BY D. MARK MITCHELL
OPINION —
OHS WRESTLING
Opelika High has four student-athletes on the girls wrestling team: Gabrielle Reese, Heidi Peralta-Fernandez, Georgia Andriate and Joselynn Sadler.
Following are results from Wrestling matches prior to this week:
114 – Heidi Peralta-Fernadez over Alexis Edwards (Beauregard HS) (Fall 5:46) 0-6
107 – Joselynn Sadler (Opelika HS) over Brylee Rollo (Smiths Station HS) (Fall 3:27) 0-6
114 – Lexi Hodgins (Smiths Station HS) over Gabrielle Reese (Opelika HS) 3-0
In the Scott Rohrer Hoover Invitational a few weeks ago:
109 Quarterfinals – Carlee Cargile (Prattville) over Joselynn Sadler (Opelika HS) (MD 6-3)
109 Consolation Round 3 – Joselynn Sadler (Opelika HS) over Kira Benson (Weaver) (Fall 1:47)
109 Consolation Semis – Joselynn Sadler (Opelika HS) over Nevaeh Yazzie (Pinson Valley) (Fall 0:50)
109 Third Place Match – C. Cargile (Prattville) over Joselynn Sadler (Opelika HS) ( 9-2)
116 Championship Round 1 – Gabrielle Reese (Opelika HS) over Ava Koch (John Carroll Catholic HS) (Fall 2:59)
116 Quarterfinals – Gabrielle Reese (Opelika HS) over Aliyah Bailey (Sparkman) (Fall 4:24)
116 Semifinals – Emily Smith (Daphne) over Gabrielle Reese (Opelika HS) (Fall 0:59)
116 Consolation Semis – Gabrielle Reese (Opelika HS) over Jaylee Carter (Weaver)
116 Third Place Match – Gabrielle Reese (Opelika HS) over Katherine Grigsby (Hewitt-Trussville)
OHS INDOOR TRACK
Opelika High’s girls and boys Indoor Track Teams participated in the Ice Breaker Meet in Birmingham. Following are Opelika student-athletes that finished in the top 20:
GIRLS
60-METER DASH
7.99 Tierra Agee, 3rd
8.39 Kahliya Cloud, 8th
8.41 Malia Jeter, 9th
400 METER DASH
1:02.21 Makiah Paschal, 4th
800 METER RUN
2:30.68 Caroline Couey, 3rd
1600 METER RUN
5:35.04 Caroline Couey, 6th
60 METER HURDLES
11.25 Makiah Paschal, 14th
HIGH JUMP
4-8 Tierra Agee, 9th
4-6 Makiah Paschal, 11th
LONG JUMP
16-10.75 Tierra Agee, 1st
16-5 Kyndall Brundidge, 2nd
TRIPLE JUMP
35-8.25 Kyndall Brundidge, 1st
32-8.5 Memshallyah Weaver, 4th
31-6 Kimora Rowell, 6th
POLE VAULT
7-6 Jada Frazier, 10th
SHOT PUT
25-11 Rorie Dunbarm 20th
BOYS
60-METER DASH
7.19 Davian Jones, 3rd
400-METER DASH
51.30 Sam Washburn, 2nd
52.58 Michael Swanson, 6th
53.52 Jalen Thomas, 13th
800-METER RUN
2:11.86 SB Sam Washburn, 15th
1600 METER RUN
4:40.54 Brantley Turnham, 4th
3200 METER RUN
10:12.37 Brantley Turnham, 7th
60 METER HURDLES
10.53 Braeden Dowdell, 13th
11.38 Leland Bell, 19th
HIGH JUMP
6-0 Davian Jones, 2nd
5-10 Jordan Tolbert, 6th
5-4 Leland Bell, 14th
LONG JUMP
21-11.25 Davian Jones, 1st
17-9.5 Leland Bell, 16th
17-8.75 Jhavian Williams, 20th
TRIPLE JUMP
45-8 Davian Jones, 1st
38-6 Jordan Tolbert, 5th
37-8.25 Braeden Dowdell, 7th
POLE VAULT
10-6 Brannon Massey, 5th
8-6 Richard Howard, 11th
SHOT PUT
38-9 Ericson (Moni) Thomas, 10th
37-9 Michael Cosgriff, 12th
The girls and boys teams will compete in the AHSAA State Championship meet Feb. 2 at the Crossplex in Birmingham.
OHS FOOTBALL UPDATE
Opelika football coach Bryan Moore hit the ground running since being hired prior to Christmas. Moore spent Christmas break celebrating with his family and reaching out to a few Opelika boosters and supporters. There is so much for Moore to do, such as but not limited to: trying to form his staff, interviewing current assistants, looking at new coaches to join the staff, meeting with players, making a schedule, learning the supplements and budgets, equipment needed, uniforms (jersey and pants), facilities and going to see corporate sponsors to raise money.
Appearing on “On the Mark” radio show on FOX Sports the Game 910-1310AM, Moore said, “Spring training will start the first week in May to allow the track team to compete in the AHSAA State Meet. The Bulldogs will have 10 practices spread over 15 days.”
Moore said he wants to “culminate the end spring training by playing a game against another team at Bulldog Stadium on May 18.”
He is working on scheduling a team to play in the spring game.
The 2024 schedule is completed with 10 games, five at home and five on the road:
Aug. 23 @ Benjamin Russell High School
Aug. 30 (H) Callaway
Sept. 6 @ AHS
Sept. 13 (H) JAG
Sept. 20 (H) Smiths Station
Sept. 27 @ Pike Road
Oct. 4 @ Dothan
Oct. 11 (H) Enterprise
Oct. 18 (H) Central
Oct. 25 @ Carver
BASKETBALL ROUND-UP
Auburn High boys basketball team beat SSHS in Smiths Station for the first time since 2015, 68-46. Twelve Auburn players scored in the 22 point blowout win over Smiths Station including: McLean-10 points, Hill-9 points, Allen-9 points , Pearson 8-points, Daniels-8 points Jordan and Hightower scored 6 points each.
The Tigers win put them 2-0 in the area and 19-3 overall.
There are four teams in the area No. 3: Auburn, Central, Opelika and Smiths Station. The winner of the area, which is a double elimination tournament with the top two teams making the playoffs will host the area tournament and earn a playoff berth. The winner of the playoff will host the sub-regional game while the runner-up team travels.
The Lady Tigers beat the Lady Panthers 70-51 in SSHS last week. Syriah Daniels scorched the nets for 38 points, 10vrebounds and 10v steals to lead Auburn. This was Daniels third straight game where she accounted for at least 25% of the points. Brooke Hallman added 10 points and seven steals in the win. Tasha Judkins scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Lady Panthers. AHS improved to 15-4 overall and 1-1 in the area.
Lee-Scott varsity girls lost to rival Glenwood, 68-48 last week at Lee-Scott Academy. The Gators improved to 18-5 and are undefeated in the region.
Lee-Scott boys improved to 18-1 after blowing out rival Glenwood, 65-40 in front of a packed house at Samford Gymnasium on the LSA campus. It was a total team win by the Warriors: Three players, Ben Aldridge, Parker Wright and Haiden Harper carried the load on the offensive and joined Tyler Kennedy and Parks Myers to play swarming defense baseline to baseline.
Offensively three players took over: Haiden “shooter” Harper scored 24 points including eight of 10 from the free throw line, 3-assists and steals; Ben Aldridge scored 13 points, grabbed 9 rebounds and blocked two shots and Parker Wright scored 11 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and blocked three shots. William Liles, Chapman Harris, Cord Zellner, Barrett Cook and Wyatt Whatley played significant minutes during the game.
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.