By D. Mark Mitchell
The Opelika High School volleyball team improved to 11-7 overall, 2-2 in area play, after beating Russell County 3-2 in the Mainstreet Gym on campus last Thursday. The Lady Bulldogs finish their regular season Oct. 17 at Valley High School. Coach Robin Roberts will lead her team to the area tournament at Benjamin Russell High School. The top-two teams advance to the state tournament.
CROSS COUNTRY
The Opelika Cross Country Teams participated in the Smiths Station Panther XC Invitational last weekend. The Opelika girls were led by Breckin Gould’s sixth-place finish with a time of 19:40.79. Paola Torres and Margaret Bice finished 12th and 27th, respectively.
Chas Brewer finished 10th for the Bulldogs in the 5K race. The following lists each Opelika runner and where he finished: Michael Hart (34th), Winston Tufts (62nd), Evan Goodman (88th), Kadri Gates (96th), Jack O’Quinn (103rd), Jake Walters (107th), Trey White (109th), Landon Grace (129th) and Zalen Shaw (153).
The Opelika Middle School cross country teams also raced in the Panther Invitational last Saturday. The boys were led by Conner Mullins’s seventh-place finish, Sam Kemp (8th) and Peyton Weston (9th). Leslie Duran led the girls with a second-place finish, followed by Julicia Beard (9th), Carlie Moates (11th), Violett Alcorn (13th) and Heidi Peralta (18th). For the boys, Zane Sexton finished (20th), Amari Bynum (26th), Aiden Stephens (27th) and Ben Bell (29th).
Opelika completes the regular season Saturday in the Auburn High School’s “Tiger Classic” at Keisel Park in Auburn with an 8:30 a.m. start for varsity teams.
OPELIKA THUMPS CALERA 41-0
Opelika (6-1 overall, 4-0 in region play) scored four touchdowns in the second quarter to cruise to a 41-0 win over Calera last Friday night at Bulldog Stadium. The OHS student body voted Claire Worth as homecoming queen. Worth received the news on the field during halftime festivities, keeping with a long-standing Opelika tradition.
The Dawgs scored their first touchdown on a trick-play, with offensive lineman James Dawson rumbling four yards after picking the ball off the ground. It was the first TD for Dawson, who has started four-straight seasons. Baker Rowton added the PAT to give Opelika a 7-0 lead.
During the second quarter, the Bulldogs scored four TDs. Jamius Mitchell ran five yards for a score with 11:29 in the second quarter, J.D. Tolbert scored on a 14-yard run, Marion Warner ran 10 yards for a TD and Nate Evans ran 71 yards for the last score of the first half. Rowton successfully added all four PATs.
Marshall Meyers nailed a 44-yard field goal in the third quarter, capping the scoring for the game.
Opelika rushed for 200 yards for the game, with Evans and Tolbert accounting for 90 yards each.
OPELIKA AT STANHOPE ELMORE, REGION CHAMPIONSHIP AT STAKE
Opelika travels to Millbrook Friday to play Stanhope Elmore for the region championship at 7 p.m. The Mustangs enter the game with a 6-1 record, losing to 7A Prattville 42-0 in their second game of the season. The Mustangs beat Chilton County 24-8, Ben Russell 12-7, Calera 42-14, Shades Valley 20-17, Smiths Station 20-17, Wetumpka 28-20 and Selma 24-0 last Friday.
Opelika leads the series 2-1, including a 59-21 victory last year. The Bulldogs have played a tougher schedule, with the exception of Prattville. The Mustangs depend on their rushing attack more than their passing game, which should play into Opelika’s hands on defense. This may be a low-scoring game because of both teams’ rushing attack which will lead to a quick-moving clock. Stanhope has the home field advantage but I believe Opelika will continue to dominate the region, winning another championship. The Bulldogs have won or tied for the region championship every year since the creation of the 7A classification.
Kickoff is set for 7pm in Millbrook. Fans can listen to the game on 97.7 Kicker FM, online at kickerfm.com and on the iHeartRadio App on your smartphone, search 97.7 FM. Fans can watch the live stream of the game online at NFHSNETWORK.COM. You must pay a fee to watch the game online.
OPELIKA FRESHMAN DEFEAT AUBURN
The Opelika freshman football team defeated Auburn freshman team 22-10 on Monday night at Duck Samford Stadium.
The Freshman Bulldogs opened with a 70-yard drive, ending with a 22-yard field goal by George Meyers.
The Tigers answered with a TD after driving 59 yards. The PAT made it 7-3.
Opelika took the lead two minutes prior to halftime, Jamaroun Satterwhite raced seven yards for a touchdown on fourth down. The PAT failed, making the score 9-7 at halftime.
The Bulldogs opened the third quarter with a TD on a reverse pass.
Running back Kaden Cooper took a handoff, ran right and tossed the football to Satterwhite who threw a pass to D’avion Johnson for a 65-yard TD. George Meyers made the PAT, leaving the score 16-7.
Auburn added a field goal at the end of the third closing to close the gap to 16-10.
The two teams traded punts before Auburn dove 53 yards and threatened to take the lead. Opelika’s Jake Drake intercepted a pass at the one-yard line. Satterwhite iced the game with a 69-yard TD run, making the final score 22-10 in favor of Opelika.
Opelika travels to Valley next Thursday for the
final game of the season. Kickoff at the Valley Sportsplex is set for 5:30 p.m. C.S.T.
D. Mark Mitchell is sports director for iHeart Media, Alabama Dixie Boys State Director and vice president of the A-O Sports Council.