By D. Mark Mitchell
The Opelika High School Swim Team finished 10th (6A/7A Division) in the AHSAA Swimming and Diving Championships at the Martin Aquatics Center on Auburn University’s campus last Thursday through Friday.
OHS was led by Bradi Jones, an Arkansas commit who won the state title in the 100-meter breaststroke and placed fifth in the 50-meter freestyle. The 200-meter medley relay team of Julia Bush, Beth Dawe, Sarah Bush and Jones finished second. Dawe swam to a fifth-place finish in the 100-meter breaststroke. The relay team took sixth in the 200-meter freestyle.
CONGRATULATIONS OPELIKA SWIMMERS!
WRESTLING
OHS wrestlers competed in the “Red Devil Duals” in Phenix City last Saturday. The Bulldogs grapplers battled Russell County, Columbus, Chattahoochee County and Shaw. The team lost all three of four matches because of not having enough wrestlers on the team. If you do not have a wrestler in every weight class, you will lose points in the open weight class.
Opelika lost to Russell County 36-32, Columbus 63-18 and Chattahoochee County 42-18. The Bulldogs beat Shaw in the final match of the night 37-36.
The following student-athletes earned wins during the meet. James Dawson finished 4-0 with four pins, scoring 24 points. Ben Daughtry went 4-0 with three pins, Joseph Baker went 3-1 with three pins and freshman Landon Willis went 2-2.
Coach Jim Davis keeps a positive attitude and believes his team will keep improving as the season progresses. Opelika will host Smiths Station and Huntsville High on Dec. 12 in the OHS Mainstreet Gym at 5:30 p.m. The team will compete in the “Suede Umbach Tournament” at Auburn High School this weekend.
BASKETBALL
Girls
The OHS Lady Bulldog basketball team (8-3) has won five-straight games, including two victories last week. The girls thumped Smiths Station, 58-22 on the road. Claire Worth and Kaitlyn Bryant led Opelika with 16 and 15 points, respectively. Coach Devin Booth’s team outscored the Panthers 24-0 in the first quarter.
Opelika blew out Lafayette 62-30 in the Mainstreet Gym last Thursday. Offensively, Ananda Hughley and Hakey Sanders scored a season-high 20 points apiece.
Boys
Opelika boys team split last week, beating Smiths Station 64-57 and lost 63-49 to Lafayette in front of a packed Mainstreet Gym.
The Bulldogs earned their first win of the season, beating Smiths Station on the road by seven points.
Brandon Howard led offensively scoring 22 points, while teammates Ant McGuire and Rashaad Frye added 12 points apiece.
Lafayette outscored Opelika eight points in the second half in a 63-49 win. Ja Carr scored 13 points, while Grady Bynum and Brandon Howard added 10 points each.
Coach John Wadsworth team will now have his complete roster after adding three student-athletes that play football. All three contributed last season and should make a huge impact immediately.
Both teams played Central in Phenix City Tuesday night, but no results were available at press time. The Lady Bulldogs travel to Smiths Station Thursday while the boys host Smiths Station Dec. 13.
SUPER 7
The 2019 AHSAA Super 7 Football Championship, sponsored by the cities of Auburn and Opelika, was a huge success. The Alabama High School Athletic Association announced 42,988 people attended the event.
On Wednesday, 14,369 people attended the 7A Championship. Thursday’s crowd was the smallest at 12,583 and Friday was the best day with 16,036 people watching.
Following are scores from each contest: 1A-Lanett beat Mars Hill Bible 41-30; 2A-Fyffe downed Reeltown 56-7; 3A Piedmont slipped by Mobile Christian 26-24; 4A-UMS Wright beat Jacksonville 28-17; 5A-Central-Clay beat Pleasant Grove in a 31-27 thriller; 6A-Oxford was one point better than Spanish Fort 14-13 and 7A-Thompson beat Central (Phenix City) 40-14.
Tuscaloosa ends the original 12-year contract by hosting the 2020 Super 7 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The new contract begins in 2021 with the Super 7 being played at Protective Stadium in Birmingham.
The Auburn-Opelika area will have a chance to host the 2022 Super 7 at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
D. Mark Mitchell is sports director for iHeart Media, Alabama Dixie Boys State Director and vice president of the A-O Sports Council.