On the Mark
By D. Mark Mitchell

The OHS girls’ and boys’ soccer teams won the area championships last week with wins over Eufaula at the W. James Samford Soccer Complex in Opelika.

Lady Bulldog head coach Jaclyn Button guided her team to their seventh straight area championship, making history in the process. OHS had never won more than one area title until the current streak.

In the game, OHS dominated Eufaula, 10-0,  behind Amiya Brown’s four goals and Erica Mathews’s three goals. Ashley Hilyer, Abby Noon and Karly Phatsadavong scored one goal apiece. In the assist department, Hilyer, Mathews, Noon and Scarlet Posadas recorded two assists apiece. Juanita Nix and Fatima Santamaria added an assist apiece.

Opelika’s boys soccer team defeated Eufaula 2-0 behind two goals from George Meyers. The win over the Tigers means OHS won the area championship and will host a first round playoff game. Jonathan Blanco and Dexter Graham recorded assists while goalkeeper Miller Isaacson earned the shutout.

The Bulldogs rolled through the area with a perfect 6-0 record, scoring 31 goals while allowing only five.
OHS SOFTBALL WINS AREA GAMES

The OHS Lady Bulldog softball team won two area games last week, earning themselves a chance to host the area tournament with a win over Eufaula. Opelika (4-1 in the area) mercy ruled Russell County, 15-0, in four innings on senior night. McKay Yountz earned the win in the circle, pitching all four innings without allowing a hit or run, striking out six of the 12 outs. The following five players recorded hits for the Dogs: Nylen Thomas, Sanai Stringer, Raelee Fenn, Libby Gaberlavage and K.D. Lee.

Last Thursday, Opelika traveled to Fairfax for an important area game against Valley, at the Sportsplex. Yountz won her second consecutive area game, pitching seven innings, allowing no earned runs and two hits, striking out 17 batters. Despite only recording four hits, OHS managed to secure the win, 3-0. Lee recorded two hits, Stringer and Gaberlavage singled.

The Lady Bulldog softball team improved to 4-1 in the area after the winning the two games.

Opelika High softball team won the area championship after beating Eufaula on the road, 3-1.

McKay Yountz earned the win in the circle, pitching a complete game and striking out 14-Tiger batters.
BASEBALL

The Opelika Varsity baseball team (11-14) lost two out of three games to Eufaula last week. OHS won the second game of the series, 7-4, after dropping game one, 5-3, and the third game 12-6.

In the game one loss, the Tigers scored two runs in the first, one in the fourth and two in the bottom of sixth. EHS pitcher Hess Horn pitched a complete game, seven-inning three hitter, allowing three runs while striking out three.

Game two ended with OHS winning 7-4 behind the pitching of Brantley Davis. The junior allowed three earned runs while striking out five Tiger batters over six innings. Luke Murray earned the save in relief, pitching a scoreless inning, allowing no hits.

Although game three did not count in terms of the area record, it determined the winner of the series, which is a tiebreaker for final standings.

Eufaula beat Opelika 13-6, capturing the series from the Dogs. Despite the loss, OHS scattered 10 hits during the game. Xander Grilliott led with three hits, Harrison Long and Jonathan Chase added two hits apiece, Brooks Bryan and Bryce Speakman added singles.

Opelika used three pitchers, Murray, Paul Goodman and Ligon, but only allowed three earned runs. The Tigers scored six unearned runs on  three Opelika errors.

The OHS baseball team took a step closer to making the playoffs, after beating Valley 10-0 Tuesday night at Bulldog Park.

Brantley Davis earned the win, pitching a complete game while striking out 14.

The Lady Bulldogs finished the Area with a 5-1 record, earning the right to host the Area Tournament.

More information in next weeks column.
TRACK AND FIELD

Several members of the OHS track and field team were invited to participate in the “Mobile Challenge of Champions.” The meet is for individuals instead of teams and you must be invited.

The following OHS runners placed in the meet:

Jarell Stinson, second in 200 meter and 400 meter dash; Eric Watts, third in long jump; and LeDamien Rowell, fourth in long jump and third in triple jump. Dalen Torbert finished sixth in the 200 meter dash.

The team also competed in the Mike Spain Invitational on Monday. Results and photos from the meet can be found on page B8.
BEAUREGARD HIRES JUSTIN JONES, NEW FOOTBALL COACH

Beauregard Principal Richard Brown Jr. has hired Justin Jones as the new football head coach at BHS. Jones comes to Beauregard after spending the 2020 season as defensive coordinator at Prattville. Prior to 2020, Jones was head coach at Florala (2011-12), New Brocton (2014-18) and Cordova (2019).

Jones is 47-40 overall as a head coach and coached at three high schools that had losing programs and did not make the playoffs prior to him taking over. Jones led two of the three schools to their first playoff games in many years.

Brown conducted the search for the new coach after Rob Carter left for Sylacauga. Brown searched through 50 plus applicants, interviewing five or six before choosing Jones.

Congratulations to coach Jones, his wife Joni and their four kids, Anna (18), Abby (13), Jacub (aka Cub, 12) and Kaleb (10).

