BY D MARK MITCHELL
OPINION — The postseason has arrived, and the Opelika Bulldogs are back in familiar territory — making their 33rd playoff appearance in program history. Opelika travels to Trussville on Friday to face Hewitt-Trussville in the first round of the AHSAA Class 7A playoffs.
With a 7-3 overall record and a third-place finish in Class 7A, Region 2, Opelika enters the opening round battle-tested and hungry.
Under second-year head coach Bryan Moore, the Bulldogs have forged their identity through physicality and persistence. The offense has leaned heavily on the ground game, averaging 176 rushing yards per contest. Senior CJ Johnson has been a steady force in the backfield, highlighted by a 99-yard performance on 17 carries in the regular-season finale win over Carver. Complementing him is Blake “The Hammer” Johnson, a short-yardage specialist who has punched in seven touchdowns this season while averaging just under five yards per carry.
At quarterback, sophomore Whit Cooper will be tasked with managing the game and making timely throws to keep Hewitt-Trussville’s defense honest. His poise will be critical in a playoff environment where every possession counts.
The Huskies, Region 3’s runner-up, enter with an 8-2 record and plenty of momentum after a dominant 49-7 win over Tuscaloosa County. Their offense has been explosive, averaging nearly 34 points per game. Freshman quarterback Jack Floyd has led the charge for much of the season, but a hand injury has sidelined him. Senior Zach Benedict, returning from injury himself, is expected to take the bulk of the snaps Friday night.
This marks the first-ever meeting between Opelika and Hewitt-Trussville, adding another layer of intrigue to an already compelling matchup. The Bulldogs are 3-7 all-time on the road in first-round playoff games but are determined to flip the script and extend their postseason run.
Hewitt-Trussville results: The Huskies won eight games this season — against JAG (54-0), Gadsden City (56-7), Vestavia Hills (28-14), Hoover (17-14), Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (24-0), Pinson Valley (42-6), Oak Mountain (36-21) and Tuscaloosa County (49-7). Their two losses came to Thompson (34-12) and Prattville (24-21).
Opelika had a bye week last Friday, giving the team time to recover and prepare. Fans can listen to the Opelika vs. Hewitt-Trussville game on WKKR 97.7 FM Kicker, online at www.foxsportsthegame.com or via the iHeartRadio app. Coverage begins at 6 p.m. with the Opelika Environmental Services Tailgate Show, followed by Coach Moore’s Pre-Game Show at 6:30 p.m., presented by The Orthopaedic Clinic.
Cross Country Sectional Results
The Opelika High School girls and boys cross-country teams competed in the sectional meet at Kiesel Park in Auburn last Saturday.
Girls 5,000-meter run:
Caroline Couey — 18:35.55
Lillian Massey — 22:41.37
Katherine Fernandez — 22:52.71
Holiday Rohrbaugh — 22:58.60
Sophia Tucker — 24:40.11
Libby Cottrell — 26:11.68
Boys 5,000-meter run:
Brantley Turnham — 16:21.69
Knox Newland — 16:49.04
Drew Schoonhoven — 17:45.09
Nicholas Brock — 17:59.01
Trevor Thompson — 19:05.94
Burch Harris — 19:10.38
Sutton Soltau — 19:13.55
Jaiden Keyes — 19:19.35
Tripp Campbell — 19:58.56
Football Roundup
- Auburn (8-2): Idle last week; hosts Vestavia Hills in the playoffs Friday.
- Beauregard: Lost 36-8 to Russell County; plays at Northside Friday.
- Beulah (4-6): Finished the season with a 29-12 win over Autauga Academy under first-year head coach Michael Courson.
- Chambers Academy (9-2): Closed the regular season with a 50-14 win over Abbeville Christian; hosts Fort Dale in the first round of the AISA playoffs.
- LaFayette (4-6): Defeated Barbour County 37-6 in the season finale.
- Lanett (8-2): Hosts Zion Chapel in the AHSAA playoffs.
- Lee-Scott (8-2): Defeated Reeltown 28-25; hosts Hale County at Jud Scott Field on the LSA campus Friday night.
- Loachapoka (7-3): Travels to Goshen for the first round of the playoffs.
- Notasulga (5-3): Beat Gaylesville 41-8; travels to University Charter School for the playoffs Friday.
- Russell County (9-1): Beat Beauregard 36-8; hosts Gulf Shores in the first round — the school’s first-ever home playoff game.
- Trinity Christian (6-4): Beat Southern Prep 43-28 in its inaugural football season; hosts Evangel Christian on Friday.
- Springwood: Travels to Macon East for a first-round playoff game.
- Valley (7-3): Earned the No. 2 playoff seed after Dadeville forfeited last week’s game; hosts Shelby County in the playoffs.
- Glenwood: Hosts Thomasville Friday night in Phenix City.
D. Mark Mitchell is sports director for iHeart Media, Alabama Dixie Boys State Director and vice president of the A-O Sports Council.
