Stevens Leads Tigers Through Competitive SEC

BY DANIEL LOCKE FOR THE OBSERVER AUBURN —

The Auburn gymnastics team has a roster that is loaded with talent. Among these athletes is Cassie Stevens, a senior from Phoenix, Arizona, who has made her mark on the program.

“I’ve been doing gymnastics since I was like 2 or 3,” Stevens said. “My mom actually did it way back when, so she just coaches and from the community,” McBride said. “There’s been more awareness across a bigger variety of sports, for sure.”

RECRUITING >>

FROM B2 locked on establishing basic concepts for the program’s future success.

“I want us to get in spring ball and get good at something,” Freeze said.

“Particularly, what can our quarterbacks do and how can we make that look different. And defensively, we must play hard, we must be physical and we must tackle well. Those will be my focus.”

Freeze reiterated in his press conference that Auburn sells itself. The fact that he, his staff and the administration are all on the same page lends to success in the future.

“Auburn sells itself

SPORTS >> FROM B1

Opelika will play Central at 5:30 p.m. Thursday night.

The winner advances to the Area Tournament Championship game Saturday at 6 p.m. in the AHS gymnasium.

The area tournament winner and runner-up advance to the Southeast Regionals.

OHS SPRING SPORTS pretty well if it has someone that is leading with a vision that people can see and buy in,” Freeze said. “I do think I have a gift [for that]. Our administration has the same vision and we are aligned on that — to be one of the most competitive programs in this conference and an elite program nationally. We have been supported very well by everyone on campus to try and help sell the vision.”

The Bulldog girls and boys soccer teams were unable to open the season last Thursday due to rain. All Springs sports will be playing games in the coming weeks.

Finally, Freeze stressed that the time to firmly establish the culture at Auburn is right now. It’s something he doesn’t take lightly in the new age of NIL, and what he hopes will be a pillar for the Tigers to come in 2023 and beyond.

SELECT OHS BASEBALL/ SOFTBALL GAMES ON IHEARTRADIO

Local iHeartRadio station, FOX Sports the Game 910-1310, will air six baseball and two softball games this spring.

The broadcasts of all games are presented by the Orthopaedic Clinic and can be heard on 910AM, 1310AM, online at foxsportsthegame.com and the iHeartRadio app.

The following is the schedule of games being broadcast:

Softball:

• March 15: Central at OHS (first pitch 5:30 p.m.)

• April 4: AHS at OHS (first pitch 5:30 p.m.)

Baseball:

“It’s a new world now,” Freeze said on recruiting in NIL age. “The teams that can handle it, this new world of all the voices in their ears … I think it’s critical that you have to decide what your identity is going to be gotten from. If you don’t get this settled, its going to be wrestling match that wins against you if your identity is only tied to what I do and what I get.

I’m praying and hoping that we can make Auburn different so that the culture we cultivate here and their value and identity is gotten from who they are becoming on the journey we are on, not the external things.”

• Feb 20: Wetumpka at OHS (1:30 p.m. first pitch)

• Feb 25: Benjamin Russell at OHS (11 a.m. first pitch)

• Feb 25: Beauregard at OHS (4 p.m. first pitch)

• April 6: Central at OHS (first pitch 4:30 p.m.) Game two, following game one:

• April 12: Smiths Station at OHS (first pitch 5 p.m.)

• April 19: Auburn at OHS (first pitch 5 p.m.)

Stay tuned for more schedule updates from IHeartRadio.

OHS AMENDS ATHLETICS

CODE OF CONDUCT: ALLOWS STUDENTS TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES WITH HAIR Opelika High School

Basketball, however, was the beginning of the movement. Things began to escalate quickly when the 2018-19 team made a legendary Final Four run. And then, in 2022, they peaked.

The football edition the previous semester had an ugly ending for the Tigers for a second straight season in 2021 with a four-overtime loss after Auburn led Alabama 10-0 after three quarters. But, according to Floyd and McBride, basketball was Auburn’s chance for redemption, and The Jungle made sure it happened.

