BY D MARK MITCHELL
BY D. MARK MITCHELL
OPINION —
WRESTLING
Two Opelika High student-athletes, Heidi Peralta-Fernandez and Gabrielle Reese, earned a trip to the AHSAA Girls State Wrestling Championship. Neither won their weight class, but both performed well at the meet. The results are below:
114 – Champ. Round 1 – Heidi Peralta-Fernadez (Opelika HS) received a bye
114 Champ. Round 2 – Heidi Peralta-Fernadez (Opelika HS) over Elizabeth Herhold (Gulf Shores) (Fall 0:13)
114 Champ. Round 3 – Emily Smith (Daphne) over Heidi Peralta-Fernadez (Opelika HS) (Fall)
114 Cons. Round 4 – Verona Prishtina (Grissom HS) over Heidi Peralta-Fernadez (Opelika HS) (Fall 2:26)
114 Champ. Round 1 – Gabrielle Reese (Opelika HS) received a bye
114 Champ. Round 2 – Gabrielle Reese (Opelika HS) over Kelsey Seigler (Thompson HS) (Dec 6-2)
114 Champ. Round 3 – Gabrielle Reese (Opelika HS) over Alana Marky (W. S. Neal) (Fall 0:43)
114 Quarterfinals – Gabrielle Reese (Opelika HS) over Jaylee Carter (Weaver) (Fall 3:22)
114 Semifinals – Juliana Eldridge (Wetumpka) over Gabrielle Reese (Opelika HS) (Dec 6-2)
114 Cons. Semis – Gabrielle Reese (Opelika HS) over Rin Curtis (Bob Jones) (Fall 3:37)
114 3rd Place Match – Gabrielle Reese (Opelika HS) over Jaylee Carter (Weaver) (Fall 2:57)
The OHS varsity won the Bobcat Bash last weekend in Beulah. The Dogs scored 270-points, 142 points ahead of AHS. Some of the top wrestlers are listed below:
126- 1st Place Match – Derrick Hoyett (Opelika HS) over Harry Grant (Beulah) (Dec 10-5)
138-1st Place Match – Brayden Wilson (Opelika HS) over Julian Anthony (Russell County) (MD 10-0)
138-Champ. Round 1 – Jackson Renfroe (Reeltown) over Alexander Rivera (Opelika HS) (Fall 2:50)
138-1st Place Match – Brayden Wilson (Opelika HS) over Julian Anthony (Russell County) (MD 10-0)
138-Champ. Round 1 – Jackson Renfroe (Reeltown) over Alexander Rivera (Opelika HS) (Fall 2:50)
215-Champ. Round 1 – Thomas Fenn (Opelika HS) over Brandon Gaskins (Russell County) (Fall 1:31)
285-Champ. Round 1 – E`Mauri Smiley (Opelika HS) over Russell Jones (Beulah) (Fall 2:5)
OPELIKA BASKETBALL
Opelika boys and girls varsity basketball teams had a tough week, losing two games apiece to Auburn and Smiths Station.
The Lady Bulldogs lost to AHS 75-35 at Auburn last week. The girls lost at Smiths Station 55-44. Monica Whack led the team with 10 points and nine rebounds, along with KK Dowell’s 14 points and five rebounds.
Opelika’s girls are playing without several players who are out to due various reasons. There are two eighth grade girls on the Opelika Middle School that could start and help the varsity team, but Coach Smalley will have to wait until the OMS season is completed before the players can join the varsity. It is interesting that this rule is in place because several big schools across Alabama play eighth graders on varsity: Hazel Green, Auburn, Central, Eufaula, Oxford, Grissom Bob Jones, and some have played seventh graders.
The varsity boys team lost two close games last week, Auburn won 65-61 and SSHS slipped by OHS 62-58 last Friday. Both teams are 1-3 in the area.
AUBURN BASKETBALL
Auburn High boys and girls continue to have good seasons. The AHS Lady Tigers improved to 3-1 in the area after beating Central 69-57.
The Auburn boys lost to the Red Devils 57-54 last Friday. The Tigers and Red Devils are tied for the area with 1-3 records.
LSA BASKETBALL
Lee-Scott Academy girls won two games last week. They beat Macon East 66-20 behind 24 points from Madison Davis, along with five steals and three assists. Mary Kathrine Harris added 10 points and three rebounds. Clark Ivatt added nine points, five rebounds and five assists. Railey Langford scored seven points and recorded three steals.
The Lady Warriors beat Springwood in Lanett, 37-36 behind Ellie Keesee’s 10 points, two assists and two steals. Madison Davis scored nine points and grabbed nine rebounds. Clark Ivatt scored nine points and had six rebounds. Mary Kathrine Harris scored eight points with nine rebounds.
The LSA varsity boys (19-4) lost two games in a row last week after beating Macon East. Lee-Scott beat Macon East on senior night at Samford Gym on the LSA campus. Seniors Ben Aldridge and Owen Gibson were honored prior to the game.
The Warriors lost two region games at the end of the week, Springwood 61-50 and Valiant Cross 71-59. The two losses were without two starters, senior Ben Aldridge and sophomore Parks Myers. The two were out because of an injury and sickness.
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.