On the Mark
By D. Mark Mitchell
The Opelika girls track and field team participated in the “Auburn Early Bird” meet at Auburn High School on Friday, March 5, and the “Glenn Copeland Invitational,” hosted by Beauregard High School, on Friday, March 13.
The following Lady Bulldog individuals finished in the top five at “Auburn High Early Bird Invitational” on the AHS campus.
Haley Sanders won the 100 meter and 200 meter dash; Wai’yunna Davis placed fourth in the 100 meter dash; Indiana Holloway finished third in the 400 meter dash; Breckin Gould won the 800 meter dash and the 1,600 meter run; Paola Torres finished fourth in the 1,600 meter run; Aryel Crittenden won the 100 meter hurdles and finished fourth in the 300 meter hurdles; Niya Walton won the 300 meter hurdles; De’leah Huntly won high jump; Kele Ferrell and Emma McSpadden tied for third in triple jump and finished third and fourth in long jump, respectively; Sabrina Jeri Hansen finished second in pole vault, Trinity Love won discuss and shot put and finished second in javelin; Trinity Rooks finished second in discus; and Ashanti Thomas finished fourth in shot put.
As far as the varsity girls’ team performances go, Johnson, Davis, Walton and Sanders won the 4 x 100 relay; Holloway, Johnson, Walton and Frazier won the 4 x 400 relay; and Gould, Torres, Alcorn and Bice won the 4 x 800 relay.
The following runners finished in the top five in their respective event at the Glenn Copeland Invitational: Sanders won the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash; Raven Johnson finished second in the 200 meter dash; Holloway finished third in 200 meter dash and won the 400 meter dash; Torres finished third in the 800 meter run and second in the 1,600 meter run; Margaret Bice finished third in the 1,600 meter; Violett Alcorn finished fifth in the 1,600 meter run; Gould won the 3,200 meter run; Ferrell won high jump; Walton won triple jump; Hansen won pole vault; Rooks finished fourth in discus; Love won discus, finished second in shot put and finished fourth in javelin; and Cherdi Daniels finished fifth in shot put.
The OHS boys Track and field team participated in the “Auburn High Early Bird Invitation” on Saturday, March 6, and the “King of the Mountain” Invitational at Vestavia Hills High School on March 13.
The following Opelika runners finished in the top five in their event in the “AHS Early Bird”: Jarell Stinson finished second in 100 meter dash and first in 200 meter dash; Eric Watts finished fourth in the 100 meter dash, second in the 300 meter hurdles, won high jump and finished second in long jump; Caleb Phillips won 400 meter dash, finished third in high jump and fourth in the 200 meter dash; Charles Brewer finished fourth in the 1,600 meter and third in the 3,200 meter; Justin Shorter won the 110 meter and 300 meter hurdles; Tykell Thomas finished second in the 100 meter hurdles and fifth in 300 meter hurdles; Qualik Harry finished fourth in 110 meter hurdles and 300 meter hurdles; Ant McGuire won triple jump, finished fourth in high jump and fifth in the 400 meter; Kaden Cooper finished second in triple jump; Ben Royal finished third in pole vault, Trevon Moore won shot put and finished second in discus; LaJadan Tolbert finished third in shot put, fourth in discus and second in javelin; Anthony Edwards finished third in javelin; In pole vault, LeDamian Rowell finished second, Dontarius Alvis finished fourth and Kylin Fears finished fifth and Rowell finished third in long jump as well.
The boys also performed well in the team performances. Marsiah Collins, Cooper, Davian Jones and Kylin Perry finished third in the 4 x 100 relay; Brennan Reese-Williams, Harry, Thomas and Jakori Thornton finished fourth. In the 4 x 400 relay, the team of Cooper, Kyrian Moss, Reese-Williams and Harry finished third; Royal, Collins, Fears and Perry finished fourth. In the 4 x 800 relay, Brewer, Moss, Michael Hart and Mitch McCullough finished fourth; Tremozes Foreman, Reese-Williams, Zalen Shaw and Peyton Weston finished fifth.
“King of the Mountain” top five qualifiers: Stinson won the 200 meter and 400 meter dash; Shorter finished second in the 110 meter hurdles; Watts finished fourth in the 100 meter dash; Moss finished fifth in the 800 meter; Rowell won triple jump, finished fifth in high jump; and Cooper finished fourth in triple jump.
OHS BASEBALL
The Bulldog baseball team (6-11 overall) swept a doubleheader against the Beauregard Hornets over the weekend, winning 3-1 and 8-5. Game one was dominated by Brantley Davis on the mound. Davis pitched a complete game, throwing seven innings without allowing an earned run, striking out eight. Harrison Long led the offense with two hits. In game two, Jonathan Chase led the Dogs at the plate with two hits. Jackson Harris, Paul Goodman and Smith added hits. Kydylan Ligon pitched five complete innings, allowing three runs on three hits. Long finished the game in relief.
Dadeville beat OHS on Friday 6-3 behind nine Tiger hits, allowing only one OHS hit.
REGISTRATION UNDERWAY FOR OPELIKA DIXIE BOYS BASEBALL, AGES 13, 14 AND 15
Registration is underway for Opelika Dixie Boys baseball summer league for 13-through-15 year-olds at the Sportsplex. Anyone interested in playing should register at the Opelika Sportsplex prior to April 9. Registration fee is $45 for Opelika residents and $50 for those outside the city limits. The fee covers your jersey and cap. All players will be on a team.
The 13u and 14u state tournament will be held at West Ridge Park, starting July 9. Opelika all-stars receive an automatic bid in the tournament as host. For questions or more info, email D. Mark Mitchell (foxonthemark@yahoo.com) or call 334-787-1514.
OPELIKA BEGINS SEARCH FOR BASKETBALL HEAD COACH
OHS principal Dr. Farrell Seymore confirmed last week that the school would open a search for the boys basketball head coaching position. This will be the second search in two years due to last year’s coach Emmanuel Brown resigning in December after a 1-7 record.
Brown never moved his family from Dothan to Opelika. This was a red flag in the beginning, as most coaches move to the city where the school is located. Opelika allowed Brown to hire three additional coaches on top of the two assistants on staff. Former coach John Wadsworth was not allowed to hire more coaches.
I hope OCS Superintendent Mark Neighbors hires the best man for the job, while making it mandatory for the new coach to live in Opelika. No timetable was given.
D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeart Media, 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 Boys Baseball state coordinator.