By Cort Reynolds

LIMA – The Ada High School boys golf team competed in the rugged 14-team Bluffton Invitational tournament at Lima’s Hidden Creek Golf Club course on a hot Monday, August 11.

The young Bulldog linksters finished last in the tough field despite a few good individual rounds.

Liberty-Benton won the event with 312 strokes, just three shots ahead of second-place Bluffton (315). Wapakoneta finished third at 334, followed by Bath (336), Tiffin Calvert (341), Riverdale (347) and Ridgemont (350).

Van Buren came in eighth (363), followed closely by Bellefontaine (364), Arcadia (367) and Maumee Valley Country Day (369). 

McComb ended up 12th (385), Arlington was 13th (391) and Ada came in 14th (396).

“We shot our season-best so far with a 396, but unfortunately that was for dead last,” said new Ada head coach Tod Schmidt. “Notable was freshman Arden Shook’s fine 89. 

“The team still is not shooting to their typical average, so we should continue to see our team score come down as the season progresses,” he continued. “Hidden Creek was a nice venue, in good condition.

“We play there again next week, so this 18-hole tournament should help us when we return and play a nine-hole match,” he added.

Shook led the team with a career-best 42-47=89 score over 18 holes.

Junior Brody Rister was right behind him with a 44-46=90 round. Junior Lawson Klingler posted a 49-48=107 score.

Senior Sam Crawford registered a 57-53=110 tally. Junor Gavin Guyton carded a 58-62=120 round.

Nick Lovett of Bluffton was tournament medalist with a low round of 70. Arcadia’s Arden Cline took second with a 73.

Ridgemont’s Dawson Manns came in sixth with a 77, followed by Gopher teammate Devan Ramsey in seventh place a shot behind at 78.

Ada plays at county foe Hardin Northern Friday, Aug. 15.