OHS Cross Country travels to Oakville
BY D MARK MITCHELL
OPINION —
The Alabama High School Athletic Association hosted the 7A State Cross Country Meet at Oakville Indian Mounds Park.
AHSAA CROSS COUNTRY STATE MEET
Opelika’s top finishers in the 5,000-meter run were Caroline Couey, who finished 66th among girls with a time of 20:36:04, and Brantley Turnham, who finished 61st among boys with a time of 17:06:71.
The top three finishers in the girls’ race were Lady Tigers, giving Auburn High School its seventh state championship in the last eight years. Auburn’s Sarah Toles was the overall winner in the girl’s division, with a time of 17:54.95.
Also representing Opelika High School at the state meet was Violett Alcorn, who finished 140th among girls. Also in the boys’ 5,000-meter run were Amari Bynum (145th), Aiden Stephens (156th), Drew Schoonover (159th), Burch Harris (161st), Caleb Thornton (164th), Trevor Thompson (165th), Alexander Burgess (170th), Ben Bell (172nd) and Murphy Williams (174th).
OHS BASKETBALL
Opelika’s varsity basketball teams opened the 2023-24 season last week.
The Lady Bulldogs, led by head coach Blake Smalley, beat Russell County 53-49 to open the season on a positive note. Naomi Whack led with 18 points despite fighting off flu days before the game. Monica Whack and Tyra Pitts scored 10 points apiece.
Boys head coach Wesley Button started the season with two losses last week, 67-53 to Clay-Chalkville and 63-47 to Russell County.
The Dogs will host Columbia on Friday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. in the Mainstreet gym.
The girls will host Arab on Monday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m., also in the Mainstreet Gym. The Lady Bulldogs will also host the first “Hoopsgiving Games” Nov. 21 and 22 in both the Arena and the Mainstreet Gym. Two games will be played at once. Games are scheduled for 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. The tournament will feature teams from Arab, Eufaula, BTW, Beauregard, Oxford, Auburn, Handley, Russell County, Grissom, Park Crossing and Opelika high schools.
Fans can purchase tickets in advance online at www.gofan.co or at the OHS ticket office.
WRESTLING
The Opelika High wrestling team hosted Prattville in the first meet of the season Wednesday night at home. Unfortunately, results were unavailable at press time.
The school has both girls and boys wrestling teams, led by head wrestling coach Davis Simpson.
OHS and OMS wrestling teams will participate in the “Swede Umbach Invitational,” hosted by Auburn High School Dec. 8-11. Opelika’s girls and boys head wrestling coach is Davis Simpson. I will have further info on both teams in the coming weeks.
FOOTBALL COACHING SEARCH
As of Monday, Opelika City Schools Superintendent Dr. Farrell Seymore has not released any information on the search for a new football coach to replace Erik Speakman, who was fired in an early morning meeting last Thursday. Speakman confirmed to “On the Mark” that he cleaned out his office, but said he was not sure where the school system would place him for the remainder of the academic year. It appears Speakman will have his full 25 years in May of 2024. No official word from Erik Speakman on his future.
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.