D. Mark Mitchell
Columnist
D. Mark Mitchell is a writer for The Observer
D. Mark Mitchell's Latest
BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION —Opelika head football coach Bryan Moore called “On the Mark” radio show on Monday to give an update on his team. We started the interview discussing June then pointed the attention to July and fall camp. Following are...
OPINION —Opelika youth all-star baseball teams started playing last weekend with the Minors and Majors playing in their respective state tournaments.The Opelika 10U Minor All-Star team brought heart, hustle and heavy bats to the State Tournament,...
BY D MARK MITCHELL OPINION — New OHS Athletic Director Craig Montel continues to make unprecedented moves inside Opelika athletics, such as holding the first Opelika Bulldog Golf Tournament.OHS supporters are invited to swing into action for a...
BY D MARK MITCHELL OPINION — Summer has arrived, and Opelika schools are officially on break, but rest assured Coach Bryan Moore and his Bulldog football team are anything but idle. While many students are enjoying time off, Opelika’s players are...
BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION — The Opelika City Schools Board of Education has officially named Dr. Kevin Davis as the new superintendent, marking a historic transition for OCS. Davis is the first superintendent hired from outside the Opelika City...
BY D MARK MITCHELL OPINION — Opelika City Schools are officially out for the summer after Friday night’s graduation ceremony for the Class of 2025 inside Bulldog Stadium. A packed house gathered to watch the largest class of students (500 plus) in...
BY D MARK MITCHELL OPINION — Opelika Middle School, ninth grade, junior varsity and varsity football teams took the field last week in preseason scrimmages to sharpen their skills ahead of the fall season.Last Friday night, Opelika High School’s...
BY D MARK MITCHELL OPINION — Opelika High School’s football team will play against Wetumpka in a spring game on Friday, May 16, at Bulldog Stadium. The Junior Varsity will play the Indians at 5 p.m., with the varsity following at 6:30 p.m. General...
CONTRIBUTED BY A-O TOURISM AUBURN — Memorial Day weekend is about to bring national attention — and big-time fun — as the Turf Wars Kickball Tournament takes place in Auburn on Saturday and Sunday, May 24 and 25. This high-energy competition will...
BY D MARK MITCHELL OPINION — Opelika High girls and boys Track and Field team participated in the AHSAA 7A State Track and Field Meet in Gulf Shores.The following athletics finished in the top 10 in their respective events. Congratulations to all...
BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION — Opelika’s Track and Field team participated in the Section Meet in Smiths Station last weekend with the following athletes qualifying for the 7A AHSAA State Meet:Girls::100 Meter Dash12.18 - Serenity Rufus, 4th200...
BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION — OHS VARSITY TENNISOpelika High’s lady netters had an impressive season, finishing third in the Sectionals with a 15-5 record. The boys placed fourth in the Sectionals, ending with a 10-8 record. Senior players like...
OPINION — Opelika Boys SoccerThe Opelika boys soccer team put up a strong fight in a close match against Central, ultimately falling 2-1 in Phenix City. The lone goal for OHS was scored by Joshua Beltran, with an assist from Gerardo Selvas Ruiz....
OPINION — Opelika continues to showcase its talents across soccer, track and field, softball and baseball, with each team battling through highs and lows this past week. Soccer The Opelika varsity boys split their matches last week,...
OPINION — Tennis Updates The Opelika girls tennis team swept LaGrange 9-0 during an away match. Key victories came from JoAnne Smith T (10-0), Addison Bryan (10-2), Avery Massey (10-4), Emma Brown (10-4), Stella George (10-4) and Abney Massey...
BY D MARK MITCHELL OPINION — As Opelika students enjoy their spring break, local athletes have been hard at work representing their schools in various sports competitions. With Area games on the horizon, spring break hasn’t slowed down the action....
OPINION — Congratulations to Craig Montel on being named Athletic Director at Opelika High School. SOCCERThe Opelika High varsity boys soccer team lost to Auburn 5-1 and Enterprise 4-0 last week. The Bulldogs host Central-Phenix City on Thursday,...
BY D MARK MITCHELL OPINION —The Opelika High School boys’ soccer team endured a challenging week with two close losses. First, Smiths Station edged out the Bulldogs in a nail-biting sudden-death shootout, 5-4. Regulation time ended in a 2-2 tie,...
Opelika Middle and High schools’ spring sport teams are wide open as we head into the first week of March. Following is a summary of last week’s action. TENNIS The Opelika High School tennis team swept Lee-Scott Academy last week, with the girls...
BY D MARK MITCHELL OPINION — The Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) hosted the state wrestling tournament last weekend at the Vaughn Braun Civic Center in Huntsville, and local wrestlers brought home several state...