By D. Mark Mitchell
Sports Columnist
OHS BASEBALL WINS AREA CHAMPIONSHIP
The Opelika High baseball team, 25-10, won the Area championship after beating Valley 12-1 at Bulldog Park last Friday. Mathew Christian earned the win on the mound allowing four hits and one run. He also contributed two hits including a home run.
The Dawgs trailed 1-0 after one inning before scoring 8 runs in the bottom of the second after six straight hits. Harrison Morris, Chris Manley, Blake Yountz, Gage Young and Tanner Blatt had hits for OHS.
The four seniors, Mathew Christian, Bennett Whitman, Gage Young and Harrison Morris, were honored before the game by Coach Jones and the student body.
OPELIKA vs NORTHVIEW
Opelika will host Northview today at 4:30 p.m. at Bulldog Park. The two teams will play a three-game series, with the first team to win two games advancing to the second round of the AHSAA playoffs.
The teams will play two games today, then, if necessary, the third game will be Saturday at noon. The Cougars are 19-14, finishing second behind Dothan in their Area. Opelika beat Northview 4-2 in their regular season game.
The Bulldogs are led by seniors Gage Young and Mathew Christian on the mound. The two seniors team up with Bryant Norrell, Bennett Whitman, Kent Bugg and Bennett Whitman to handle the OHS pitching duties. Offensively, Christian and Chris Manley are batting .422 and .418 respectively. Young, Morris and Blatt are all hitting over .300.
First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m. today. This is a playoff game, which means the AHSAA is in charge. Tickets are $8 for Friday (two games) and $6 on Saturday.
Parking is available in the front parking lot of OHS. Handicapped parking is available next to the Sports Arena. Please follow the signs to handicapped parking. If you need assistance, look for an OHS administrator. Saturday’s game, if it is necessary, will start at noon.
LISTEN TO OHS BASEBALL ON RADIO AND INTERNET
Fans can listen to the Opelika vs Northview game on WZMG 910 AM. Airtime is scheduled for 4:20 p.m. You can also listen online by going to iheartradio.com/ WZMG or use the iheartradio radio app on your smart phone.
I will handle the play by play and Jeff Sasser will provide analysis of the game. All Opelika baseball playoff games will broadcast on WZMG 910 AM and online.
I encourage all Opelika fans, and, really, all baseball fans, to come watch this team play Friday. These guys have worked hard and play great baseball. They deserve a large supportive crowd.
OPELIKA TENNIS
The OHS girls tennis team won the Section with 48 points. Singles winners included Cameron Walker, Emme Levins, Sara Hollis Smith T and Taylor Watson. Doubles winners were Watson and Smith T. The girls will compete in the state meet next weekend.
The OHS boys tennis Sectional matches were not complete at press time. The heavy rains this week caused several delays. The boys are expected to win the Section.
TRACK
Both OHS track teams finished first at the Montgomery Academy Invitational Meet last weekend. The girls (208 points) won over Paul W. Bryant (71 points) and Montgomery Academy (53). The boys scored 188 points to 95.5 for Bryant and 90 for Montgomery Academy
Boys Scorers:
In the triple jump Devin Guice (42.3 feet) and Will Boler (42.1 feet) finished 1-2. CJ Jordan (39.4) finished 6th. Franklin Vickerstaff finished first in the discus with a throw of 133 ft. 10 in. In the high jump, Devin Guice finished second (5 ft. 10 in.), CJ Jordan fifth (5 ft. 8 in.) and Pernell Vickerstaff sixth (5 ft. 8 in.). Marquavious Swanson won the broad jump with a jump of 20 feet. In the shot put Johnston Jordan finished second (42 ft. 8 in.) whileFranklin Vickerstaff was 4th ( 41 ft. 8 in.). Franklin Vickerstaff and Johnston Jordan finished second and third in the javelin with throws of 144-1 and 142-9, respectively. Tristan Black was sixth (127-1).
The 4X100 relay team ( Ant Butler, Jamais Presley, Devin Guice and Will Boler) finished third.
In the 400-meter dash Kacey Spinks finished second ( 49.20 sec.) and Jalin Marshall was 4th ( 51.06 sec.). Ben Bryant (4.25.24) and Kane Barrett (4.36.07) were first and second in the 1600-meter run.
In the 110-meter hurdles, Marquavious Swanson finished second (15.6 sec.) while Kacey Spinks was 7th (16.60). Nate Huggins won the 100-meter dash (10.53) and Jalin Marshall finished in 4th place (11.10). Hayden Washburn finished 4th in the 800-meter run ( 2:04.22) In the 300-meter hurdles Marquavious Swanson finished (42.31). Ant Butler was fourth (43.11) and Ladarious Foreman came in sixth(44.50).
In the 200-meter dash, Jalin Marshall was sixth (22.57) and Kacey Spinks was seventh ( 23.06). Ben Garner finished second in the 3200-meter run (9:59.54).
Girls Scorers:
Diondra Larkin (15-11) and Marquania Rowell (15-6) were one and two in the long jump while Ghania Warren finished fourth (15-4). Tytiana Lockhart won the shot put with a throw of 39-11 and Lazoria Yancey finished fifth (31-4). Tytiana Lockhart also won the javelin (114-8) while Lazoria Yancey finished second (107-1). Jasmine Preston was fourth (100 -6).
In the triple jump Imani Debrow finished first ( 33-11) while Tytiana Lockhart finished fifth (31-2). Opelika swept the discus with Tytania Lockhart ( 99 -2),Jasmine Preston (96-3) and Lazoria Yancey (92-11) finishing one-two-three.
Ghania Warren won the high jump (4-10) with Imani Debrow finishing 4th (4-6) and Takeyah Tolbert 5th (4-4). Kala Spinks won the 400-meter dash (1:00.64), Natalie Jordan was third (1:03.18) and Diondra Larkin was 6th (1:03.94). Natalie Jordan finished first in the 100-meter hurdles (15.47) and Kala Spinks was third (16.76).
Diondra Larkin finished second in the 100-meter dash (12.55) and Ghania Warren finished fourth (12.72).
In the 800-meter run Nikera Durr finished second (2:39.94) and Tykeria Evans was third (2:41.88). Marquania Rowell finished in sixth place (2:44.75). Natalie Jordan finished second in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 46.53.
In the 200-meter dash Kala Spinks placed second (25.9) and Ghania Warren was fifth (26.04).
CONGRATULATIONS
– Opelika senior basketball player Pernell Vickerstaff signed a basketball scholarship with Chattahoochee Valley Community College this week.
– Former OHS cheerleaders Africa Gaddis and Aaliyah Prince were recently selected as cheerleaders at Alabama A&M.
– Opelika High School Principal (and one of my favorite people) Farrell Seymore was just named Alabama’s High School Principal of the Year by the Alabama Association of Secondary School Principals.
GIRLS BASKETBALL CAMP
Opelika girls basketball coach Devin Booth and her team will host a basketball camp June 1-3 from 8- noon. The camp is for girls K-12 and the cost is only $20. The Opelika girls team will assist with the camp which will cover the fundamentals of basketball.
This is a great way for girls to learn basketball, have a good time and get to know Coach Booth and her team.
Call OHS at 334-745-9715 for more information about the camp.
D.Mark Mitchell is sports director for iHeart Media.