ON THE MARK
D. MARK MITCHELL
The Opelika High School varsity, junior varsity and middle school wrestling teams traveled to Wetumpka for a tri-match with Prattville and Wetumpka High Schools.
The varsity ‘Dawgs opened the meet with a 51-22 win over the Lions. OMS wrestlers dropped a tough match against Prattville, 35-54.
Opelika’s varsity, junior varsity and middle school teams swept Wetumpka. Varsity won 48-30, and JV/OMS 46-36.
The following varsity ‘Dawgs scored points:
– 113lb: John Ambrocio was 2-0 with 12 points
– 145lb: Brady Campbell was 2-0 with two pins and 12 points
– 195lb: Jack Pritchard was 2-0 with two pins and 12 points
– 120lb: Heidi Peralta was 1-0 with 6 points
– 152lb: Logan Sheridan was 1-0 with 6 points
-182lb: Tommie Johnson was 1-0 with a pin and 6 points
– 220lb: Kyle Epperson was 1-0 with 6 points
– 120lb: Pedro Cabrera was 1-0 with 6 points
– 182lb: Calvin Fenn was 1-0 with 6 points
– 152lb: Andre Smiley was 1-0 with 6 points
– 220lb: Ken Felder was 1-0 with a pin and 6 points
– 132lb: Micah Smith was 1-1 with a pin and 6 points
– 160lb: Landon Willis was 1-1 with 6 points
– 138lb: Trell Anderson was 1-1 with 3 points.
The following JV/OMS ‘Dawgs scored points:
– Nic Ambrocio (2-0): 12 points
– Vin Schwenk (2-0): 12 points
– Leyland Bell (2-0): 12 points
– Lamontez Pollard (2-0): 12 points.
The Wrestling teams ended last week hosting the Tallassee Tigers in the Mainstreet Gym on the OHS campus on Thursday.
Tallassee swept the OMS/JV and varsity ‘Dawgs, 50-30 and 42-33, respectively.
The following five wrestlers scored points: DeAndre Manora, Chris Cannon, Heidi Pertala, Will Smith, Andray Vann and Vin Schwenk.
In the nightcap, the Tigers slipped by the Bulldogs 45-33.
The following Opelika wrestlers pinned their opponents: 126lb, Brayden Wilson; 132lb, Micah Smith; 145lb, Brady Campbell; and 152lb, Logan Sheridan. Kyle Epperson, 220lb, earned points with a 3-2 win.
Head coach Jim Davis is giving his team a week off for Christmas. The grapplers travel to Oxford on Dec. 28 for “The Oxford Invitational”.
BASKETBALL
The OHS girls’ and boys’ basketball teams played two road games last week at Russell County and at Guntersville.
The Lady Bulldogs won their fourth straight game, 52-44, over the the Lady Warriors last Tuesday. Two familiar names, Erica Mathews (21 points) and Haley Sanders (17 points) led the team on offense scoring 38 of the 52 points.
Guntersville, ranked No. 5 in the state, stopped the Opelika win streak with a 57-41 win on the GHS campus. Offensively, Sanders scored 11 points, Ashanti Thomas nine points, Mathews and Tyra Pitts scored eight and seven points, respectively.
OHS varsity girls’ head coach Blake Smalley, scheduled his team to play in two tournaments over the Christmas break — the “Spain Park Tournament” this week, and “Columbus Georgia Invitational”.
Opelika travels to Auburn on Jan. 3 for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff against the Lady Tigers.
The OHS boys varsity split a pair of games this week, losing at Russell County (55-64) and beating Guntersville (66-61) in the Panthers’ gym.
Brenton Williams and Isaiah Knight scored 12 and 11 points, respectively against the Warriors.
Opelika defeated Guntersville on the road, 69-66. The Dogs were led by Grady Bynum’s game high 26 points. Knight and Williams scored 13 points apiece.
Head coach Wesley Button did not schedule any games or play in a tournament prior to Christmas, opting to play in the “LaGrange (Ga) Tournament”, on Dec. 28 through 30.
The boys play Auburn on Jan. 3 in the AHS gym. Tip-off is scheduled at 7 p.m.
Fans can listen to the girls and boys Opelika at Auburn basketball games on “FOX Sports 910-1310 the Game” presented by the Orthopaedic Clinic. You can also listen online at foxsportsthegame.com or download the iHeartRadio app on your smartphone.
OHS FOOTBALL 2022
The 2022-24 AHSAA classification numbers were released a week ago. Opelika jumped from 6A to 7A because of increase in students at OHS in the ninth, 10th and 11th grades.
OHS is in class 7A Region 2 with, Auburn, Central, Smiths Station, RE Lee, Jeff Davis, Dothan, Enterprise and Prattville. The nine-team region means schools only need two non-region games to finish a 10-game regular season schedule. Head Coach Erik Speakman verified through a text message that the Dogs will continue to open up against Calloway out of Georgia. Opelika plays Auburn on Sept. 30 at Duck Samford Stadium. The schedule should be completed in the coming weeks.
Thank you for reading “On the Mark”. MERRY CHRISTMAS!
D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 910-1310, co-chari of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.