BY D. MARK MITCHELL
OPINION —
WRESTLING
Opelika’s wrestling team participated in the Swede Umbach Wrestling Tournament at Auburn High School last weekend. OHS finished third, behind Hewett-Trussville and Tallassee.
The following are the weight classes, names, grades and records in the Swede Umbach Tournament. Brady Campbell won the meet with 14-0.
106 – Ramos Howell, Adolfo, 9th grade, 0-0
126 – Hoyett, Derrick, 12th grade, 10-5
132 – Decker, Evan, 10th grade, 4-6
138 – Wilson, Brayden, 12th grade, 12-4
144 – Anderson, Denarvious, 11th grade, 11-3
150 – Gaither, Thomas, 12th grade, 6-0
157 – Campbell, Brady, 11th grade, 14-0
165 – Johnson, Tommie, 11th grade, 4-3
175 – Howell, Recavien, 12th grade, 5-2
190 – Ingersoll, Daquan, 12th grade, 8-7
215 – Fenn, Thomas, 12th grade, 10-5
285 – Epperson, Kyle, 11th grade, 9-2
BOWLING
Opelika High started bowling this year, and the school has both girls and boys teams for the first time. Although both teams are 0-4, the student-athletes are having a good time bowling and being a part of history at OHS.
Both teams lost to Benjamin Russell. The girls lost 801-660 and the boys lost 1146-828.
BASKETBALL
OHS Lady Bulldog basketball team lost to Lanett 43-31 last week. coach Blake Smalley said his girls played the best three quarters of the year but could not hold on for the win. Opelika led 14-5 after the first quarter, 21-17 at halftime and 31-30 after three quarters. Unfortunately, Opelika did not score in the fourth quarter. Naomi Whack led OHS with 12 points.
The Bulldog boys basketball team is 5-4 overall after beating the Chilton County Tigers 74-27 and beating Lanett 66-43 last week.
Appearing on the “On the Mark” radio show on Monday, head coach Wesley Button said, “We are playing good basketball at the moment. … We are getting to the meat of the schedule when we go to North Alabama to play in the Pepsi Classic. We are playing Bob Jones and James Clemmons, both very good teams. These types of games will help us when we play in the Area tournament.”
It appears Opelika girls’ and boys’ basketball teams are improving each game. That is important because area play begins in January.
OHS COACHING SEARCH
Opelika City School Superintendent Dr. Farrell Seymore said interviews for head football coach would start after the football season was over. The AHSAA Super 7 football championship ended Friday night in Tuscaloosa, therefore ending the high school football season.
According to someone with close connections who spoke on the condition of anonymity, interviews are scheduled and will start this week. At least two current assistant coaches on the OHS staff have applied, along with a few other coaches that were once assistants at Opelika. Opelika High has been without a head football for over a month. The administration fired coach Erik Speakman on Nov. 2, which makes me think there was plan in the works prior to his termination.
CHANGES TO AHSAA SUPER 7 CHAMPIONSHIP
The 2023 AHSAA Super 7 Football Championship was played at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa last week. The three-day event drew more than 43,000 fans to Tuscaloosa.
This was the last Super 7 Championship that will be played in Tuscaloosa for a while. The new CFP playoffs caused the University of Alabama and Auburn University to reevaluate hosting Super 7 in early December. Alabama and Auburn could host a first round playoff in their home stadium Dec. 20, two weeks after playing seven high school football championship games.
Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox told me last week at Super 7 in Tuscaloosa, “This is our last one. Thanks D.Mark, we have enjoyed the partnership,” as we talked outside the suites in the Zone.
I serve as co-chairman of the Auburn-Opelika Super 7 committee along with my friend, Auburn Mayor Ron Anders. The two of us have had many conversations about the day Super 7 ends in Auburn-Opelika. That day has not arrived, but it appears to be becoming a reality.
There has been no official statement from the AHSAA, the city of Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama, the cities of Auburn and Opelika, Auburn University nor AU Athletics. It is evident CFP has changed the landscape of football from college to high school.
There is no urgent need for the decision to be made in the next 12 months. The AHSAA Super 7 Championship is under contract to play at Protective Stadium in Birmingham in 2024.
Stay tuned for more info.
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.