D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” on Fox Sports the Game 910-1310, Co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Youth Baseball state coordinator.

Lady Bulldog head coach Jaclyn Button guided her team to their seventh straight area championship, making history in the process. OHS had never won more than one area title until the current streak.

In the game, OHS dominated Eufaula, 10-0,  behind Amiya Brown’s four goals and Erica Mathews’s three goals. Ashley Hilyer, Abby Noon and Karly Phatsadavong scored one goal apiece. In the assist department, Hilyer, Mathews, Noon and Scarlet Posadas recorded two assists apiece. Juanita Nix and Fatima Santamaria added an assist apiece.

Opelika’s boys soccer team defeated Eufaula 2-0 behind two goals from George Meyers. The win over the Tigers means OHS won the area championship and will host a first round playoff game. Jonathan Blanco and Dexter Graham recorded assists while goalkeeper Miller Isaacson earned the shutout.

The Bulldogs rolled through the area with a perfect 6-0 record, scoring 31 goals while allowing only five.
OHS SOFTBALL WINS AREA GAMES

The OHS Lady Bulldog softball team won two area games last week, earning themselves a chance to host the area tournament with a win over Eufaula. Opelika (4-1 in the area) mercy ruled Russell County, 15-0, in four innings on senior night. McKay Yountz earned the win in the circle, pitching all four innings without allowing a hit or run, striking out six of the 12 outs. The following five players recorded hits for the Dogs: Nylen Thomas, Sanai Stringer, Raelee Fenn, Libby Gaberlavage and K.D. Lee.

Last Thursday, Opelika traveled to Fairfax for an important area game against Valley, at the Sportsplex. Yountz won her second consecutive area game, pitching seven innings, allowing no earned runs and two hits, striking out 17 batters. Despite only recording four hits, OHS managed to secure the win, 3-0. Lee recorded two hits, Stringer and Gaberlavage singled.

The Lady Bulldog softball team improved to 4-1 in the area after the winning the two games.

Opelika High softball team won the area championship after beating Eufaula on the road, 3-1.

McKay Yountz earned the win in the circle, pitching a complete game and striking out 14-Tiger batters.
BASEBALL

The Opelika Varsity baseball team (11-14) lost two out of three games to Eufaula last week. OHS won the second game of the series, 7-4, after dropping game one, 5-3, and the third game 12-6.

In the game one loss, the Tigers scored two runs in the first, one in the fourth and two in the bottom of sixth. EHS pitcher Hess Horn pitched a complete game, seven-inning three hitter, allowing three runs while striking out three.

Game two ended with OHS winning 7-4 behind the pitching of Brantley Davis. The junior allowed three earned runs while striking out five Tiger batters over six innings. Luke Murray earned the save in relief, pitching a scoreless inning, allowing no hits.

Although game three did not count in terms of the area record, it determined the winner of the series, which is a tiebreaker for final standings.

Eufaula beat Opelika 13-6, capturing the series from the Dogs. Despite the loss, OHS scattered 10 hits during the game. Xander Grilliott led with three hits, Harrison Long and Jonathan Chase added two hits apiece, Brooks Bryan and Bryce Speakman added singles.

Opelika used three pitchers, Murray, Paul Goodman and Ligon, but only allowed three earned runs. The Tigers scored six unearned runs on  three Opelika errors.

The OHS baseball team took a step closer to making the playoffs, after beating Valley 10-0 Tuesday night at Bulldog Park.

Brantley Davis earned the win, pitching a complete game while striking out 14.

The Lady Bulldogs finished the Area with a 5-1 record, earning the right to host the Area Tournament.

More information in next weeks column.
TRACK AND FIELD

Several members of the OHS track and field team were invited to participate in the “Mobile Challenge of Champions.” The meet is for individuals instead of teams and you must be invited.

The following OHS runners placed in the meet:

Jarell Stinson, second in 200 meter and 400 meter dash; Eric Watts, third in long jump; and LeDamien Rowell, fourth in long jump and third in triple jump. Dalen Torbert finished sixth in the 200 meter dash.

The team also competed in the Mike Spain Invitational on Monday. Results and photos from the meet can be found on page B8.
BEAUREGARD HIRES JUSTIN JONES, NEW FOOTBALL COACH

Beauregard Principal Richard Brown Jr. has hired Justin Jones as the new football head coach at BHS. Jones comes to Beauregard after spending the 2020 season as defensive coordinator at Prattville. Prior to 2020, Jones was head coach at Florala (2011-12), New Brocton (2014-18) and Cordova (2019).

Jones is 47-40 overall as a head coach and coached at three high schools that had losing programs and did not make the playoffs prior to him taking over. Jones led two of the three schools to their first playoff games in many years.

Brown conducted the search for the new coach after Rob Carter left for Sylacauga. Brown searched through 50 plus applicants, interviewing five or six before choosing Jones.

Congratulations to coach Jones, his wife Joni and their four kids, Anna (18), Abby (13), Jacub (aka Cub, 12) and Kaleb (10).

D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” on Fox Sports the Game 910-1310, Co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Youth Baseball state coordinator.