ON THE MARK
D. MARK MITCHELL
OIpelika’s wrestling team recognized its four senior grapplers — Jack Pritchard, Ari Brogdon, Tre’Mir Rodgers and Ny’Shon Oliver — last week in a home match between Auburn and Stanhope Elmore.
The Bulldogs swept the two matches, beating the Mustangs 47-30 and the Tigers 42-36. Stanhope forfeited some weight classes due to lack of wrestlers, allowing OHS to take a sizable lead prior to any match.
The match against rival AHS was tight from start to finish. Opelika fell behind after losing two of the first three matches in the 185lb and 180lb weight class. AHS lost the 195lb-class after forfeiting.
In the 220lb class, Opelika’s E’Mauri Smiley went three periods before pulling out a hard-fought 8-6 win.
Ari Brogdon followed with 7-3 win after going three rounds. With the score tied 12-12, OHS lost two straight matches in the 113 and 120lb class, giving Auburn a 24-12 lead. The Dawgs did not quit, however, as Brayden Wilson (126lb) and Micah Smith (132lb) pinned their Tiger grappler to tie the match at 24.
OHS retook the lead, 30-24, after Oliver won via forfeit in the 138 pond class. After losing the 145lb class, freshman Brady Campbell pinned his opponent in the 152lb weight class to give OHS a 36-30 lead.
The Tigers tied the match at 36 after winning the 160lb class, with only the 170 pound weight class remaining. Bulldog grappler Keon Brazier won the final weight class and match after after scoring a defensive pin. Final score: Opelika 42, Auburn 36.
INDOOR TRACK
Opelika’s indoor track teams participated in the “Last Chance Meet” at Birmingham’s Crossplex. The following are the OHS girls’ and boys’ results :
GIRLS
60 Meter Dash
7.97 Haley Sanders 7th
8.00 Amiya Brown 8th
8.27 Wai’yunna Davis 17th
400 METER DASH
1:02.40 Indiana Holloway, 16th
1:05.76 Kyndall Brundidge, 30th
1:08.18 Makiah Paschal, 41st
800 METER RUN
2:38.47 Paola Torres, 28th
2:39.79 Sacaria Frazier, 32nd
2:43.06 Mary Evans Cooper, 39th
1600 METER RUN
5:34.13 Breckin Gould, 9th
6:04.04 Margaret Bice, 33rd
6:04.16 Mary Evans Cooper, 34th
3200 METER RUN
12:10.69 Breckin Gould, 6th
60 METER HURDLES
10.17 Niya Walton, 12th
11.36 Cadence Williams, 31st
11.45 Aryel Crittenden 32nd
HIGH JUMP
5-0 De’leah Huntly, 4th
4-10 Kele Ferrell, 11th
LONG JUMP
15-2.75 Morgan Watts, 9th
13-8.75 SB Wai’yunna Davis, 29th
12-7.75 SB Kyndall Brundidge, 37th
TRIPLE JUMP
34-0.25 Niya Walton, 3rd
33-4 Morgan Watts, 6th
29-11 Kimora Rowell, 25th
POLE VAULT
8-, 0 Sabrina Jeri Hansen, 12th
SHOT PUT
30-5.5 Cherdi Daniels, 8th
27-9.25 Kasman Moss, 26th
27-7.5 Ashanti Thomas, 27th
BOYS
60 METER DASH
7.35 Calvin Hughley, 24th
7.43 Bailey Williams , 34th
7.57 Jakori Thornton, 48th
400 METER DASH
54.19 Kaden Cooper, 21st
55.34 Brennan Reese-Williams, 37th
55.63 JaClarence Perry, 41st
800 METER RUN
2:09.06 Kyrian Moss, 23rd
2:15.05 Sam Washburn, 45th
2:21.80 Michael , Hart63rd
1600 METER RUN
4:38.66 Charles Brewer, 16th
5:00.73 Michael Hart, 44th
5:29.78 Zalen Shaw, 63rd
3200 METER RUN
10:13.37 Charles Brewer, 13th
12:00.14 Zane Sexton,, 39th
60 METER HURDLES
8.94 Tykell Thomas, 6th
9.25 JaClarence Perry, 11th
9.85 Theo Hubbard, 17th
HIGH JUMP
5-10 Davian Jones, 8th
5-6 Makai Simpson, 13th
LONG JUMP
19-8.75 Davian Jones, 10th
18-3.5 Jamari Miller, 24th
17-9.25 Kaden Cooper, 28th
TRIPLE JUMP
40-11.25 Davian Jones, 8th
39-8 Kaden Cooper, 13th
38-7.25 SB Anthony Edwards, 18th
POLE VAULT
11-6 Benjamin “Ben” Royal, 10th
10-0 Dontarius Alvis, 14th
9-6 Kylin Fears, 17th
SHOT PUT
44-0 Marquavian Johnson, 5th
41-3.5 Mikeil Heard, 13th
35-5 William Garner, 36th
Opelika will participate in the AHSAA State Indoor Meet, Feb. 4 through Feb. 5 at Birmingham’s Crossplex.
