BY D. MARK MITCHELL
OPINION —
Opelika’s varsity soccer team fell to Prattville 6-1 last week. Head coach Derek Hovell said, “Mental mistakes plagued us throughout majority of the game. Our young team is still looking to find an identity and will get better.” Hovell is a proven coach and will continue to help the team improve. He has the perfect demeanor to guide young and seasoned soccer players.
The highlight of the night came in the second half, when David Cruz netted a free kick from 28 yards out to give OHS a boost.
GOLF
The Opelika boys golf team defeated Central by a score of 200-228 on the Lake Course at RTJ Grand National last week. Low scores were Nolen Wilson 49, Evan Henderson 50, Carter Neese 51 and Bennett Young 51.
The Opelika girls golf team defeated Central 179-181 on The Lake Course at RTJ Grand National. Low scores for the day were: Karly Phatsadavong 54 and Paige Bailes 61 and Kaylin Ward 64.
TENNIS
The Opelika High boys and girls tennis teams played Columbus, Trinity and St. James tennis teams last week.
Columbus (girls): No. 2 Mary Cara Montel won 6-3, No. 6 Emma Brown won 8-1 and doubles team Adney Massey and Addison Kemp won 8-6.
Columbus (boys): No. 5 Caden Blair won 9-7 and doubles team No. 2 Connor Mullins and Devam Patel won 8-4.
OHS boys beat St. James 6-3. Winning matches: No. 3 Davem Patel won 8-5, No. 4 Caden Blair won 8-2, No. 5 Anderson Melnick won 8-4 and Jake Caldwell won 8-6. Doubles team winners: Mullins/Patell won 8-4 and Blair/Campbell won 8-6.
OHS girls won two doubles matches: Smith T/Brown won 8-4 and Massey/Kemp won 8-6.
Trinity: Opelika’s No. 3 Dru Gagiano won 8-5, No. 4 Avery Massey won 8-3 and No. 2 doubles Massey/Kemp won 8-2.
SOFTBALL
The Lady Bulldog softball team played five games last week, winning two. OHS beat Maplesville 8-7 behind 11 hits. Johnson led with three hits, followed by two hits apiece from Harrelson and Smith. Soltau, Jones, Birmingham and Morgan added one hit each. Three players pitched a total of five innings: Foley, Harrelson and Jones.
Opelika scored 17 runs off 14 hits in a 17-0 rout of JAG last week. The Lady Dogs were led by three hits from Birmingham and two hits each from Johnson and Harrelson. Smith, Thompson, Jones, Harper, Morgan and Bordeaux added singles. Jones earned the win in the circle, pitching four innings without allowing a run or a hit.
OHS lost to St. James by a score of 0-10, to Brewbaker Tech 1-9 and to Gulf Shores 1-6.
BASEBALL
Opelika’s varsity baseball team won four out of five games last week, improving to 7-1 overall. Head coach Zach Blatt has his team playing solid baseball through eight games.
The Dogs started the week off with a 10-1 win over Harris County in Georgia. Brody Jones earned the win, pitching five innings, allowing four runs while striking out five batters. Clayton and Johnson pitched scoreless sixth and seventh innings. Three Dogs belted two hits each: Jones, Jackson Kilcrease and Chris Floyd, and Hudson, Clayton and Cherry added hits.
Opelika beat Homewood two out of three games last weekend.
Game 1: The Dogs beat Homewood 5-1. Chris Floyd pitched six innings without allowing an earned run for the win, and Russell Copous pitched the last innings to preserve the win. Davis Ford led at the plate with two hits, while Johnston, J. Kilcrease, Floyd, Rowell and Johnson add-ed hits.
Game 2: Homewood beat the Dogs 10-0 in the second game of the triple-header. The Dogs managed on three hits, from Kilcrease, Floyd and Clayton.
Game 3: Homewood won 12-2. OHS mercy ruled Homewood to win the third game of the series 12-2. Jackson Kilcrease earned the win, pitching four and 2/3 innings. He allowed two hits and two earned runs, while striking out seven batters.
LOCAL AREA ROUND-UP
Lee-Scott Academy’s baseball team is off to a 6-2 start under first year head coach Jarod Cook. The Warriors beat St. Anne Pacelli 6-4, Edgewood 9-1, Lakeside 4-0, Lowndes Academy 3-2, Edgewood 8-3 and Bessemer Academy 12-2. The three losses were to Calvary Christian (Ga.) 8-9 and 0-3.
Several players have recorded multiple hits in games, including Garrett West (two games), Ty Jones, J.D. Tillman Burns (two games), Sam Jackson (three games), Allen Owen, Pelzer Reeves, Haiden “Shooter” Harper and Brayden Butler.
The following pitchers earned wins for LSA on the mound:
Ethan Hardee earned three wins. Against Edgewood he pitched four and 2/3 innings and allowed one run on one hit. Against St. Anne Pacelli, he pitched two scoreless innings to earn the win. Against Bessemer Academy, he pitched three innings and allowed two runs on two hits to earn the win.
Garrett West pitched five innings without giving up a run or hit while striking out 10 batters. Jake Cummings pitched four and 2/3 innings, allowing no earned runs while striking out nine batters. Jack MacKay pitched four innings and allowed two runs while striking out six batters.
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.