BY D. MARK MITCHELL
OPINION —
OHS PHYSICAL EXAMS
Opelika High will conduct physical exams for student-athletes planning on playing sports for the 2024-25 school year on May 8 at the Indoor Practice Facility. Physicals for spring sports will be held at 3 p.m, for fall sports at 3:30 p.m. and winter sports at 4 p.m. Staff members from the Orthopaedic Clinic perform the physicals. Opelika High charges a $10 fee for the physical exam. Checks should be made out to OHS, or you can pay online at opelikaathletics.com/store. If you have questions, please contact head coaches or Athletic Director Jamie Williams.
SOCCER
Opelika’s boys soccer team ended the 2024 season with a 4-0 loss to Smiths Station. Coach Derek Hovell predicted the team would have a tough year due to inexpereince and said he hoped the team would get better and make a run next year.
SOFTBALL
The Lady Bulldog Softball team (15-24) ended the regular season by winning three games in a row.
Opelika beat Dadeville 7-1, behind good defense and solid hitting. Katelyn Foley earned the win in the circle and added two hits. The remaining five hits were from KG Soltau, Katie Johnson, Jade Jones, Emily Birmingham and Jancyn Thompson.
OHS defeated Horseshoe Bend 5-4 after scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth to win the game. Trailing 4-1, Soluta tripled and McCall Clayton doubled, recording two RBIs apiece in the bottom of the sixth. Birmingham earned the win in the circle, six innings without allowing a run.
Opelika mercy ruled Valley 11-0 at West Ridge Park in Opelika in the last regular season game. Jamiah Williams drove in four runs on four hits, including a homerun to lead Opelika at the plate. Cailyn Morgan earned the win by pitching five innings without allowing a run and recorded six K’s. Defensively, Jones recorded seven outs while playing defense.
AREA TOURNAMENT
OHS lost their opening game in the Area softball tournament 0-5 last Saturday in Phenix City. The Lady Red Devils, Area regular season champs, held the Lady Dogs top no hits and no runs.
SPRING FOOTBALL
Opelika High will play Clay-Chalkville in a spring football game at Bulldog Stadium, Thursday May 16 at 6 p.m. The Junior varsity will play two quarters followed by the varsity. Fans will have a sneak preview of Coach Bryan Moore’s football team. The Dogs will have 9-days of practice prior to the scrimmage game.
TRACK & FIELD SECTIONALS
OHS Track and Field teams participated in the Sectional Meet at SSSHS last weekend. The following are OHS athletes finishing in the top 10:
GIRLS
100 METER DASH
12.71 Tierra Agee, 4th
200 METERS
25.78 Tierra Agee, 3rd
400 METER DASH
59.08 Ava Thomas, 4th
1:00.99 Makiah Paschal, 5th
1:01.58 Jada Coleman, 6th
800 METER DASH
2:24.87 SB Caroline Couey, 6th
600 METER RUN
5:17.02 Caroline Couey, 3rd
3200 METER DASH
11:35.56 Caroline Couey, 2nd
100 METER HURDLES
15.84 Makiah Paschal, 2nd
300 METER HURDLES
46.12 Makiah Paschal, 1st
HIGH JUMP
4-10 Kyndall Brundidge, 3rd
LONG JUMP
17-7.5 Tierra Agee,1st
16-11 Kyndall Brundidge,3rd
TRIPLEJUMP
39-9.25 Kyndall Brundidge,1st
35-4 Memshallyah Weaver,5th
34-1 Kimora Rowell, 7th
DISCUS
79-8 Kaysee Dexter, 8th
78-8 Talaja Chambers, 9th
JAVELIN
101-10 Khalia Williams, 3rd
90-8 Tyra Pitts, 6th
SHOT PUT
28-2.25 Talaja Chambers, 8th
26-8 Kaysee Dexter, 9th
BOYS
200 METER DASH
22.63 Michael Swanson, 7th
400 METER DASH
48.86 SB Michael Swanson, 2nd
50.27 SB Tyrese Pitts, 5th
50.65 SB Sam Washburn, 7th
800 METER RUN
2:03.70 Brantley Turnham, 5th
2:10.54 Burch Harris, 8th
1600 METER RUN
4:32.74 SB Brantley Turnham, 5th
5:03.14 SB Teotl Heredia, 6th
200 METER RUN
9:59.29 SB Brantley Turnham, 2nd
110 METER HURDLES
16.98 Richard Howard, 1st
18.41B Aedan McCullough, 5th
3200 HURDLES
45.15 Aedan McCullough, 6th
46.39 Christian Ware, 8th
48.93 Richard Howard, 10th
HIGH JUMP
6-2 Davian Jones, 5th
6-0 Jaxson Freeman, 6th
5-10 Jordan Tolbert, 10th
LONG JUMP
22-10 Davian Jones, 1st
20-9 Jordan Tolbert, 5th
20-5 Leland Bell, 6th
TRIPLE JUMP
46-6 Davian Jones, 1st
43-6 Jordan Tolbert, 4th
POLE VAULT
12-0 Brannon Massey, 1st
11-6 Richard Howard, 3rd
DISCUS
106-1 Ericson (Moni) Thomas, 10th
JAVELIN
136-9 Jaxson Freeman, 9th
SHOT PUT
44-0.5 Ericson (Moni) Thomas, 7th
These athletes will represent Opelika in the AHSAA 7A State Meet in Gulf Shores this weekend.
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.