By Cort Reynolds

FINDLAY __ The Ada High School varsity boys golf team teed off its 2024 campaign with the first of three Blanchard Valley Conference championship league meets this season on Monday, August 5 at the Findlay Country Club.

It was the first-ever athletic event for the Bulldogs as a full-fledged member of the BVC. The second league event will be in mid-season, followed by the third tournament at the end of the year.

“It was a great experience to begin the season and introduce us to the BVC,” said Ada head coach Kurt Klingler. “It was a hot day, but we were competitive and had a good day.”

The Bulldogs finished eighth, ahead of Pandora-Gilboa and Arlington in the 10-team event.

Van Buren won the tournament by just three strokes at 30-above par over second-place Liberty-Benton. Leipsic finished 30 shots back in third, followed by Elmwood, Arcadia, Riverdale, McComb and Ada. 

The Bulldogs shot a team score of 435, seven strokes behind the Panthers. P-G finished 20 strokes behind Ada, while last-place Arlington was 26 shots in arrears.

Leipsic ace Brevin Brandt shot a 75 on the par-72 course to win BVC tournament medalist honors. Brennan Craig and Jake Schroeder tied for second place with scores of 76 apiece. 

Senior Ethan Lawrence finished a solid 20th in the field of 56 golfers to pace Ada. He totaled an 18-hole score of 90.