OPINION —
As the chilly season winds down, Opelika’s athletes are making their last strides, jumps, and throws before spring sports kick off. This weekend saw the conclusion of the Indoor Track season, while wrestling and basketball are set to finish up before March ends, making way for the next wave of competitions.
Indoor Track Highlights
The Opelika High Indoor Track Team represented us proudly at the AHSAA Indoor Track and Field Meet held at Birmingham’s CrossPlex. Here are the standout performances:
60 Meter Dash
Serenity Rufus: 7.73 (4th)
400 Meter Dash
Alieah Nelms: 55.78 (2nd)
Ava Thomas: 58.98 (6th)
3200 Meter Run
Caroline Couey: 11:18.98 (4th)
60 Meter Hurdles
Makiah Paschal: 9.67 (7th)
High Jump
Kyndall Brundidge: 5-2 (5th)
Long Jump
Kyndall Brundidge: 16-1.25 (12th)
Triple Jump
Kyndall Brundidge: 37-11.5 (5th)
Memshallyah Weaver: 33-11.5 (12th)
Shot Put
Legend Fitzpatrick: 33-8.75 (6th)
Boys Triple Jump
Braeden Dowdell: 41-10 (8th)
Boys Pole Vault
Brannon Massey: 12-6 (7th)
Boys Shot Put
Ericson (Moni) Thomas: 44-9.5 (9th)
Middle School Basketball
The Opelika Middle School eighth-grade basketball team wrapped up an impressive season with a 13-1 record. Head coach Dustin Ferguson praised the players for their dedication and hard work. Here are some game highlights:
OMS 41, Smiths 12
OMS 30, Auburn 41
OMS 38, Alex City 36
OMS 54, Lanett 19
OMS34, Callaway 24
Leading scorers:
Nasir Billingsley (#12)
Thad Thomas (#3)
London Ray (#22)
Kaiden Jones (#13)
High School Basketball
The Opelika girls basketball team faced tough opponents, losing to Central 60-35 and Auburn 71-43. Key players included Tyra Pitts, scoring 11 points, and Claire Barber, leading with 10 points. The girls played Central-Phenix City in the Area tournament opening round, with the result pending at press time.
The Opelika Boys’ Basketball team also had a challenging week, losing to Central-Phenix City 77-56 and Auburn 67-62 in overtime. Despite blowing a 15-point lead, the team showed resilience. They face Auburn in the Area Tournament on February 6 in Phenix City.
Super 7 Host Update
Exciting news for high school football fans: the AHSAA Central Board of Control has added Mobile’s Hancock Whitney Stadium to the Super 7 rotation. This stadium joins Birmingham’s Protective Stadium, ensuring that the Super 7 will have a thrilling home through 2028.
Youth Baseball Registration
Registration is now open for the 2025 Opelika Diamond Youth Baseball season. This league is for ages 6-12, with evaluations starting on February 15. Visit Opelika Dixie Youth for more details.
As we bid farewell to the winter sports season, let’s cheer on our athletes in their final cTune In to “On the Mark”:
Catch “On the Mark” radio show weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. on iHeartRadio’s FOX Sports the Game 910-1310, the free iHeartRadio app, and online at foxsportsthegame.com.Join D.Mark Mitchell and Jeff Sasser as they welcome daily guest hosts and interviews with local coaches, athletes, political figures like Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller, Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Valley Mayor Leonard Riley, and Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville, along with other guests from around the state of Alabama.
As we bid farewell to the winter sports season, let’s cheer on our athletes in their final competitions and gear up for an exciting spring!
Stay on the mark, Opelika competitions and gear up for an exciting spring!
D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia and host of “On the Mark” on Fox Sports the Game 910-1319.