It ended with Pearl in “the crane,” following the moves of The Jungle, to celebrate a 100-81 win to give them a season sweep of a ranked Tide team. Both Jungle presidents named that

Principal Kellie Fischer confirmed to me that the code of conduct for OHS athletes has been amended.

Fischer said the new version does not include grooming and hair length.

OHS implemented a “Code of Conduct” for student-athletes when coach Spence McCracken took over as athletic director and head football coach.

The athletic code of conduct addressed numerous topics, including academic requirements (including GPA), random drug testing and hair length/grooming.

Prior to the start of the school year, the student-athlete and one parent was required to sign the code of conduct before the loves it and put me in it to start.”

In a career that has spanned over 20 years, Stevens said she has a lot of fond gymnastics memories, but two stick out in her mind.

“One was probably my first year of level 10 Nationals when I got my skill named after me,” Stevens said. “That was pretty cool because I ended on beam, and you have to successfully compete it at a competition to get it game last Feb. 1 as the most memorable in their years at Auburn.

“If you would’ve lit a single match, the whole place would’ve exploded,” Floyd said, wide-eyed. “It was a white out and, man, it was crowded. That was a great atmosphere.”

That energy carried over from the game versus Kentucky, where students camped out overnight in anticipation of the game and in hopes of stealing front-and-center seats in the student section.

The basketball team notices the support, too, and shows love to its most enthusiastic fans. Pearl has made several appearances before the student doors open an hour and a half before games to deliver food and supplies to the students. In fact, the circle of the Village where students stand in line has become known as “Pearl-Ville.”

This unrelenting support of Auburn basketball is one that didn’t happen overnight, even though many students might tell you it did. Basketball is now a huge hit at Auburn, but it hasn’t always been that way.

“Going back to the ‘80s student could participate.

Fischer explained her reasons for making the change by saying that by taking the hair policy out of the code of conduct, student-athletes can express themselves with their hair while playing sports. I think this important in today’s society she said.

SMITHS STATION SET TO

NAME NEW FOOTBALL COACH AT LEE COUNTY BOARD MEETING named after you, and that was a really special moment.

Smiths Station High School is set to name Bryant Garrison as its new head football coach, pending board approval on Feb. 14.

Garrison just completed his first year as head coach at Slocomb High School, finishing 5-5.

“The second one would probably be vault at the Florida meet last year, just because there was a lot behind that, losing that one and a half and coming back and nailing it.”

Stevens has been at Auburn during one of the biggest transitions in program history. Gymnastics on The Plains has seen a See GYMNASTICS, page B7 and the ‘70s, before — and really roughly after the (Charles) Barkley days here — if you would’ve told them Auburn basketball was going to be a legit scene in the year 2023, they would’ve thought you were crazy,” Floyd said. “That speaks to The Jungle, that speaks to coach Pearl and what has happened here, and the investment in basketball from the university and the Athletic Department.”

Auburn lost its nation-longest home winning streak of 28 games at the end of January to Texas A&M just after it became the longest when Gonzaga lost, but The Jungle lives on regardless. According to Floyd, that’s the way it’ll always be in Auburn from now on.

“If you love Auburn, Auburn will most definitely love you back,” Floyd said. “[Being a Jungle leader is] something that has taught me to work well with others. Tempers flare, but you learn to adapt and keep rolling. … Auburn will always be home. Auburn will always be special. Even after Jenny and I leave this place, The Jungle will remain strong in the hearts and minds of its students and fans.”

Prior to 2022, Garrison spent three seasons as defensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach at Central Gwinnett in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He was a graduate and assistant under coach Nick Saban at Alabama.

The Lee County school board will vote on his hiring at its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday, Feb. 14.

D. Mark Mitchell is the sports director at iHeartMedia, host of “On the Mark” Fox Sports the Game 910-1319, co-chair of the Auburn-Opelika Sports Council, chairman of the Super 7 and Dixie Boys Baseball state director.