Final Seconds
Changes the Game

OPINION —
AHS BEAT OHS 31-30 ON LATE TD
Auburn High (5-1, R 4-1) beat Opelika (3-4, R 3-2) 31-30 in front of a standing room only crowd inside Bulldog Stadium last Friday night. Facing fourth and goal from the Bulldog 5-yard line, Auburn QB Henry Allen rolled to his right and threw back across the field to a wide open (tight end) Griffen McLean for the game tying touchdown. Towns McGough made the game winning PAT moments after the TD.
The Bulldogs played well and led the Tigers most of the game. They held a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter but could not hold on for the win.
The game marked AHS’s fourth straight victory against rival Opelika, including three in a row for coach Keith Etheredge, while Opelika coach Erik Speakman drops to 1-4 against his top rival.
The Bulldogs gained 439 total offensive yards, including 190 rushing and 249 passing yards. Auburn gained 401 total yards, including 171 passing yards and 230 rushing yards.
Quarterback Roman Gagliano was 16 of 32 for 190-yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Jamari Williams rushed eight times for 110 yards and one touchdown, and wide receiver Jalen Tolbert caught four passes for 121 yards. Auburn running back Omar Mabson rushed for 143 yards on 21 carries.
Opelika travels to play at Smiths Station (0-6) Friday at 7 p.m. central time. OHS has won 22 of the 24 games played in the series. SSHS won 24-10 in 1994 and 3-0 in 2013.
The Panthers are winless in six games under first year head coach Bryant Garrison, losing to Pleasant Grove 54-14, Central 51-0, Prattville 43-9, Enterprise 54-7, Dothan 0-66 and Benjamin Russell 34-23.
Opelika, which won 31-14 last year at Bulldog Stadium, must beat the Panthers to stay in the playoff hunt. Central leads the region with a 5-0 record, AHS is 4-1, Enterprise is 3-1, while Dothan and Opelika are 3-2. OHS can make the playoffs by winning the remaining four region games.
Fans can purchase tickets to the Smiths Station/OHS football game online at www.gofan.co or you can pay cash at the gate. You can listen to the game on WKKE 97.7 Kicker FM and online at kickerfm.com or live streaming on www.nfhsnetwork.com.
OPELIKA CROSS COUNTRY
Members of the Opelika girls and boys cross country teams participated in the Jesse Owens Classic at Oakville Indian Mounds Park, where Brantley Turnham finished 53rd in the gold division, the top division at the meet.
Following is a list of OHS runners and results of the Invitational meet.
GIRLS
19:55.51 – Caroline Couey,18th Girls Silver
22:25.68 Violett Alcorn 146th, Girls Silver
23:41.07 – Frida Cruz Valdez, 204th Girls Silver
24:57.15 – Heidi Peralta Fernandez, 237th Girls Silver
27:19.75 – Ellie Kendrick, 251st Girls Silver
BOYS
16:04.38 – Brantley Turnham, 53rd Boys Gold
18:04.96 – Amari Bynum, 115th Boys Silver
18:56.10 – Burch Harris, 173rd Boys Silver
19:02.36 – Aiden Stephens, 176th Boys Silver
19:07.51 – Drew Schoonoven, 178th Boys Silver
19:12.35 – Ben Bell, 181st Boys Silver
19:23.72 – Caleb Thornton, 195th Boys Silver
19:54.13 – Seth Huling, 176th Boys Red
19:58.67 – Zane Sexton, 221st Boys Silver
21:00.32 – Alexander Burgess, 245th Boys Red
21:26.46 – Tripp Campbell, 269th Boys Red
24:31.36 – Kaden Hua, 355 Boys Red
AHSAA NEWS
The Alabama High School Athletic Association has been busy the last few weeks because several member schools have violated rules. AHSAA Executive Director Alvin Briggs has been forced to sanction several high schools for forfeiting games, violence/unsportsmanlike actions, transfer rule and clarification of “gift cards” and amateurism.
Vigor forfeits the win over UMS-Wright on Sept. 22 for violating the transfer rule, leaving the Wolves at 3-2 in the region.
Pell City forfeits its only win of the season, Sept. 15 against Centerpoint, for violating the transfer rule.
Coosa Christian forfeits four games for violation of the transfer rule.
The AHSAA appears to be cracking down on teams with ineligible players, if reported. Briggs always says that the AHSAA is in the business of making student-athletes eligible, not ineligible.
I believe more high schools could face penalties in the coming weeks. Nothing official, but someone close to the AHSAA informed me under the condition of anonymity, several schools are being investigated by the AHSAA. Stay tuned for info as it becomes available.
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.