ON THE MARK
D. MARK MITCHELL
OPELIKA —
The Opelika High School Bulldog Softball team (18-15-1, with two wins over Smiths Station junior varsity) won three straight games to win its AHSAA Class 6A Area Tournament last week at West Ridge Park.
OHS thumped Russell County, 17-5, in a mercy rule game that only went four- and-one-half innings. Sania Stringer earned the win, pitching three innings, striking out three and allowing no earned runs. Jade Jones pitched the final two innings, allowing two runs while striking out six Warrior batters.
Despite scoring 17 runs, the Lady Dogs recorded just four hits. McKay Yountz and KD Harrelson notched two hits apiece. RCHS walked 14 batters and made four errors.
In game two of the area tournament, OHS slipped by Valley, 3-2, with a walk-off double by Nylen Thomas. The game went to extra innings with the score tied at 2-2. Thomas then roped a game-winning double on the first pitch of her at bat. Offensively, Thomas and Yountz recorded two hits, while Smith, Stringer, Harrelson, Thompson and Lee added hits.
In the circle, Yountz pitched eight innings to earn the win. The junior allowed two earned runs, struck out nine Tiger batters and allowed no walks.
OHS won the area tournament after beating Eufaula, 14-1. Yountz led the Lady Dogs offensively and defensively by recording three hits and pitching five innings to earn her second win of the tournament.
Other players recording hits: Thomas (two), Thompson (two), Lyles (two), Lee (one), Stringer (one), Long (one) and Jones (one).
Opelika advanced to the South Regional in Gulf Shores along with McGill-Toolen, Park Crossing, Robertsdale, Saraland, Eufaula, Baldwin County and Lanier. The Regional tournament is double-elimination with the winner advancing to the State Championship in Oxford. The results were not available come press time.
OPELIKA TRACK AND FIELD COMPETES IN STATE MEET
The OHS girls’ and boys’ track and field teams participated in the AHSAA 6A State Track Meet at Gulf Shores last week. The Lady Bulldogs finished No. 14 out of 32 teams, and the boys finished No. 18 out of the 32 teams
The following is a list of the OHS athletes event and place in the state championship meet.
GIRLS
100 METER DASH
12.72 – Amiya Brown – 7th
200 METER DASH
26.50 – Haley Sanders – 5th
400 METER DASH
1:00.17 – Indiana Holloway – 13th
3200 METER RUN
12:24.66 – Breckin Gould – 20th
4X100 METER RELAY
48.50 – Relay Team – 2nd
HIGH JUMP
4-6 – Kyndall Brundidge – 19th
4-6 – Haley Sanders – 19th
TRIPLE JUMP
34-7.75 – Kyndall Brundidge – 10th
34-2.75 – Niya Walton – 11th
33-11.5 – Morgan Watts – 14th
POLE VAULT
7-6 – Sabrina Jeri Hansen – 21st
DISCUS
86-5 – Kasman Moss – 12th
SHOT PUT
31-11.5 – Cherdi Daniels – 12th
BOYS
400 METER DASH
51.96 – JaClarence Perry – 13th
1600 METER RUN
4:40.35 – Charles Brewer – 24th
3200 METER RUN
10:20.33 – Charles Brewer – 20th
110 METER HURDLES
14.76 – Tykell Thomas – 4th
300 METER HURDLES
40.24 – JaClarence Perry – 4th
42.19 – Theo Hubbard – 12th
HIGH JUMP
5-10 – Davian Jones – 20th
LONG JUMP
20-7.75 – Davian Jones – 12th
TRIPLE JUMP
43-1 – Davian Jones – 10th
39-10.75 – Kaden Cooper – 24th
POLE VAULT
12-0 – Ben Royal – 8th
10-6 – Dontarius Alvis – 17th
DISCUS
133-0 – Mikeil Heard – 6th
125-3 – Ajaden Parham – 14th
SHOT PUT
44-1.5 – Mikeil Heard – 12th
42-10 – Marquavian Johnson – 16th
OHS SPRING PRACTICE
OHS head football coach Erik Speakman started his fifth spring training at OHS last week. Speakman discussed spring practice last week while appearing with me on my weekly radio show, “On the Mark”. Speakman said the Dogs will end spring training with a team scrimmage. Former Offensive Coordinator Jonathan Chandler left for the same role at Wetumpka, leaving the OC job open. Instead of hiring a new OC, Speakman will call the offensive plays with help from Running Game Coordinator Jarred Flemming and Passing Coordinator Tommy Traylor. Coach Jamie Ferguson was promoted to special teams coordinator.
This season, Opelika moves to class 7A for the first time since the new classification started. The Dogs will be playing many schools that were on the schedule for many years, such as: Auburn, Central, Enterprise, Smiths Station, Dothan, Lee and Prattville. The season opener is Aug.18 on the road against Calloway (Georgia).
D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 910-1310, co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.