53, to the Tigers.
The Tigers advanced to the Area Tournament Championship game against the winner of Central and Smiths Station High School.
The championship game is set for 5:30 p.m. Friday.
The boys’ area tournament is hosted by Auburn High School (AHS).
Opelika will play Central at 5:30 p.m. Thursday night.
The winner advances to the Area Tournament Championship game Saturday at 6 p.m. in the AHS gymnasium.
The area tournament winner and runner-up advance to the Southeast Regionals.
OHS SPRING SPORTS
The Bulldog girls and boys soccer teams were unable to open the season last Thursday due to rain.
All Springs sports will be playing games in the coming weeks.
SELECT OHS BASEBALL/SOFTBALL GAMES ON IHEARTRADIO
Local iHeartRadio station, FOX Sports the Game 910-1310, will air six baseball and two softball games this spring. The broadcasts of all games are presented by the Orthopaedic Clinic and can be heard on 910AM, 1310AM, online at foxsportsthegame.com and the iHeartRadio app.
The following is the schedule of games being broadcast:
Softball:
• March 15: Central at OHS (first pitch 5:30 p.m.)
• April 4: AHS at OHS (first pitch 5:30 p.m.)
Baseball:
• Feb 20: Wetumpka at OHS (1:30 p.m. first pitch)
• Feb 25: Benjamin Russell at OHS (11 a.m. first pitch)
• Feb 25: Beauregard at OHS (4 p.m. first pitch)
• April 6: Central at OHS (first pitch 4:30 p.m.)
Game two, following game one:
• April 12: Smiths Station at OHS (first pitch 5 p.m.)
• April 19: Auburn at OHS (first pitch 5 p.m.)
Stay tuned for more schedule updates from IHeartRadio.
OHS AMENDS ATHLETICS CODE OF CONDUCT: ALLOWS STUDENTS TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES WITH HAIR
Opelika High School Principal Kellie Fischer confirmed to me that the code of conduct for OHS athletes has been amended.
Fischer said the new version does not include grooming and hair length.
OHS implemented a “Code of Conduct” for student-athletes when coach Spence McCracken took over as athletic director and head football coach.
The athletic code of conduct addressed numerous topics, including academic requirements (including GPA), random drug testing and hair length/grooming.
Prior to the start of the school year, the student-athlete and one parent was required to sign the code of conduct before the student could participate.
Fischer explained her reasons for making the change by saying that by taking the hair policy out of the code of conduct, student-athletes can express themselves with their hair while playing sports. I think this important in today’s society she said.
SMITHS STATION SET TO NAME NEW FOOTBALL COACH AT LEE COUNTY BOARD MEETING
Smiths Station High School is set to name Bryant Garrison as its new head football coach, pending board approval on Feb. 14.
Garrison just completed his first year as head coach at Slocomb High School, finishing 5-5.
Prior to 2022, Garrison spent three seasons as defensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach at Central Gwinnett in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He was a graduate and assistant under coach Nick Saban at Alabama.
The Lee County school board will vote on his hiring at its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday, Feb. 14.
D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 910-1319, co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.
