Loachapoka Boys and Girls Have Successful Seasons Central, Auburn Boys Make State

BY DANIEL LOCKE FOR THE OBSERVER

LOACHAPOKA —

The 2022-23 season has been a successful year in basketball for the Loachapoka High School Indians. Both the boys and girls teams were able to win their area and have played a good brand of basketball in the postseason tournaments.

The girls team defeated Calhoun 58-24 on Tuesday night to advance to the second round of the AHSAA 1A girls' tournament. The Indians' next game will be Feb. 16 against University Charter.

The team has several talented players who have made an impact on games and have contributed greatly to their success.

“Senior Taylah Murph is my point guard,” said head coach Anthony Edwards. “She makes this team go. Junior Jasmyn Thomas plays on both sides of the ball. She lights up the stat sheet in all areas. Senior Myana Chenier is a force on the boards and her scoring is improving. Sophomore Kaylan Dowdell is our most improved player by far and she leads us in blocked shots.”

Focus is hard to come by at times, so teams have methods of staying locked in.

“It’s not easy to keep them focused,” Edwards said. “We set simple goals for each game [and] we go after those goals each game.”

Roster turnover is a problem all coaches deal with, but it can be extra hard to overcome at the high school level. That has been a focus for the Indians this season.

“Last year’s team had a little more leadership,” Edwards said on how this team is different from last year’s. “This year’s team is smaller but faster and able to match up with other teams a little better.”

The Indians had to learn how to play without the special group of seniors that they had last year.

“The seniors from last year were so knowledgeable about the game,” Edwards said. “They didn’t mind stepping on the toes of their teammates if they had to benefit the team.”

Defense has been regarded as one of the most important aspects of a basketball game.

Loachapoka puts an emphasis on defense and has an undefeated area record to show for it.

“The key to success in our area was defense,” Edwards said. “We held teams in our area to 20 points or less per game.”

In addition to the girls, the Loachapoka Indians boys team has enjoyed a good amount of success as well this season.

On the talented team, there is one player who sticks out in the mind of head coach Sheroderick Smith.

“Xavion Moore has been the biggest impact,”

WRESTLING TITLE the South Super Sectional at Montgomery's Garrett Coliseum. The following Opelika grapplers finished in the top two: Brady Campbell (39-1, won the 145-pound class by pinning Auburn's Maciej Paszek in the finals). In the 113-pound weight class, Deandre Manora Jr. placed second after losing a 2-0 decision to Auburn's Josh Adams. The State Championship meet will be in Huntsville's Von Braun Civic Center, Feb. 16 through 18.

PERALTA WINS AAU

OHS student-athlete Heidi Peralta won the AAU Alabama Youth Wrestling Organization's state title in the 113-pound weight class. Peralta earned the honor of winning the Governor’s Award for Excellence.

OHS SOCCER

The Bulldog girls and boys soccer teams opened the season last week with a pair of matches. The Lady Bulldogs split a pair of matches last week, beating Eufaula 8-0 and losing to Trinity, 1-0.

Against Eufaula, Amiya Brown scored a "hat trick” (three goals) to lead OHS, followed by goals from Liseth Vera, Maelee

Smith said. “He is a player that has really elevated his game from last year. Last year he would get into foul trouble and not play defense like he needed to but this year he was tremendously better.”

Much like the girls team and every high school team, the Indians had trouble remaining focused at times this season. The team was able to lock in when it mattered the most, however.

“The practice before the area championship game was one of the most focused practices we had,” Smith said. “Then to follow it up by beating our rival school.”

Roster turnover has been one of the biggest obstacles that the Indians have had to overcome.

“This year's team doesn't have the experience that the reserve players had last year,” Smith said. “Right now, we have seven players who have only played varsity for one year.”

Like many high school teams, Loachapoka has been heavily dependent on its senior class.

“Those seniors mean a lot to this team,” Smith said. “They bring the vocal experience back to the team that needs to have it for the lack of experience that this team was playing with.”

With both teams still alive in their postseason tournaments, a good year could become even better for the Loachapoka Indians.

Story, Kam McDaniel, Maricela Cruz and Aimie Alcantara. Recording assists: McDonald (two), Kaitlun Spoon, Vera, Karly Phatsadavong and Brown.

The Bulldog boys beat Eufaula, 4-0, behind a hat trick by three Moe Forbes and one goal by Dexter Graham. Assists were recorded from Nathan Faison (two), Forbes and Graham.

The varsity boys capped off the week with a 2-1 win over Trinity of Montgomery. Faison and Graham scored one goal apiece while Rigo Ramirez and Forbes added an assist.

OHS BASEBALL OPENS MONDAY

JAGUARS >>

FROM B2 with a smile on his face.

He is ready for some tacos, and Karter said he is excited to hop on a plane for the first time in his life — although his mom does not reciprocate those feelings. Torbert said she prefers her feet to be on the ground.

In the end, this is an experience that will likely help put Opelika on the map and be an experience for two young ballplayers to grow on. Just like Torbert on the plane, the boys will have to adapt to a new situation.

“It shows more than this area of football; it broadens the horizon,” Torbert said. “I think it puts them ahead of the game.”

The OHS varsity baseball team opens the 2023 season Monday, Feb. 20, against Wetumpka at Bulldog Park, with first pitch set for 1:30 p.m. Fans can listen to the OHS vs. Wetumpka baseball game on FOX Sports the Game 910-1310 and on the free iHeartRadio App on your smartphone. The broadcast is presented by the Orthopaedic Clinic.

AHSAA KICKOFF CLASSIC INVOLVES TWO LOCAL TEAMS

I have learned two local high school football teams, Opelika and Beauregard, will open the 2023 season playing in the Kickoff Classic at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. The AHSAA has not officially announced the two games featuring Beauregard versus Selma and Opelika versus Thompson, but the announcement is expected any day.

This is exciting news for both Beauregard and Opelika football programs. The date and time of each game has not been released.

OPELIKA DIXIE BOYS

BASEBALL

The Opelika Dixie Boys Baseball League for ages 13 through 15 will hold registration in March at the Opelika Sportsplex. The league is open to anyone wanting to play baseball between 3 and 15 years old. The control date for age is April 30.

All registered players will be on a team and receive a jersey and cap. The Dixie Boys 13U and 14U State Tournament will be held at West Ridge Park July 7 through 10. The 13U World Series is scheduled to be at West Ridge Park July 24. Opelika will automatically receive a bye to the World Series by hosting the tournament.

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.