On the Mark
By D. Mark Mitchell
Saraland defeated Opelika 46-27 last Friday night in the quarterfinal round of the 6A State Football Playoffs. The Spartans offense was too much for the Bulldogs. Saraland led 14-0 in the first quarter, 26-6 at halftime.
The SHS offense rolled to a 26-6 first half lead on their way to scoring 46 points, the most against OHS this season.
Saraland scored two touchdowns early in the first quarter on runs of 15 and 40 yards. Opelika’s first score came on a 30-yard pass from Finley to Will Beams, making the score 14-6. The Spartans scored two more touchdowns before halftime – a 6-yard run and a pick six.
Eric Watts opened the third quarter with a 7-yard touchdown run, but Saraland answered with a touchdown on a 76-yard pass. The Bulldogs’ JD Tolbert scored on a 10-yard run, making the score 32-20 heading to the fourth quarter. The Spartans then answered by scoring two more touchdowns to squash any thoughts of a Bulldog comeback. OHS tacked on one final touchdown with less than a minute remaining in the game.
OHS Basketball
The OHS Girls’ Basketball Team is 2-1 after three games of the 2020-21 season. The Lady Bulldogs under head coach Devin Booth opened the season with a 59-44 win over Gasden City. Kaitlyn Bryant scored 25 points, and Haley Sanders added 20 in the win.
OHS defeated Handley 75-70 in overtime. Bryant scored 24 points, Haley Sanders added 23 points, and LeDajah Hughley chipped in 13 points. Hewitt-Trussville beat OHS 57-34 for the first loss of the season. Haley Sanders scored a game-high 18 points, while Kaitlyn Bryant added 11.
Opelika’s athletic website does not have any info posted on the Boys’ Basketball Team. I will update the Boys’ results and schedule in the coming weeks.
I hope each of you has a Happy Thanksgiving! If you know of someone in need of a Thanksgiving meal, go to the First Baptist Church Opelika website (fbcopelika.com), and reserve a free meal on Thanksgiving Day compliments of Greater Peace Baptist and FBCO. The meals will be served inside the OHS cafeteria.
On behalf of my Mother (Bettye), my two brothers (Keith and Lance) and the entire Mitchell family, I want to take this opportunity to thank the many people who reached out with words of encouragement and prayer after the passing of my father (John L. Mitchell).
I also want to say thank you to the staff at EAMC, Dr. Kevin Jackson, Dr. John Mitchell, David Pate, Dr. John Stewart, Dr. Wallace, Dr. Reamer, Dr. Deckich and the many nurses, medical techs and others who helped my father during the last four years.
Special thanks to First Baptist Church and Pastor Dr. Jeff Meyers for always being available when our family needed prayer and support and to EAMC President Laura Grill and Chaplain Laura Eason for their support during the last year of my father’s life.
RIP John L. Mitchell