BASKETBALL
The OHS Lady Bulldog basketball team won two games last week, beating Valley (49-21) and Lanett (61-32).
OHS scored early and often against the Lady Rams in the last area regular season game. Haley Sanders scored a game high 22 points and Erica Mathews chipped in 10 points. Every player on the team scored points.
Opelika stayed hot, thumping the Lady Panthers, 61-32, in the Mainstreet Gym. Ashanti Thomas scored a game high 20 points, followed by Sanders with 14 points. After the two wins, the OHS Lady ‘Dogs improved to 12-10 .
Opelika’s varsity boys lost two games last week to Valley and Lanett.
Opelika played Auburn Thursday night in Mainstreet Gym. No results were available at press time.
FOOTBALL
The Opelika Bulldog Football team held it’s 2021 banquet last Monday in the Bulldog Cafe. Head
coach Erik Speakman recognized the captains, top senior GPA and awarded the Mike Spain Character Award.
The following is a list of the student-athlete’s and their accolades:
CAPTAINS
Charles Gagliano
Taylor Love
Jarrell Stinson
Jamori Thomas
Marquavian Johnson
Shawn Jones
MIKE SPAIN CHARACTER AWARD
Kyler Mitchell
SENIORS WITH 3.5 GPAs
Kendreven Baker
Marsiah Collins
Skyler Frazier
Charles Gagliano
Montae Hutchinson
Marquavian Johnson
Sean Luangkhot
Ryan Melia
Kyler Mitchell
Jamori Thomas
Bailey Williams.
AHSAA NEWS
The Alabama High School Athletic Association Central Board of Control met virtually in a special-called meeting Tuesday. The CBOC approved moving the upcoming 2022 AHSAA Southwest Regional Basketball Tournament from Alabama State University to the Cramton Bowl Multiplex instead of the Acadome on the ASU campus. Alabama State implemented strict testing rules for every person entering the gym. ASU informed the AHSAA that it would require a negative COVID test in order to enter. The negative test must be within 36-hours of entering the gymnasium.
Another decision was addressed by the central board: moving the 2022 State Baseball Championships from Montgomery to Oxford’s Choccolocco Park and Jacksonville State University’s Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium. These moves were made after learning River Walk Stadium would not be available for the championship baseball games.
AHSAA Executive Director Alvin Briggs made the following comments pertaining to both moves: “We appreciate the city of Montgomery and the cities of Oxford and Jacksonville and Jacksonville State University for working with us. The Cramton Bowl Multiplex will host the Southwest Regional 2A, 3A, 5A and 6A games and Garrett Coliseum will host the Southwest 7A, 4A and 1A regional games along with the entire Southeast Regional slate. As for baseball, both fields are outstanding. Choccolocco Park and Rudy Abbott field Jim Case Stadium are excellent venues for our baseball championships.”
Choccolocco Park opened in 2016, and will host the first game of each of the seven baseball championship series with games two and three, if needed, set for Jax State’s Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.
There are several head coaching positions opened across Alabama, including Florence, Pinson Valley and Spanish Fort. These three jobs are considered excellent opportunities for someone looking for a head coaching position.
D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeart Media, 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.