OPELIKA —

Once again, all the spring sports at Opelika High School were active this past week. The following breakdown from D. Mark Mitchell recaps all the action across five sports from OHS.

BASEBALL

The Bulldog varsity baseball team dropped three out of four games last week to fall one game below .500 with an 8-9 record.

Bryce Speakman was bad news for opposing pitchers on Wednesday, driving in five runs on three hits to lead Opelika past Prattville, 12-9, last Wednesday. 

Jackson Killcreas earned the win, pitching five innings, allowing six runs on four hits and striking out four. Parker Killcreas and Russell Copous entered the game out of the bullpen to close out the game in relief. Copous recorded the last two outs to earn the save for OHS.

The Dogs tallied 13 hits, including multiple hits from Davis Ford (three hits), Speakman (three hits) and Brodie Jones (two hits). Opelika’s defense didn’t commit a single error, with Jake Smith making a game-high 10 outs. 

Opelika fell behind early and couldn’t come back in a 5-2 loss to Prattville in the second game of a doubleheader.

Taylor “Tommy” Fields started on the mound, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out three batters. Slade Clayton and Jones threw two innings apiece in relief. Trent Henderson and Fields racked up two hits apiece. Parker Killcreas and Jones added singles. 

OHS lost to Marbury 9-5 last Saturday at Bulldog Park on Senior Day. 

Marbury got things moving in the second inning when an error scored one run for Marbury. 

Colby Rathel started on the mound, pitching one inning and allowing two hits and five runs. Christopher Floyd and Caleb Chisum entered the game as relief, throwing five-and-two-thirds innings and one-third of an inning, respectively.

Opelika collected 10 hits in the game, including multiple hits from Parker Killcreas, Henderson and Jones. Fields, Smith, Floyd and Ford added hits. 

Opelika struggled to contain the high-powered offense of Ariton, losing 9-1 last Saturday at Bulldog Park. 

Ford led things off on the mound, allowing seven hits and six runs over four innings, striking out six and walking one. Copous threw three innings out of the bullpen.

The Dogs outhit Ariton but could not score runs. Leading the offense were Smith, Speakman, Jones, Henderson, Jackson Killcreas, Parker Killcreas and Logan Elkins. Each collected one hit for the Bulldogs. 

The Bulldog baseball team took off for a few days during spring break but travelled to Huntsville for a three-game series at Toyota Field in Madison. 

TENNIS

I want to thank head coach Adam Massey for sending me the results of their matches, no matter the outcome. 

The girls and boys tennis teams swept Dothan last week, girls 9-0 and boys 7-2 . Girls winners included Mamie Nicholson, Joanne Smith T, Mary Cara Montel, Addison Kemp, Emma Brown and Martha Pugh. Double winners were Montel/Kemp, Brown/Addison Bryan and Nicholson/Smith T. 

Boys winners included Connor Mullins, Paxton Blackburn, Drue Gagliano, Anderson Melnick and Myles Tatum. Double winners were Gagliano/Blackburn and Jacob Wood/Tatum. 

Enterprise girls and boys tennis teams swept OHS, 3-7 for the girls and 2-7 for the boys. Brown and Bryan won single matches, and Nicholson/Smith T won double matches. 

The boys won two single matches: Devam Patel and Melnick. 

TRACK AND FIELD 

Opelika’s Track and Field teams ran in the River Region Invitational in Wetumpka last Saturday. 

OHS GIRLS’ TOP-FIVE FINISHERS: 

12.63 — Tierra Agee — 2nd

200-METER DASH

25.84 — Tierra Agee — 1st

27.38 — Kaylee Mcintyre — 2nd

400-METER DASH

1:01.79 — Makiah Paschal — 3rd

1:04.23 — Kaylee Mcintyre — 5th

100-METER HURDLES

17.00 — Dasia Keith — 3rd

300-METER HURDLES

49.76 — Makiah Paschal — 3rd

LONG JUMP

17-5.75 — Tierra Agee — 2nd

16-5.5 — Dasia Keith — 3rd

POLE VAULT

7-6 — D’Nya Williams — 1st

7-6 — Ke’Aja Lee — 2nd

DISCUS

93-7 — Trinity Rooks — 2nd

84-9 — Kasman Moss — 5th

OHS BOYS’ TOP-FIVE FINISHERS:

100-METER DASH

11.32 — Tykell Thomas — 3rd

11.57 — Qualik Harry — 9th

200-METER DASH

22.70 — Theo Hubbard — 1st

22.94 — Qualik Harry— 4th

400-METER DASH

51.12 — Sam Washburn — 2nd

800-METER RUN

2:06.46 — Michael Hart — 3rd

2:10.22 — Charles Brewer — 5th

1600-METER RUN

4:53.45 — Brantley Turnham — 3rd

3200-METER RUN

11:25.41 — Charles Brewer — 1st

11:25.45 — Brantley Turnham — 2nd

110-METER HURDLES

15.23 — Tykell Thomas — 1st

15.50 — Theo Hubbard — 2nd

300-METER HURDLES

42.49 — Qualik Harry — 3rd

42.87 — Tykell Thomas — 4th

43.61 — Theo Hubbard —5th

4X800-METER RELAY

8:33.65 — Relay Team — 1st Finals H1 Complete Results

HIGH JUMP

5-8 — Jaxon Freeman — 3rd

4-8 — Kimora Rowell — 5th

POLE VAULT

11-6 —Dontarius Alvis — 1st

10-6 — Brannon Massey — 2nd

8-0 — Richard Howard — 3rd

8-0 — Javis Bedell — 3rd

DISCUS

148-0 — Mikeil Heard — 1st

140-9 — Ajaden Parham — 2nd

SHOT PUT

47-1 — Mikeil Heard — 2nd

42-9 — Ajaden Parham — 4th

SOFTBALL

The OHS Lady Bulldog Softball team (9-10) lost a pair of games to Central Phenix City last week, 2-13 and 1-12. 

Opelika lost the area opener 2-13 to defending area champ Central Phenix City at West Ridge Park last week. The Lady Red Devils scored 13 runs on 11 hits while allowing four hits.  Opelika’s Nylen Thomas led with two hits, followed by hits from KD Lee and Jasmine Smith. 

Central Phenix City won game No. 2, 12-1, to sweep the two-game series. The Lady Dogs managed one run on four hits while yielding 14 hits and 12 runs. 

The two losses drop OHS to 9-10 overall and 0-2 in area play. Opelika travels to Brewbaker Tech March 28 for a 6 p.m. game.

SOCCER

Auburn High swept the two soccer games over Opelika at Bulldog Stadium last week. The AHS girls won 10-0 while the boys won 5-0 to earn area wins over rival OHS.

KICKOFF CLASSIC OFFICIAL

The AHSAA announced Opelika and Thompson will play in the Kickoff Classic in Montgomery’s Crampton Bowl, presented by the Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association. The OHS/THS game will be played Friday, Aug. 25, one day after 5A Beauregard plays Selma in the Thursday night Kickoff Classic.

This is the first time two local teams have played in the Kickoff Classic in Montgomery. 

OPELIKA DIXIE BOYS BASEBALL REGISTRATION

The Opelika Dixie Boys Baseball league is holding registration for anyone wanting to play baseball between the ages of 13 and 15 years old. Registration is held in person at the Opelika Sportsplex or online at opelikasportsplex.com/youthsportsregistration. The cost is $45 for those living in the city of Opelika and $50 for those outside the city limits. Every player will be on a team, and the cost of registration covers jersey and cap. If you have questions, please email D. Mark Mitchell at foxonthemark@yahoo.com.

D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 910-1319, co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.