D. Mark Mitchell

D. Mark Mitchell

Columnist

D. Mark Mitchell is a writer for The Observer

D. Mark Mitchell's Latest

Opelika High School roundup

Opelika High School roundup

CORRECTIONWe would like to offer our sincere apologies to Katie Harrelson for printing her first name wrong last week and also for failing to give her credit for two home runs that she scored during one of the games that was written about. BY D....

Read More
Opelika High School roundup

Spring sports recap

BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION — SOCCEROHS Bulldog boys soccer opened area play with a 3-1 win over Central. David Cruz, Tristan Tatum and Nolen Wilson each scored a goal. Cruz also had two assists, and Wilson had one assist.Dothan beat the Bulldogs...

Read More
Opelika High School roundup

Spring sports are rolling

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...

Read More
Opelika High School roundup

Brady Campbell wins second wrestling championship

BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION — Opelika's Brady Campbell won the AHSAA State Wrestling Championship in the 157-pound weight class last weekend at the Vaughn Braun Civic Center in Huntsville. This is Campbell’s second-straight AHSAA wrestling State...

Read More
Opelika High School roundup

Spring Sports are Underway

BY D. MARK MITCHELL WRESTLINGThe Opelika wrestling team finished runner-up in the AHSAA 7A Super Sectionals in Mobile. Ten of Twelve Bulldog wrestlers advanced to the AHSAA State Wrestling Championship at Von Braun Civic Center in Huntsville,...

Read More
Opelika High School roundup

Opelikabasketballseason ends

BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION — The Opelika High varsity girls and boys basketball teams’ seasons ended in the first round of the Area tournament, last weekend at the Auburn High School gymnasium.The Lady Bulldogs lost their opening round to AHS,...

Read More
Opelika High School roundup

Basketball teams headed to AHS for area tournament

BY D MARK MITCHELL BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION — Auburn High basketball teams swept the Bulldogs at the Mainstreet gym inside OHS. The Tigers girls beat Opelika 71-24 and the Auburn boys won 60-43 in front of a jammed packed crowd.The OHS girls and...

Read More
Opelika High School roundup

Girls wrestling perfoms well

BY D MARK MITCHELL BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION — WRESTLINGTwo Opelika High student-athletes, Heidi Peralta-Fernandez and Gabrielle Reese, earned a trip to the AHSAA Girls State Wrestling Championship. Neither won their weight class, but both...

Read More
Opelika High School roundup

Local sports roundup

BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION — OHS WRESTLINGOpelika High has four student-athletes on the girls wrestling team: Gabrielle Reese, Heidi Peralta-Fernandez, Georgia Andriate and Joselynn Sadler.Following are results from Wrestling matches prior to this...

Read More
Opelika High School roundup

Weekly recap of local high school hoops, wrestling

BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION — OPELIKA BASKETBALLOpelika's girls and boys basketball teams opened region play against Smiths Station, last Friday night in the Main Street Gym at Opelika High School.The Lady Bulldogs (R 0-1) lost a close game 44-40...

Read More
Opelika High School roundup

Getting to know coach Bryan Moore

BY D MARK MITCHELL BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION —Opelika Schools Superintendent Dr Farrell Seymore introduced Bryan Moore as the new OHS head football coach.The process began after Seymore fired head football coach Erik Speakman on Nov. 2.Seymore...

Read More
Roundup of this week’s high school sports

Roundup of this week's high school sports

BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION — WRESTLINGOpelika's wrestling team participated in the Swede Umbach Wrestling Tournament at Auburn High School last weekend. OHS finished third, behind Hewett-Trussville and Tallassee.The following are the weight...

Read More
Opelika High School roundup

On the Mark

Swimming, basketball and coaching search AHSAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPThe Alabama High School Athletic Association held the 64th Swimming and Diving Championships at Auburn University's Martin Aquatics Center last weekend in...

Read More
On the Mark – Lady Bulldogs fall to 2-4 record

On the Mark - Lady Bulldogs fall to 2-4 record

BY D. MARK MITCHELLFOR THE OBSERVER OPINION —BASKETBALLThe OHS varsity Lady Bulldog basketball team dropped to 2-4 overall after losing to Park Crossing, Arab and Grissom over the break.Park Crossing pulled away in fourth quarter to beat OHS 61-42....

Read More
Opelika High School roundup

On the Mark

OHS winter sports take center stage BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION —Football season is officially over in Lee County and winter sports move into spotlight. BOWLINGOpelika High Athletics Department added the sport of bowling for the 2023-24 school...

Read More
Opelika High School roundup

On the Mark

OHS Cross Country travels to Oakville BY D MARK MITCHELL OPINION — The Alabama High School Athletic Association hosted the 7A State Cross Country Meet at Oakville Indian Mounds Park. AHSAA CROSS COUNTRY STATE MEETOpelika's top finishers in the...

Read More
On the Mark – Lady Bulldogs fall to 2-4 record

On the Mark: Opelika City Schools fires head coach

Details pending on search for a new coach BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION — Opelika High football coach Erik Speakman was fired last Thursday morning by Opelika City Schools Superintendent Dr. Farrell Seymore.According to Speakman (in a phone...

Read More
OHS falls to Dothan on Homecoming

OHS falls to Dothan on Homecoming

BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION —The Opelika High Football team (4-6) ended the season with a 38-34 homecoming loss to Dothan at Bulldog Stadium last Friday night. The loss prevented the Dogs from making the 7A State playoffs for the second year in a...

Read More
OHS Volleyball ends with loss to Central

OHS Volleyball ends with loss to Central

BY D. MARK MITCHELL OPINION — The OHS Volleyball season ended with a 3-0 loss to Central in the Area Tournament last week at Auburn High. The Lady Tigers beat Smiths Station and Central to win the Area and earn a trip to the South Super Regional at...

Read More